MVN: Most Valuable Network

There is a lot of great writing and analysis being created by talented NBA bloggers around the globe. Sometimes the hardest part is just finding them. NBA Noise will be sharing some of their favorite NBA blogs by having interviews with the bloggers themselves in what we call the "NBA Blogger Spotlight."

Our kickoff NBA Blogger Spotlight is with Zach Harper of Talk Hoops. Support the habit.

How long have you been writing for Talk Hoops and how would you describe your blog?

I started Talkhoops.net in June of 2007 because I had a decent number of people pushing for me to get back into writing about basketball.  I used to write for a website that was ultimately disbanded before the 2006-2007 season and had a modest following of readers that I kept in touch with.  So giving into peer pressure, I decided that I wanted to start my own site just before the 2007 draft. 

I describe my site as a poor man's attempt at covering the NBA in the way Bill Simmons has done for the past decade.  That's not to say that we're successful at it by any means.  We still have quite a bit of room for improvement.  But that's we've aimed for in the past year of figuring this thing out.  I think the way that we can continue to get closer to pulling that off is with the people we have involved in the site.  We have some really talented writers and thinkers with a fantastic sense of humor.  The best thing about Talkhoops.net for me is that it has opened up opportunities and relationships with media members who have fantastic basketball minds, which allows me to converse with people who are as obsessed with the game as I am.
Let me give you two different types of answers:
The Competitive Nature of My Answer: I was tired of guys incorrectly analyzing the league and how good players are and/or can be.  I was sick of guys like Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith.  And I was tired of not reading enough about Kevin McHale needing to be fired. So I figured I would throw my name into the hat and see if I could make some headway into the industry.

The Nicer Answer: The movie Finding Forrester is probably what combines the two things I'm most passionate about - writing and basketball.  The fact that I could potentially combine the two with my own voice and maybe make a living out of it just seems too perfect.  I think the thing that keeps me motivated the most is people emailing me and letting me know that they either liked what I wrote or hated what I wrote.  If I can spark discussion, then that's something I am very prideful for. 
Other than our podcast, which ties directly into the site,  I up until recently did fantasy basketball analysis for an up and coming fantasy website that was very popular with Yardbarker. Unfortunately, it had to shut it down due to economic issues for the time being. It gave me the opportunity to write and design the NBA Preview for Yardbarker for this current season, which was a lot of fun.
Unfortunately, I'm one of the few remaining Minnesota Timberwolves fans left from the Kevin McHale/Glen Taylor Catastrophy of the past decade plus. Many people find it odd and don't necessarily buy the story, but when I was around eight years old, I was obsessed with basketball and didn't like my hometown team of Sacramento for some reason. Maybe it was Joe Kleine or the people around me who liked the team but I didn't want to like the Kings. So I found out that the Magic and T'Wolves were being added to the league.  I decided that I would be a fan of a brand new team. I flipped a coin and it landed on whatever indicated the Wolves.  And ever since then, I have suffered through it. 

I've dealt with guys like Tony Campbell, Felton Spencer and the curious spelling of Micheal Williams.  I've tried to talk myself into Christian Laettner, Donyell Marshall, and Isaiah Rider.  I became infatuated with KG and Tom Gugliotta.  I've loved then hated Stephon Marbury.  I've screamed about the drafting of Wally Szczerbiak, William Avery, and Ndubi Ebi.  I've been confused and infuriated with the Joe Smith debacle and prayed that LaPhonso Ellis could fill that void.  And now I'm dealing with life post-KG as they attempt to build around a guy in Al Jefferson who isn't good enough to be a franchise guy.  Needless to say, it's been great.  But everything has been worth it to see KG win a title last year even though it was with a different team.
I don't know if it's absolutely my most memorable but the first one that came to mind when I read this question was the 1991 Celtics-Pacers first round series in the playoffs.  I was only nine years old when it happened, but I distinctly remembering that Larry Bird looked way too old to compete.  The fact was that he happened to just have a bad back injury and old age wasn't the problem.  But at the time, he looked too old to me to go toe to toe with Chuck Person, who I thought was a star in the making (I was nine, so what did I know?).  Looking back, it was the ultimate testament to how incredible of a competitor Larry Bird was.  He had no business averaging 20 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists without a lower back to support him.  But he simply wouldn't let his team die out that early into the playoffs.  Watching him and Chuck Person exchange words nearly after every shot and take each other to a higher level was truly memorable for me.

Michael Jordan is the greatest player of all time so I have to take him above everybody.  For me, a guy has to have the attitude and determination to demand greatness from his teammates and also be able to intimidate through how focused he is.  And that's what made Michael Jordan so great.  I don't know that Kobe Bryant and LeBron James have that complete package to compliment their physical prowess and incredible skill set.  So I'll take Jordan first, Larry Bird second, and third place can be determined later.  

I've always maintained that I could beat Mateen Cleaves one-on-one so my initial reaction this question is to say him.  But I'd like to dunk on Dikembe Mutombo.  I don't think that people realize how truly incredible he was defensively because he played in an era with so many great centers.  Plus, anytime you can throw the finger wag back in his face, you have to take that opportunity.  It would be worth the technical. 
Chris Paul and that's with the understanding that it was obvious he was the best point guard of today and the next 15 years going into this season.  And despite the struggles of the Hornets, his play has been transcendent on the basketball court.  I've watched nearly all of his games this year because his ability to keep his dribble alive while orchestrating and composing on the offensive end is striking.  Throw in his defensive prowess and how intense he is on the court and I don't know that I can handle watching him over the next 15 years.  He's simply too good for my senses.

I still maintain that the Celtics should be the favorites to win it all this season but I'm starting to turn towards the Cavaliers right now.  I think there are only six legit contenders for the title - Celtics, Cavs, Lakers, Hornets, Spurs and Jazz (when healthy).  The Celtics now are battled tested and seem to be able to go to a different level in the third quarter to put games away.  But the Cavs may be the most complete team going into the post-season and if they can get a decent low post presence like Joe Smith, I find it hard to see how they get beat four times in seven games.  

Who will develop into the better player - Andrew Bynum or Greg Oden?

I think it's Greg Oden and I don't know that it's all that close.  Andrew Bynum has potential to be an All-Star player for a decade or more but Greg Oden has the potential to be a game-changer for his career.  Oden is already an imposing force on defense and has good offensive skills for someone with such little experience.  Both guys have big health concerns in my opinion but what will separate them is mental toughness.  Bynum seems soft to me right now. 
I'd like for Stephon Marbury to give up his ego and antics and just try to be a basketball player.  We don't need the show.  We don't need the ego.  We don't need to know how great you think you are.  Just try to be a productive member of the NBA society and focus on using your talents for the greater good of a team instead of self-promotion. And if he can't do that, then I'd like for him to keep his promise and go to Europe.


For more from Zach Harper, click through to Talk Hoops!