Today is the holy grail for goofy photos, quips and quotes as the media descends on NBA training camps for an officially sanctioned opportunity to bombard players, coaches and executives with barrage of questions about their summers. In an offseason where most players are traveling, training or just staying out of the spotlight, the NBA’s media day signifies the traditional start to the season. Obviously, we want to share some of the highs and lows on this most cherished of days.
With an emphasis on social media sites like Instagram, Twitter and others, there’s a lot to digest. Randomness is key and jokes have been rushing across our dashboard all day. So we thought it best to just give you some of our favorites on this most of holy of NBA beginnings. With photos and videos coming in from all over as 29 teams (the Lakers already did their media day, of course), here are some of the one’s that jumped out at us as we jittered with anticipation with training camp beckoning.
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Let The Games Begin!!!! It's showtime now.
— Carmelo Anthony (@carmeloanthony) September 30, 2013
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One quote from Spurs coach Gregg Popovich about Kawhi Leonard, by way of the San Antonio Express-News‘ Sean McDonald, summed up all our feelings about the Spurs’ rising star.
Pop on Leonard: “Kawhi is the new Parker-Ginobili-Duncan kind of guy. He’s going to take over as the star of the show as time goes on."
— Jeff McDonald (@JMcDonald_SAEN) September 30, 2013
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But the Express-News‘ Bob McCarney were killing it today simply be recounting Kawhi quotes. They were like if Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance were personified as an NBA player:
Most Spurs spoke today about their varying degrees of angst after Finals, but not Kawhi: "Didn’t think about it too much. We lost."
— Dan McCarney (@danmccarneysaen) September 30, 2013
More classic Kawhi: He's never heard of Breaking Bad.
— Dan McCarney (@danmccarneysaen) September 30, 2013
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And the most Kawhi exchange ever. Q: Do anything fun this summer? A: No
— Dan McCarney (@danmccarneysaen) September 30, 2013
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More Kawhi, on how he played in Finals: I wasn't surprised at all.
— Dan McCarney (@danmccarneysaen) September 30, 2013
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I feel like Kawhi has the makings of a Zen master, without having any clue what Zen is.
— Dan McCarney (@danmccarneysaen) September 30, 2013
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I try to imagine what Kawhi's conversational skills might be like on a first date, and I just can't.
— Dan McCarney (@danmccarneysaen) September 30, 2013
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Jeff MacDonald relayed another Popovich quote on French point guard Tony Parker, who just won his first FIBA Euorobasket gold medal. After playing an entire regular season with the Spurs, and every playoff game up until that heartbreaking game 6 and 7 in Miami, Parker still can’t expect to just lollygag into training camp this week.
After grueling Euros, expect Parker to ease into camp? Pop: “What’s he make, like $200 million a year? He’s going to play his ass off."
— Jeff McDonald (@JMcDonald_SAEN) September 30, 2013
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We have no idea what Goran Dragic is dressed to represent, but it’s a good representation of media day, as Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic notes.
The sort of thing that @Goran_Dragic gets talked into doing on #Suns media day. pic.twitter.com/NzyvH0vLZ9
— Paul Coro (@paulcoro) September 30, 2013
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Dallasbasketball.com writer Michael Duget had some breaking news on Dirk Nowitzki:
Dirk breaking news: "I don't have boobs."
— Michael Dugat (@mdug) September 30, 2013
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Minnesota Timberwolves guard Ricky Rubio is back too, exceeding the heartthrob quota for media day…
Looks like Rubio added 10 lbs of ADORABLE. pic.twitter.com/fN24kobDxa
— Steve McPherson (@steventurous) September 30, 2013
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Also !!!
Eight-foot rim. RT @steventurous RubioBomb: He dunked this summer.
— Farmer Jones (@thefarmerjones) September 30, 2013
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Rubio’s teammate Corey Brewer came over from the Nuggets in the offseason. When asked about the last time he was in Minnesota under then-coach Kurt Rambis, Brewer was less-than-diplomatic.
"We ran the triangle. I don't know what that was about." – Corey Brewer on his previous time with the Wolves.
— Zach Harper (@talkhoops) September 30, 2013
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Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan rocked the new “Back in Blue” Clippers alternates with sleeves (people are
Click the next page for more from media day…
Obviously, the Drake news was exciting…
The @Raptors & @Drake enter into a business partnership, as Toronto’s rebuilding continues: https://t.co/8sZTH8tyL5 pic.twitter.com/jbKQk0xeVn
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) September 30, 2013
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Maybe DeMar DeRozen will get him a pair of #Rapskicks.
New Raptors general manager Masai Ujiri doesn’t believe in tanking for Andrew Wiggins next summer…
Masai when asked about tanking (for Wiggins): "I don't know how you teach winning by losing."
— Holly MacKenzie (@stackmack) September 30, 2013
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Then there’s Raptors wing Rudy Gay who had a minor brain blip before recovering…
1. Rudy Gay said he has added 20 pounds of muscle. 2. He referred to the old GM as "Mike Colangelo," which is my new favourite thing.
— Eric Koreen (@ekoreen) September 30, 2013
(He immediately realized his mistake, and had a laugh about it.)
