#NBA JOHN WALL AND ADIDAS UNVEIL J WALL 2

John Wall 2 home colorway

PORTLAND, Ore.  – John Wall wasn’t ready for the league, they said. The electrifying No. 1 overall pick was challenged for having too much fun, too much flash and not enough consistency for success.  

While the Washington Wizards struggled early in John’s career, he dedicated himself to the game, leading the Wizards to back-to-back playoff appearances for the first time since 2006 and garnered praise as a two-time NBA All-Star. Now, John is in search of an NBA Championship without comprising his bold personality and thrilling style of play that never hides from the spotlight.

The Top Five NBA Point Guards Right Now in the 2014-2015 Season

The All-Star Weekend has been etched in memory and the craziest trade deadline in recent memory has just passed. Goran Dragic got his wish to bolt Phoenix along with every other point guard the Suns had, while the Bucks did the smartest thing ever by trading away their best player for a former Rookie of the Year who hasn’t really done much since. OKC may have just become the league’s most dangerous team, while, sadly, we might have seen the last of Chris Bosh this season after he was diagnosed with a blood clot in his lungs.

It’s been a crazy past week or so in the NBA, but here we are now, with only about 27-30 games to go per team and the Playoff race reaching fever pitch. By all indications, it looks like things are going to get even crazier.

And with that backdrop, here they are – the top five point guards RIGHT NOW in the 2014-2015 NBA regular season (this is based on the Player Efficiency ratings as calculated by HoopsStats.com as of the evening of February 21, 2015 – Manila time):

adidas unveils J Wall 1 All-Star edition and DC Blue Colorways

John Wall has just been voted in as a starter in the All-Star Game, has his team paced to the conference’s second best record and continues to make highlight reels on a nightly basis.

J Wall 1 All Star Edition
adidas unveiled the J Wall 1 NYC All-Star edition shoe that Washington Wizards point guard John Wall will wear in his second consecutive NBA All-Star Game appearance and first-ever starting nod.

First time All-Star starter John Wall will be rocking these in NYC!

The versatile point guard’s impressive play, improved defense and league leading 10 assists per game has helped lead Washington to the Eastern Conference’s second best record. 

Pumped Up Kicks: The adidas J Wall 1 “Bad Dreams”

Press Release for the adidas “Bad Dreams” for the 2014 NBA Christmas Day Games:

adidas unveils the “Bad Dreams” collection for NBA Christmas Day Games
adidas today unveiled an all-new colorway collection of basketball footwear that will be worn by adidas athletes during the 2014 Christmas Day NBA games. 

Dubbed the “Bad Dreams” collection, the shoes feature holiday colors, a unique a mix of textures and glow in the dark accents to signify haunting the dreams of opponents. In addition, each shoe features a graphic with a Roman numeral call out for December 24, 2014. 

Glow in the dark never really gets old.
(image from adidas)

Footwear models included in the “Bad Dreams” collection include the D Rose 5 Boost, J Wall 1, Crazylight 4 Boost, and Crazy 2. 

The Top Ten NBA Players to Start the 2014-2015 Season

The start of the new NBA season (yehey!) has churned out a lot of storylines. There’s Klay Thompson getting that huge contract (and playing like he deserves it), while Kawhi Leonard’s efforts at getting his own extension didn’t pan out (he’s not playing like he deserves it, by the way). There’s Derrick Rose getting injured (again), which is starting to feel like an annual event in itself, and the OKC Thunder getting decimated, which is actually too weak a word. Of course, we’re also wondering how the Rockets, Warriors, and Grizzlies have remained unbeaten, while title contenders Cleveland, San Antonio, and the Clippers have tumbled out of the gates.

It’s all been hella entertaining, which is why I wanted to look at something that has made me go, “Well, will you look at that?” I wanted to see who have actually been performing at the top of their games in the first week or so of 2014-2015, and, well, let’s just say there are some surprises here.

No Lebron. No Durant. No Rose. No Kobe. No Dirk.

Without further ado, here they are – the top ten players  to start the 2014-2015 NBA regular season (this is based on the Player Efficiency ratings as calculated by HoopsStats.com as of the morning of November 7, 2014 – Manila time):

Pumped Up #Kicks: John Wall and #adidas unveil two new J Wall 1 colorways

adidas today unveiled two new colorways of the J Wall 1 signature basketball shoe – the Washington Wizards NBA All-Star point guard will wear both “Away” and “Alternate Away” versions while playing on the road this season.

adidas launches John Wall's first signature shoe this year.

