Steve Nash went thru it and so did Orlando's Jameer Nelson, both had to prove doubters wrong. Both turned negative energy into productive NBA careers and in the process got the last laugh.  For those who play the game of basketball and aspire to reach the highest level of competition and didn't win the genetic lottery, you have work to do.  For former Herndon High School star Scottie Reynolds, he has a lot of work to do too but it's not the skill of the man, its the will of the man that counts. 

 Reynolds was invited to the Phoenix Suns camp last week and while it's no guarantee of a  roster spot, he'll at least be auditioning for other teams.  For Scottie, this could be his shot to prove he belongs.

It's fairly unusual for the NBA to grab so much of the headlines with NFL training camps looming so closely on the horizon.  LeBron James' televised announcement to sign with the Miami Heat drew 10 million viewers which is a testiment to the individual starpower of NBA players.  In Las Vegas, the highly anticipated debut of John Wall, the No. 1 pick of the 2010 draft, drew a capacity crowd and he didn't disappoint. 

Wall finished with with 24 points on 7 of 15 shot attempts and dished out 8 assists and by all indications seems to be right on schedule to become a the future of DC basketball.  Wall has star potential and could represent DC like Kobe does for LA, Jordan for Chicago, Dwayne Wade for Miami, etc. 

Now that the King of Miami has been crowned can the retooled Miami Heat beat the best in the West? I spoke with an NBA insider yesterday who said LeBron's announcement was "crazy" but stopped short of saying if they would win a title next year. LeBron James will combine his 29 points per game average with Chris Bosh's 24 point/10 rebound per game and Dwayne Wade's 26 points per game production to form an overnight NBA superpower.

The Miami Heat team with the signing of LeBron James may have started something special, a history making event but can they beat L.A.? Do they have the special sauce of size, basketball intelligence, scheme, experience, coaching and team chemistry to win an NBA title if the Lakers keep the current team intact for another two years? Will Pat Riley come out of retirement again to lead the team? Can the Heat afford decent bench players to fill in the gaps?

Which sounds better, The King of Miami, The King of Cleveland, or the King of New York?  With the impending decision of where LeBron James will play starting next season and the buildup leading to the announcement, it would seem the news conference should be on all channels but it's not that important,  or is it?