— Eric Koreen (@ekoreen) September 30, 2013
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Our favorite Vine enthusiast, the Suns Kendall Marshall, did just that on media day.
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Bobcats wing Gerald Henderson seemed a tad self-defensive about the recent string of losing in Charlotte.
Gerald Henderson: "We're not losers. We have a losing record, but that's not the character of guys we are."
— Rick Bonnell (@rick_bonnell) September 30, 2013
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Bucks owner Herb Kohl used the media’s availability to trumpet the need for a new arena.
Bucks owner Herb Kohl at Media Day, confident of getting a new arena: "In order to keep the Bucks, we have to get a facility. …"
— Steve Aschburner (@AschNBA) September 30, 2013
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Even though media day already happened for Pau Gasol, he was able to complete practice today, and Steve Nash almost did…
Pau Gasol completed all of Tuesday's practice; Steve Nash did most of it
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) September 30, 2013
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New Knicks GM Steve Mills pacified worried Knicks fans.
Steve Mills, on WFAN radio, states definitively: "Isiah Thomas will not be coming back."
— Tommy Beer (@TommyBeer) September 30, 2013
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Magic rookie Victor Oladipo had some fun at the expense of teammate Moe Harkless.
"That's a great statement. I'm surprised Moe said it." – Oladipo on Harkless saying the Magic were like a college team.
— Andrew Melnick (@Andrew_Melnick) September 30, 2013
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We’re only scratching the surface…
In Golden State Brian Scalabrine made an appearance to take on new Warriors general manager Bob Meyers in a friendly game of one-on-one.
At Warriors facility. Entertaining post-practice 1-on-1 death match in process btwn Bob Myers & Scalabrine. pic.twitter.com/STh5QjuArl
— Chris Ballard (@SI_ChrisBallard) September 30, 2013
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The fashion choice by Scals was appropriately retro…
So far, Scalabrine showing off both the deep range and the short-ish shorts. Myers clearly still has game tho.
— Chris Ballard (@SI_ChrisBallard) September 30, 2013
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Out of New Orleans comes real news with coach Monty Williams saying that new $48 million man Tyreke Evans might come off the bench as a sixth man.
Pelicans coach Monty Williams said the initial plan for Tyreke Evans is bringing him off the bench
— John Reid (@JohnReid64) September 30, 2013
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All the rumors surrounding LaMarcus Aldridge‘s demand for a trade this summer are getting sort of annoying to Blazers GM Neil Olshey.
"Oh dear God, would you guys get over it? Asked and answered… Let's move on." – Blazers GM Neil Olshey on LaMarcus Aldridge trade rumors
— Ben Golliver (@blazersedge) September 30, 2013
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Aldridge — meanwhile — thinks former Blazers teammate Greg Oden could bring some solid production to the defending champs.
LaMarcus Aldridge said he can see former teammate Greg Oden giving the Heat a "mean 8 and 8" if healthy.
— Ben Golliver (@blazersedge) September 30, 2013
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Speaking of the defending champs, they had media day too, taking selfies and everything.
Greg was there.
Greg Oden making the radio rounds pic.twitter.com/HP0LmNq55D
— Ethan J. Skolnick (@EthanJSkolnick) September 30, 2013
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LeBron James spoke too, obviously.
LeBron on being greatest ever: "I'm far, I'm far away from it. But I see the light."
— Ethan J. Skolnick (@EthanJSkolnick) September 30, 2013
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Dwyane Wade wasn’t going to miss a chance to talk at media day either.
"There's not many teams in the history of the @NBA that have won three in a row and we want to be one of those teams." @DwyaneWade
— NBA History (@NBAHistory) September 30, 2013
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But Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo thinks talk is cheap.
Rondo: "Talk is cheap, go out there and prove it. Lead by example."
— Jay O. (@MrTrpleDouble10) September 30, 2013
Rajon Rondo, asked when he expects to play: "I'd say the 2013-2014 season."
— Evans Clinchy (@evansclinchy) September 30, 2013
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He joined fellow guard and friend Avery Bradley in Boston.
Best friends, together again. pic.twitter.com/LMt9jCZFi5
— Evans Clinchy (@evansclinchy) September 30, 2013
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About that big Celtics-Nets trade sending Rondo’s teammates Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to Brooklyn, Rondo actually thought it might be him since he was in the air when it happened.
Rondo on the Nets trade: "I landed in LA before the draft and I had like 45 text messages. I thought I had been traded."
— Evans Clinchy (@evansclinchy) September 30, 2013
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When asked about the new nicknames on the back of jerseys, soft-spoken Brooklyn big man Brook Lopez had an interesting idea.
Brook Lopez went with "Brooklyn" for his nickname jersey and seems thrilled to have the front and back of his jersey say the same thing.
— Adi Joseph (@AdiJoseph) September 30, 2013
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The most important thing about media day though, is remembering those you forgot from last season, or those you always forget for some reason.
Ah yes, NBA media day—my annual reminder that Shawn Marion exists.
— Russ Bengtson (@russbengtson) September 30, 2013
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There are many more, so what are your favorite moments from the NBA’s annual media day?/strong>
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