The J Wall 1 features a sleek, bold design inspired by Wall’s quick on-court play and fashion forward off-court style. Both versions feature the new John Wall logo that incorporates Wall’s initials, “JW,” and is designed with the “J” crossing-over to the “W” as a nod to his quick playing style and ability to cross over defenders.

Guards of the Future: John Wall and Damian Lillard

Action in the 2014 NBA Playoffs has undeniably been among the best for several reasons. One of these is how the road teams have virtually negated homecourt advantage, winning an NBA Playoffs record 24 times in the first round and 32 overall. Games have been extraordinarily tight, too, with 8 first round games going into overtime (including four straight between the Grizzlies and Thunder — another NBA Playoffs record) and five first round series going the full seven games. One of the best reasons, at least for me, however, is this — we have seen the emergence of some young stars. These young guns have really impressed so far, coming up big in crunch time and showing the entire NBA fanbase that they belong in the Playoffs. Among these are Jeff Teague, DeMar DeRozan, Bradley Beal, and LaMarcus Aldridge. The ones I really want to talk about right now, though, are two guys who, despite their youth, are already among the best point guards in the NBA — Portland’s Damian Lillard and Washington’s John Wall.

Two guards who are sure to continue to rise in the future:
John Wall and Damian Lillard!

Pumped Up Kicks: The adidas Crazyquick 2 rolls out!

As you wake up today, you should realize it’s April 1, 2014, but don’t be fooled, or, at least, don’t think you’re being fooled. The adidas Crazyquick 2, the sneaker of choice for world-beating cat-quick guards like John Wall and Damian Lillard, is dropping today in adidas Philippines stores.

Both Damiam Lillard and John Wall rocked the
adidas Crazyquick 2 in the 2014 NBA All-Star Game.
(images from SoleCollector.com)

Here’s the official press release from the trefoil company:

The NBA: March 2014 Position Battle – The Top 5 Point Guards Right Now

In this Position Battle post, we will focus on the top five point guards at this point in the season. We will take into account just the players’ stats for the latest five games of their respective teams. This will, hopefully, give us a more current picture of each player’s production.

What’s very interesting in this list is that neither Chris Paul nor Steph Curry are included. Yes, maybe the two consensus best PGs on the planet aren’t among the current top five. Instead, we have a guy who’s bouncing back after being in sick bay, an All-Star snub, and a host of other great playmakers.

Note: All of the following stats are based on each player’s stats as computed by HoopsStats.com. They were taken on March 11, 2014 (Manila time).

A lot of young 'uns in this set of top five.
(composite image by Enzo Flojo/Hoop Nut)

The NBA: February 2014 Position Battle – The Top 5 Point Guards Right Now

In this Position Battle post, we will focus on the top five point guards at this point in the season. We will take into account just the players’ stats for the latest five games of their respective teams. This will, hopefully, give us a more current picture of each player’s production.

With Chris Paul not exactly his old self yet, the race is really wide open for the best PG in the NBA right now. The obvious choice outside of CP3, of course, is GSW’s Steph Curry, but how about other young guns like Kyrie Irving, John Wall, or Damian Lillard? You might be surprised, especially since an old favorite makes an appearance at #2!!!

Note: All of the following stats are based on each player’s stats as computed by HoopsStats.com. They were taken on February 11, 2014 (Manila time).

5. Brandon Jennings (DET) - 24.4ppg, 3.8rpg, 8.4apg, 1.6spg, 3.4 triples per game, .886 FT%, 23.8 EFF

The Pistons are one of the suckiest teams out there (just ask Mo Cheeks), but don’t tell that to Jennings, who has been enjoying one of his most productive NBA seasons yet. And, well, Detroit has won three straight, including today’s surprising win over the Spurs. It was Motor City’s first W under new coach John Loyer. As for Jennings, he didn’t do too badly, dropping 21 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals on the TP9 and the Spurs.

