In the history of the league, there has never been a better collection of star talent than the one taking the court this year.
It starts, obviously, with Shaquille O'Neal, who will take his place in the Pantheon as one of the five greatest players ever to play the game whenever he choose to retire. Combine him with still-active vets Michael Jordan and Karl Malone, and one can argue that the best center, shooting guard and power forward to ever play the game will be on the court this season. For good measure, the best player ever under 6-foot-2 (John Stockton) is playing, too.
But be sure to enjoy it, because the landscape will change after this season. As many as six of the NBA's 50 Greatest Players -- Jordan, Malone, Stockton, David Robinson, Hakeem Olajuwon and Scottie Pippen -- will be calling it a career after this season.
For now, we get to enjoy all of them -- with Jordan, Malone and Stockton still reasonable facsimiles of their peaks -- in addition to the next generation of stars that is already in place.
That generation is a fearsome collection of talent in itself. Tim Duncan already has a title and an MVP award and could unseat Malone as the game's greatest power forward. Tracy McGrady and Kobe Bryant provide a dynamic, do-it-all off-guard for each coast, and each is just in his early 20s. Kevin Garnett and Dirk Nowitzki may be the two most versatile 7-footers ever to play the game, shooting and passing like guards but still providing power inside. At point guard, Jason Kidd is an annual MVP contender, while Gary Payton is still near the peak of his powers.
The second layer is equally strong. Prodigious talents such as Grant Hill and Vince Carter are healthy again after battling injuries much of last season. Chris Webber, Allen Iverson and Paul Pierce are all Hall of Fame talents needing only a championship to complete their résumés. A raft of young, talented power forwards like Elton Brand, Pau Gasol and Jermaine O'Neal are waiting in the wings, and 7-foot-5 Yao Ming is on hand from China.
In fact, just the guys 25 and under -- McGrady, Bryant, Nowitzki, Carter, Jermaine O'Neal, Yao, Gasol, Brand, Steve Francis and Baron Davis, for instance -- are good enough to hang with almost any era by themselves. The fact that luminaries like Shaq, Jordan, Stockton and Malone are still playing at the same time makes for a real treasure.
Keep that in mind when you watch the NBA this year. It's never been better, but after this year some of the brightest stars will be gone. Enjoy it while it lasts.
The Lakers and Kings hate each other with a blinding passion
In case there was any doubt that the "Sacramento Queens" and Los Angeles Lakers are mortal enemies, it was quickly resolved on Friday night. Doug Christie and Rick Fox rumbled two minutes into their exhibition game, and then for good measure got in a WWE-style second round in the tunnel on the way to the locker room. If you're wondering, the teams' first regular-season meeting is Christmas night.
Latrell's love boat Latrell Sprewell and the Knicks are getting along about as well as Anjelina Jolie and Billy Bob Thornton. The team handed down a suspension and multiple fines to Sprewell after he showed up for camp with a broken pinkie. Sprewell said he got if falling on his boat; the New York Post said he got it with a wayward punch at a seasick guest on the Milwaukee's Best (really, that's the name). Sprewell is suing the paper and appealing the fines, the Knicks are desperately trying to deal him, and the yacht has a new coat of vomit. Nobody's happy.
Stars on the shelf
You could make an All-Star team out of all the key players who open the season battered and bruised. Alonzo Mourning and Antonio McDyess are already done for the year. Shaquille O'Neal will miss the first several games with a toe injury, Reggie Miller will be out about two weeks with a sprained ankle, Lamar Odom's ankle will keep him out until December, Elden Campbell begins the year on the shelf, and Marcus Camby is out until at least January after hip surgery.
San Antonio Spurs at Los Angeles Lakers, Tuesday, 10:30 p.m. ET Lakers and Kings. Kings and Lakers. Hey, anybody remember the Spurs? You know, the '99 titleists, won 58 games last year, have the reigning MVP? Ring a bell, anyone? The Spurs have title hopes of their own this season, and opening night they'll get a shot to strut their stuff against the Shaq-less Lakers.
Houston Rockets at Indiana Pacers, Wednesday, 7:00 p.m. ET Yao Ming makes his NBA debut, while Isiah Thomas debuts his "Quick" offense. The Rockets and Pacers are two teams looking to blast their way into the league's upper echelon this season, and this game should provide a good marker for how far they have to go.
New Jersey Nets at Washington Wizards, Saturday, 7:00 p.m. ET Now that Michael Jordan has Jerry Stackhouse to share the scoring load and his team has added Bryon Russell, Charles Oakley and Larry Hughes to the fold, the question is whether they can be a contender in the Eastern Conference this year. Saturday night will be a stern test, as they get to face the defending conference champs on their home court.
Just when it seemed nobody could challenge Kings coach Rick Adelman for this year's Ill-Advised Facial Hair Award, the Mavericks' Don Nelson added a frightening patch of roadkill to his upper lip in the offseason. Unfortunately, fans will have to wait to see Nellie's new 'stache in action, because the NBA suspended him and his son, Donn, a Mavs assistant, for two games for conducting an improper workout in Yugoslavia. The league was mum on whether Nelson's grandsons, Donnn and Donnnn, would also face penalties.
LeBron James is an Ohio high-schooler who has a 99.999 percent chance of being the first player picked in this year's NBA Draft. Scouts are unanimous in the opinion that the swingman is the biggest sure thing since Tim Duncan entered the league. The Glance will track the race to "win" the lottery this year and end up with the first pick in the draft. Heading into the season, the Nuggets have to be considered the odds-on favorite, but Cleveland, New York and Miami are all in position to get a healthy number of ping-pong balls.
Get a big man early in the draft. That's one of the four keys to a successful fantasy season on offer from Off the Glass as we head into the new season. The alternative is to end up like me, walking away from the draft with six shooting guards and making a desperation trade for P.J. Brown to even out the roster.
This is the part where we ask you, the reader, to stop waving that towel on the sidelines, pull off the warmups, get on the floor and take some shots. Each week we'll ask a question and post the best responses a week later.
This week's topic: Which NBA team improved the most in the offseason?
John Hollinger covers the NBA for CNNSI.com. "Week at a Glance" appears each Monday during the season.
Just when it seemed nobody could challenge Kings coach Rick Adelman for this year's Ill-Advised Facial Hair Award, the Mavericks' Don Nelson added a frightening patch of roadkill to his upper lip in the offseason. Unfortunately, fans will have to wait to see Nellie's new 'stache in action, because the NBA suspended him and his son, Donn, a Mavs assistant, for two games for conducting an improper workout in Yugoslavia. The league was mum on whether Nelson's grandsons, Donnn and Donnnn, would also face penalties.
