Welcome to The Step Back.
By Ian Levy
There are a million ways to enjoy basketball. Some fans are here for the physical artistry, the athletic accomplishments that can be both balletic and subtly violent. For others, the appeal is the story — following a career, watching a player or team struggle against challenges on and off the court, waiting to see how it all will end. Then there are those for whom basketball is hard science, a problem waiting to be teased out by the laws of physics and mathematics. Or, maybe you’re here for the players, they make you laugh, make you smile, make you cry, or maybe it is the strategy, the grand and sweaty chess match of systems and skill sets each vying to outdo each other.
These myriad entry points and details to obsess are over what bring us all to basketball. Today, with the simple intention of meeting you wherever your love of basketball manifests, we are proud to launch The Step Back.
This new basketball vertical at FanSided is the next evolution of what had been the Hardwood Paroxysm Basketball Network. Much of that core staff is joining us on this new adventure and we will be joined by plenty of new voices along the way. The Step Back presents a broader platform for our writers, analysts, podcasters, and illustrators to connect our basketball interests to yours. Statistical analysis, reported features, thoughtful columns, D-League coverage, draft prospect scouting reports, playful projects; however you prefer to think about and engage with basketball, we will have something to offer.
As our way of introducing ourselves to new readers, and reacquainting ourselves with those we lost touch with after the tumult of Cleveland’s victory parade (it’s a long summer) we have prepared a full slate of NBA preview content, as well as a few other treats.
Check out our season preview, a deep dive on each team lovingly prepared through the collaboration of our staff. If you’re looking for a broader story, we have Austin Peters on the post-up and the modern big, Matt Rutkowski on the simple joys of mediocrity, Derek James on the hamster wheel of the MVP race, Rich Kraetsch on records that could be broken this season, John Bauman on players left behind by the pace-and-space revolution, or Chris Manning on LeBron James’ Eastern Conference Kingdom.
Spend some time with the numbers this morning and peruse Andrew Johnson’s projections of the best and worst contract values this season, or Matt Femrite’s examination of what it would take for the Golden State Warriors to have the most efficient offense in NBA history
Lastly, don’t miss this tremendous feature from Matt Giles on Thomas Walkup, glory, anonymity, and everything in between.
Tomorrow, basketball returns and we can’t wait to share it with you. We hope The Step Back becomes a regular part of your hoops experience this season. Please give us a follow on Twitter and a like on Facebook, let us know what you’re enjoying or what you’d like to see more of. Ultimately, we’re here for you.
Welcome to The Step Back.