           

Brandon Jennings tries to blow by John Wall.
(image by Alex Brandon/AP)

They Be All-Stars: Our East All-Star Reserves

The 2014 NBA All-Star Game promises to be another awesome multi-platform sports media and marketing spectacle, what with many of the world’s best athletes competing in several contests. Undoubtedly, the centerpiece event is the All-Star Game itself, mainly because participation in it is one significant form of star-status validation.

After this year’s All-Star starters were announced, I felt really excited simply because fresh up-and-coming talent seems to be the main driving force not only in the All-Star showcase but in the entire season itself. This year’s starters, in fact, have four first-timers — Steph Curry, Kevin Love, Paul George, and Kyrie Irving. 

So many guys have gone down with injuries, yes (D-Rose huhu), but so many have also stepped up to help their individual stock and/or teams rise to new heights. Guys like Andre Drummond, John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, and Anthony Davis have really bloomed so far and have relished in the spotlight. 

John Wall should be an All-Star in 2014.
(image from Red Navy)

In light of all these, I’ve decided to give my own unsolicited take on who else should be named All-Stars. Yes, I probably won’t get all fourteen reserves right, but that’s not the point anyway. This is not a prediction, just a statement of opinion on who, I believe, are good enough to fill the seven reserve slots for the East and, likewise, seven for the West.

The NBA: December 2013 Position Battle – The Top 5 Point Guards Right Now

It’s our first NBA Position Battle of the 2013-2014 season, and this promises to be very interesting! The number one PG may not be a surprise, but more than a couple of the guys on this list might result in some eyebrows raised.

Note: All of the following stats were taken on December 6, 2013 (Manila time).

5. Michael Carter-Williams (PHI) – 17.7ppg, 7.3apg, 5.8rpg, 3.1spg, 1.5 triples per game, 20.1 EFF

The early season Rookie of the Year favorite reminds me a lot of Penny Hardaway. He has pretty much the same size, the same athleticism, and the same great offensive skills. And, of course, MCW gets it done on the other end with a league-leading 3.1 steals per! Now if he can only recover from his aching knee…

Michael Carter-Williams is the early favorite to win
the 2014 ROY.
(image by Howard Smith/USA Today)

4. Ty Lawson (DEN) – 19.3ppg, 8.2apg, 3.7rpg, 1.2spg, 1.2 triples per game, 20.1 EFF

Lawson isn’t exactly top-of-mind when it comes to the top NBA playmakers conversation, but he’s currently doing extremely well, and that has translated to the Nuggets’ 10-6 start. He’s a classic example of someone who doesn’t get a lot of print or hype, but delivers anyway.

The NBA: 5 Players Who Will Make the "Jump"

Each season, we see players elevate their games into higher levels. These growths and improvements in their basketball skills are called making the "jump". You will notice the "jump" when a regular bench player becomes a consistent starter (Omer Asik) or an average starter becomes an All-star (Paul George) or an All-star becomes a superstar (James Harden).

This season, I expect these five players to make the "jump".

DeMarcus Cousins has the talent to be an All-star but
he is more known for tantrums and outbursts on the court 

1. DeMarcus Cousins, Sacramento Kings
Boogie Cousins received a contract extension worth 4-year, $62 million from the Kings this past summer. Sacramento traded former ROY Tyreke Evans to the Pelicans and received a pass-first PG in Grievis Vasquez. With Evans gone, Cousins ultimately becomes the leader and franchise player of the Kings. The Kings believe that they can contend for a playoffs spot in the West with DMC leading the charge. Cousins has to stay on the floor and avoid getting technical fouls (and ejections) or fouling out. He is capable of getting double-doubles daily (17 and 9.9 last year) and being a 22 and 12 guy is definitely attainable. DMC must improve his transition defense especially after he takes a shot or doesn't get the ball. He is prone to complaining and jogging back on defense. Cousins needs to grow up now, on and off the court this season. Heck, Shaq is now a minority owner for the Kings, maybe he can mentor DMC for the better.

The NBA: Can the Wizards Make the Playoffs?

John Wall and Bradley Beal are the backcourt of the future for the Wizards.
Can they lead Washington into the playoffs for 2013-14? 

The Washington Wizards finished last season at 29-53 and were 9 games out of a playoff spot in the East. Their best players missed a ton of games due to injury. John Wall only played 49 games while Bradley Beal  and Trevor Ariza appeared in 56, Nene in 61 and AJ Price in 57 games.

