As we prepare to turn the lights out on 2009, feast your eyes on these NBA highlights that trace back from last season through now. There’s memorable moments and future classics throughout, including the usual roundup of buzzer beaters, dunk victims and celebratory chest-bumps. There’s even a DJ Mbenga sighting add into the mix. Of course, he’s on the receiving end of a dunk but what else is new?

I’m not sure how many of you actually hoop on the regular, but for the usual blacktop inhabitants, you know it’s that one big guy who isn’t really athletic. Since he’s the first guy on the court to know when it rains, you figure he can at least grab a few rebounds. Soon after you start playing, however, you realize this guy isn’t a benefit; he’s more like a liability. Well, my friends, this is NOT DJ Mbenga. Sure, Blake Griffin baptized him a few weeks ago and UNC legend, Ty Lawson, made him (and Josh Powell) an instant YouTube clip.

But you know what? I blame it on his teammates. I’m not exactly sure how it’s their fault yet, but when I figure it out I’ll report back to you. I’m still holding out hope the basketball lovers of America will find the good in themselves to get Lamar Odom’s best man (I hear he was actually IN the wedding) a trip to Dallas for the 2010 NBA All-Star Game. CP3, Kobe, Kevin Durant, Amare…and MBENGA. Sounds unfair to the East, right?

On second thought, DJ, you keep doing stuff like this, it’s going to make it harder for me to argue your case.

At least he’s not “Sideshow Bob.”

Simply put, the kid has the potential to live up to his freak of nature billing, and given what everyone already knows about him, I fully expect him to. Dubbing Griffin as the ‘next Amare Stoudamire’ may be premature, but clips like this give me all the reason in the world to continue to do so (too bad he plays for the forgotten stepchild of Los Angeles sports). Read the rest of this entry »