ESPN.com - What's hot, what's not<br>for 2001-02 NBA season

ESPN.com: Page 2

Tuesday, October 30, 2001
Updated: October 31, 1:57 PM ET
What's hot, what's not
for 2001-02 NBA season

By Dan Shanoff
Special to Page 2

Tipping off a new NBA season, there may be no greater thrill for the hoops fan than to be prepared with the lowdown on the hottest storylines, names and trends. Certainly, you don't want to be caught spouting last year's conventional wisdom at the water cooler this season.

Study the 2001-2002 NBA season "What's Hot, What's Not" List below, then fire up the DirecTV, climb aboard your favorite barstool, sidle into a debate among co-workers, or -- as always the tradition of the Page 2 "What's Hot, What's Not" List -- impress your significant other:

Oh, before we start, let's get one thing out of the way: This season, there is one über-Hot - always Hot, never Not Hot -- and that's Michael Jordan. It's too easy to cite MJ on our list; therefore, you won't find him in here. With that caveat out of the way, here we go:

Page 2's Hot 'n' Not list for NBA season
Category	Hot	Not
Second-wind vet	Hakeem Olajuwon	Patrick Ewing
PG-turned-coach	Mo Cheeks	Doc Rivers
What-are-you-thinking? acquisition	Derrick Coleman	(It's always Derrick Coleman)
Contract joke	Todd MacCulloch	Calvin Booth
Prep worth props	Rashard Lewis	Tyson Chandler
Is it a contract year?	Al Harrington	Alvin Williams
Trade bait	Gary Payton	Mike Miller
Arena music	Britney	Beyonce
On-court fashion trend	Low-tops	Headbands
Skill for wannabe 10-day contractors	Zone-buster jumpshooting	Highlight-reel dunking
NYC-bred rookie PG	Speedy Claxton	Omar Cook
NBA factory	AAU	ACC
Michigan State growth stock	Zach Randolph	Mateen Cleaves
Violation	Defensive three seconds	Illegal D
76ers tenuous grasp	Health	Chemistry
Role player	Burly backup C	Speedy little PG
Laughingstock strategist	Pat Riley	Elgin Baylor
Nearest Laker competition	Eastern Conference All-Stars	San Antonio Spurs
NBA Finals MVP candidate	Mitch Richmond	Rick Fox
Needs more pub	Andre Miller	Shane Battier
Owner	Abe Pollin	Jerry Reinsdorf
Friend-wowing fantasy-draft pick	Quentin Richardson	Eddie Robinson
Nickname inspiration	Alliteration	[First initial][hyphen][First syllable, last name]
Goal of defensive-specialist offseason acquisition	Stop Kobe	Stop Allen Iverson
Soothing team presence	Dan Majerle	Tim Hardaway
Foreign King	Hedo Turkoglu	Peja Stojakovic
Frustrated star	Steve Francis	Stephon Marbury
Sweatband on ...	Elbow	Bicep
Hair style	Bald-head Renaissance	Cornrows
Requisite scoring punch	Terrific troika	Dynamic duo
Fun to watch	Memphis	Sacramento
Passing fancy	Jamal Tinsley	Jason Williams
Air or Heirs?	Air	Heirs

(Just couldn't help that last one.)

Dan Shanoff is a regular contributor to Page 2.