There is no question that John Wall is their best player and the Wizards have determined that he is potentially their franchise player after giving Wall a 5-year, $80 million extension this past summer. Wall will be entering his 4th year and will be 23 years old by the start of the season. He wont be going anywhere.

In the 49 games that Wall played last season, the Wizards went 24-25. Consequently, the Wiz were 5-28 without him. Yikes. John Wall is not injury-prone (yet) but it's hard to say that he is durable after playing only 184 out of 230 games in his first 3 years in the NBA. Playing only 80% of their games was not good enough for a Wizards team that relied so much on John Wall to initiate and create offense for them. If he was healthy last season and played all 82 games, the Wizards could have won around 38-40 games which would have placed them at the 7th or 8th spot in the East.

Wall has gradually improved offensively each season and last year was his most efficient. He ended up playing only 32.7 minutes per game (down from 36 and 37 the past 2 seasons) but his scoring and shooting percentages were career-highs. His Player Efficiency Rating was at 20.91 (career-high) which placed him at 22nd in the league and ahead of Deron Williams, Chris Bosh, LaMarcus Aldridge and Dirk Nowitzki.

John Wall also improved his shot selection and his mid-range jumper was more dependable. He made 38% of his jumpers from 10-15 feet (up from 34% previous year) while his long twos from 16-23 feet went in at 37% which was up from 32% from the 2011-12 season. Sadly, his three-point shooting has been abysmal and non-existent. Wall made only 12 of 45 threes last season which was already an improvement from previous years.

Wall has a nasty crossover that can easily free him from a defender and he has one of the quickest first steps to the hoop. Wall can finish very well at the rim where he made 59% of his shots at close range while his floaters in the paint went in at a good rate of 43% . He likes to attack the paint to attract help defense which could free up his teammates for an open shot. Wall actually had a down year in assists at 7.6 but his turnovers improved. Getting more minutes and playing constantly with Bradley Beal and Martell Webster (42% three-point shooter) should give Wall a career year in assists next season.

Now, John Wall by himself cannot carry the Wizards to the playoffs. Bradley Beal needs to be healthy and ready to contribute once the opening tip begins. Beal had a solid rookie season and was rewarded with an All-Rookie 1st Team award despite only playing 56 games. Beal was arguably their 2nd best perimeter shooter (after Webster) who made 91 threes and connected on 210 jumpers at a success rate of 37 percent. Beal is also big and strong enough to guard the likes of Dwyane Wade, Joe Johnson, Dion Waiters and Gerald Henderson. He still needs to improve his footwork and positioning.

The Wizards drafted Otto Porter Jr. in the lottery from Georgetown. Porter has shooting range and was a decent three-point shooter in college. If he can stretch his shooting to the NBA's range, Porter will be a big boost to the Wiz. He also needs to bulk up and increase his strength because he is listed at 198 pounds which is too slim for a SF in the NBA.

Washington will still need their veterans to be healthy (Okafor, Nene, Ariza, Webster) while their new players (Al Harrington, Eric Maynor, Leandro Barbosa) are all expected to contribute. Their bench is littered with young guys (Jan Vesely, Kevin Seraphim, Chris Singleton) who can become solid role players when given the minutes.

Overall, the future of the Wizards relies on John Wall and his backcourt mate Bradley Beal. Wall needs to better his jumper and ideally include a three-point shot just to make defenders guard him from the perimeter. Beal needs to be more efficient with his shot selections and learn to move without the ball in his hands. They will make the playoffs if they remain healthy and continue to improve.

Pumped Up Kicks: The adidas Crazyquick

Pop quiz, hotshot.

What do John Wall and Damian Lillard have in common?

Ummm… a lot, actually.

They are both world-class point guards playing their trade in the NBA -- Wall for the Wiz and Lillard for the Blazers (duh!). They're both hellafast. They both have great court vision. They are both fierce when attacking opposing defenses. They are both rising stars in the game. 

And they're both wearing the all-new Crazyquick shoe from adidas. 

A brand new shoe for the crazy quick guys out there!

The NBA Roundup: April 7, 2013

Wilson Chandler and Corey Brewer made life look easy even without Danilo Gallinari, while the Spurs remained a game ahead of OKC in the West after scraping by the Hawks. Also, John Wall had another superb outing in the Wizards’ upset of the Pacers.

