🏀 Remembering a Legend

March 22, 2023

Good morning BTP family! We had an amazing opening weekend of March Madness filled with upsets and wild endings across the board. Fairleigh Dickinson became the second team EVER to upset a one-seed. Not to mention Princeton’s wild run so far after knocking off Arizona and Missouri as a 15-seed! March Madness has not disappointed by any means so far and I expect the madness to continue again this weekend! In other news the NBA playoff race is heating up as the season begins to wind down. Seven teams in the Western Conference are separated by only 2.5 games in the standings. We are going to have a fun and exciting end to the regular season!

On today’s BTP we break down the NBA’s newest bad boy, how Kansas State’s Markquis Nowell is making a name for himself, and remembering the great Willis Reed.

Have a Fantastic Day!

DEMON TIME

Dillon Brooks is a Menace

Dillon Brooks can’t seem to get out of his own way. Brooks was suspended for the third time this year after receiving his 18th technical foul on Monday night. Not only does Brooks lead the league in techs, but he's passed the 16-tech suspension threshold, meaning for every two techs he gets moving forward, he'll be suspended for another game.

Brooks' latest tech was completely avoidable and came after he foolishly taunted the Mavs bench in full view of the refs. In addition to these antics, he seemed to target Kyrie Irving and was seen chirping at him throughout the game. However, Brooks may have tried to bury the hatchet by doing a jersey swap with Kyrie after the game, only to get big-dogged by Irving. If you watch the video, you can see Irving hand Brooks his jersey but hilariously not take Brooks’ jersey in return. Irving later said he didn’t do it on purpose, but given his propensity to troll, it’s hard to believe it was an accident.

Brooks' trash talk is nothing new, as he's been beefing with the Warriors all season long, specifically, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson. Also, who can forget the time he and Shannon Sharpe had a tense exchange of words that nearly led to a fight at a Lakers-Grizzlies game?

But worst of all, Brooks' bad behavior has gone beyond picking up technical fouls. Last month, Brooks was suspended one game for hitting Donovan Mitchell where the sun doesn’t shine and recently received a $35,000 fine for inexplicably shoving a camera operator to the ground mid-game! Brooks may not be the most important man on the Grizzlies' roster, but for them to go on a deep playoff run, he desperately needs to avoid unnecessary suspensions.

PROVE YOURSELF

Markquis Nowell is Putting Himself on the Map

Markquis Nowell may be a “little guy,” according to Kentucky coach John Calipari, but he’s making a big difference. After dropping 27 points and nine assists against the always-dangerous Kentucky Wildcats, the legend of the 5-foot-7 Nowell is only growing.

Who is Markquis Nowell?

Nowell is the current point guard for the Kansas State Wildcats and one of the most exciting players left in the tournament. Despite his small size and stature, Nowell is dominating the tournament with his scoring and playmaking. Through the first two rounds of the tournament, Nowell has registered a whopping 46 points and 23 assists.

How did he get here?

Nowell grew up in Harlem, and after making a name for himself at various prominent high schools and the legendary street courts of New York City, he was left without any D1 offers. But Nowell was resilient and knew he would eventually find his way there, even if it meant having to prove himself at a mid-major. After averaging double-digit scoring over 2.5 years at Little Rock, Nowell transferred to Kansas State, where he was likely going to back up Nijel Pack.

However, the coaching staff found a way to pair two undersized guards together, and this past season he emerged as the team's lead ball handler and unquestioned leader. Now the kid from Harlem gets a chance to play at Madison Square Garden tomorrow night in another David vs. Goliath matchup, but you know Nowell will rise to the occasion. Nowell's mantra is “heart over height,” and if you watch him play for even a minute, you’ll see how true it is.

REST IN PEACE

Remembering the Legend, Willis Reed

The entire NBA world mourns the loss of Willis Reed, “The Captain,” who passed away Tuesday night at 80 years old. Reed was the anchor for the most prolific era of Knicks basketball, winning two Finals MVPs for the storied franchise over a 10-year playing career.

After four years at Grambling State University, Reed was drafted as the eighth overall pick in the 1964 NBA Draft. He went on to average a double-double, played in all 80 games, won the Rookie of the Year, and made the first of seven straight All-Star games.

Reed’s most remarkable season came in 1969-70 when he became the first player to win the All-Star Game MVP, regular season MVP, and Finals MVP awards in the same year. Only MJ and Shaq have done it since. Then in Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals, Reed etched his name in the NBA history books forever. In an event now known as the “Willis Reed Game,” Reed started and logged 27 minutes of game time with a torn muscle in his right thigh. The Knicks outlasted the Lakers to win their first-ever NBA championship, and a legend was born.

In addition to joining the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1982, Reed was also a member of the NBA’s 50th and 75th-anniversary teams. Willis Reed was the epitome of resilience and toughness; he will be deeply missed.

THE RUMOR MILL

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THIS DAY IN SPORTS HISTORY

March 22, 1969: 31st NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship: UCLA beats Purdue 92-72 winning their third straight National Championship

MEDIA SPOTLIGHT

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