Today’s Best:

•        Chandler and Brewer paired up for 43 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists as the Nuggets beat the Rockets at home to remain firmly at #3, 2 games in front of the Clippers.
•        Tim Duncan and Kawhi Leonard were supremely sublime in San Antonio’s win over the Hawks. TD had 31 points and 14 boards, while Leonard filled the stat-sheet with a 23-6-4-2-2 line.
•        How about John Wall? This early, he just might be a 2014 All-Star already. Wall dropped 37 on Indiana, while also adding 5 assists, 2 steals, and 2 rejections.

John Wall outplayed All-Star Paul George as
Washington defeated Indiana.
(image from Getty Images/CBSSports)

Today’s Worst:

•        In contrast, Paul George missed all his field goals and finished with only 2 points in 34 minutes of play. This is not a good sign for the 2013 All-Star, who has struggled of late even as the Pacers try to catch up with the Knicks for the East’s #2 spot.
•        Are you getting sick of seeing Joe Johnson throw up bricks? I am, but, strangely enough, the Nets aren’t. JJ shot just 5-of-16 in the Nets’ latest game. Good thing it was just versus the Bobcats.
•        DeMar DeRozan might be this generation’s Corey Maggette – a high-flying wing player who does nothing else but score and fill the highlight reel (Maggette doesn’t even do THAT anymore!). Against the Bucks, DeRozan shot just 6-of-14 from the floor and had only 2 rebounds. Nothing else.

The NBA: March 2013 Position Battle – The Top 5 Point Guards Right Now

Of course Chris Paul is up there at the very top, but who else follows? A former #1 pick, a second generation NBAer, the top Euro guard right now, and a guy who was supposed to be too small to succeed at this level.

Note: All of the following stats are based on the last five games of each player’s team as computed by HoopsStats.com. They were taken on March 28, 2013 (Manila time).

5. Kemba Walker (CHA) - 22.2ppg, 5.0rpg, 6.0apg, 2.8spg, 23.2 EFF

The Cats have won three of their last five and the cherry on the top was today’s game against Orlando. Walker dropped 34 big ones on the Magic, hitting nearly 57% of his field goals. He also dished out 9 dimes, had 7 boards, and 2 each for steals and blocks.

Kemba Walker has been terrific for the Bobcats.
(image by Kent Smith/Getty Images)

4. Goran Dragic (PHX) - 18.5ppg, 5.0rpg, 10.8apg, 1.5spg, 23.5 EFF

He’s a Slovenian who was born in Yugoslavia and now playing in Arizona. That’s a mouthful right there. The difficulty is worth it, however, as Dragic has been maybe the lone bright spot on a Suns team that has won just 3 games this month. Dragic won’t score a ton, but he’s the only guy on this list who has normed more than 10 assists in the last five games.

3. Steph Curry (GSW) - 26.2ppg, 5.0rpg, 7.2apg, 1.6spg, .467 3pt%, 24.4 EFF

Curry continues to battle a myriad of minor and major injuries even as the Warriors remain at 6^th spot in the West. This is the best GSW has done in the regular season for quite some time, and most would look at Curry as the catalyst. Think of him as a slightly watered down Chris Paul.

The NBA Roundup: March 26, 2013

Playoffs-bound Memphis and Denver were on the wrong side of upsets, while Miami continued their winning ways. Also, the Lakers’ shot at keeping eighth spot took a hit with the loss to G-State.

Day’s Best:

•        We all have a new name to remember – Brian Roberts of the New Orleans Hornets. Roberts came out of nowhere to dish out EIGHTEEN ASSISTS, outplay veteran counterpart Andre Miller, and, consequently, help end the Nuggets’ winning run at 15 games.
•        Not even Tony Allen could slow John Wall down. Wall scored a career-high 47 points for a Washington team that has suddenly become the most dangerous spoiler squad this month.
•        Despite D-Wade sitting this one out, Miami still won thanks to LeBron James’s near-triple-double and great help from the supporting cast.

Brian Roberts surprised everyone, perhaps including
himself, with his strong play against Denver.
(image by Bill Haber/AP)

Day’s Worst:

•        Pau Gasol had a forgettable outing against GSW – just 3-of-8 from the floor in 23 minutes of play.
•        Jrue Holiday’s stellar play took a holiday (hehe… eh) against the Jazz. The All-Star playmaker shot just 2-of-8 from the field, had 1 rebound, 1 assists, and 4 turnovers in 24 minutes.
•        Jerryd Bayless’s hot shooting cooled off noticeably against Washington. Bayless missed 12 of his 17 FGs, including all 4 3pt attempts, in 28 minutes of action as Memphis stumbled on the road.

The NBA Roundup: March 23, 2013

It was not a good day for Lakers and Celtics fans. Memphis and Atlanta lost games they should’ve easily won. It was a turn-the-tables-on-the-favorites Saturday. Too bad the Heat were too good to get beaten by the lowly Pistons.

Day’s Best:

•        LeBron James shot 12-of-15 from the field to finish with 29 points on top of 8 rebounds and 8 assists, leading Miami to its 25^th straight win. The ’71-’72 Lakers are seriously looking over their shoulders now.
•        What if John Wall played like this in every game – 24 points, SIXTEEN ASSISTS, 6 rebounds, and 2 steals? Well, he’d be more than just a Washington WALLflower that’s for sure. #someconsistencyplease
•        Carmelo Anthony pouring 37 big ones on the Raptors. Melo didn’t do much else aside from scoring, but the Big Apple bigwigs aren’t paying him to do what Tyson Chandler and Jason Kidd can (much better at that) anyway. A badly needed win for the embattled Knicks.

John Wall put up great numbers in the Wizards'
upset win over the Lakers.
(image by Matt York/AP)

Day’s Worst:

•       Kobe Bryant and the Lakers lost to the Washington Wizards and are teetering just on the edge of Playoff advancement or elimination. He had a wicked double-double, but he did miss 10 field goals and committed 6 turnovers. #wakeuptherealKobe
•        Jeff Green had a great run of games while it lasted, but against the Mavs he was just… okay. He shot just 5-of-11 from the floor to finish with 10 points and 5 turnovers.
•        So Toronto’s Terrence Ross took 10 shots in 19 minutes. Five of those shots were from beyond the arc. He made only 2 field goals and NONE from threelandia. He shot more FGs than Rudy Gay and Kyle Lowry. #nobusinessdoingthat

The NBA: Washington Is a TOP FIVE Team in the NBA – SERIOUSLY!!!

Laugh all you want. Discount them. Discard them. Diss them.

The Washington Wizards won’t care. They’ll beat you anyway.

Why? Because the Wizards, at least based on their last 10 games, where they’ve gone 7-3, have the fifth-best Team Efficiency Difference in the whole league.

Team Efficiency Difference, or DEFF, is measured by taking the simple efficiency of a team and subtracting from it the simple efficiency of its opponent. For a more detailed explanation, click here.

Basically, it determines how well a team plays as opposed to its opponents (duh!). The higher the DEFF, the better the team, or that’s how it works in theory. Take note – this doesn’t measure roster depth or star power. It measures ACTUAL PRODUCTION.

And the Wizards have a DEFF of 11.7 for the past 10 games. That puts them right behind Miami and Chicago in the East, and actually makes them a better team than the Clippers and the Knicks, who are both in the Top Four of most NBA Power Rankings.

Again – the WIZARDS of the last 10 games are better than the Clippers and the Knicks.

The reasons?

How about several – the return of John Wall, the emergence of Bradley Beal, and the settling in of several marquee role players (read: Nene and Emeka Okafor).

John Wall (R) has sparked inspired play in the Wizards.
(image by Ned Dishman/Getty Images)

  

For now, let’s focus on the 2010 #1 pick:

Since his return, Wall has normed 14.1ppg, 6.7apg, and shot 81% from the line in only 25 minutes per outing. His playing time should continue to rise, and his production will do so, too. Beyond the numbers, however, Wall has given Washington a more dynamic look, and the playmaking has been a lot smoother than before. As Mike Wise of the Washington Post puts it:

“His presence instantly changed the team’s choreography on the floor. Trevor Ariza and Martell Webster didn’t have to create all the time and could play off the ball, and Ariza could concentrate more on being a defender. Wall remains a reserve whose minutes are limited, but in the second half of the season, A.J. Price could be the backup point guard he was brought here to be. With Wall penetrating, Beal has more wide-open looks to knock down.”

Wall is a game-changer, and who knows how good the Wiz could have been had he been playing since November?