2011 NBA Playoffs: How James Harden Secured a Starting Role for the Thunder Next Season

It was a crushing defeat that ended the Oklahoma City Thunder's fantastic season, but in all of the agony, the Thunder discovered what they are going to do to improve for the 2011-12 season: Start James Harden.

Harden's performance in this season's playoffs showed Oklahoma City exactly where he belongs in the rotation: Starting. You could begin to see the plans for next season when in game 5 versus the Dallas Mavericks, Harden played 34 minutes and netted 23 points. Seeing that, it was clear Harden was ready for an increased role.

Upcoming EXCLUSIVE Interview With John Clayton of ESPN

Next Thursday, esteemed sports journalist John Clayton will be visting my school, Eastside Catholic High School, to speak to the journalism students, a once in a lifetime opportunity. Needless to say, I'm thrilled. When I found out he was coming, I freaked out. When I found out that of everyone in our class, I get to interview him, I was blown away.

How did our school manage to get John Clayton, of all journalists? Well, our college counselor has known him since his time back when he was at school with Clayton at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh. He and I had been talking about Clayton during our semiannual college counselor meeting between the student and counselor, when I revealed my plans to become a sports journalist. That's when he told me about his relationship with Clayton, and we talked for about ten minutes about him. I told him Clayton was one of my idols, because Clayton knows everything about sports. That's why he's "The Professor with No Successor". And then a week ago, at approximately the same time you are reading this, we were informed he was coming, due to my counselor. 

So that's the story behind him coming, but now is the important part.

Since I get to interview him, it's the opportunity to make a huge impression. If I do well, I have a potential high profile contact. But in order to do well, I'm obviously going to need questions. I have plenty I'm working on, but I would like to know, of all you who look at this, do you have any questions you would like asked? 

It can be anything to do with how he became a journalist, current sports topics, journalism ethics, basically anything! Shoot some ideas in the comments if you want anything asked. If you need a little background for the questions, here is some info:

Clayton graduated from Duquesne University, so he is a big Steelers fan. While being a Steelers fan, he also knows the Seahawks inside and out, being that he lives up here in Renton, WA and covers the Seahawks. He has a weekly sports radio show on AM 710 ESPN Seattle from 9-12 in the morning every Saturday. Clayton was inducted as a member of the writer's wing of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2007, honoring his work as a writer covering the NFL. 

ASK AWAY!

PS, tell your friends about Sportisphere!!!

The Kings and Their Court

Amidst the chaos of the NBA Playoffs, the Sacramento Kings discreetly made one of the most important decisions in the NBA this year. The Kings aren’t moving to Anaheim, or Seattle, or anywhere- at least not for one more year. They have decided to remain in Sacramento for the 2011-12 season, in a last ditch effort
to stave off relocation.

“One more chance.”

That is the message the Kings are sending to Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson, a former NBA All-Star and one of the key figures in this final effort to keep the organization in town. For 13 years, the Kings organization has been trying to work with the city of Sacramento to get a new arena. They currently play at Power Balance Pavilion, more widely remembered as ARCO Arena. Built in 1988, the arena seats just 17,317 people, the second smallest arena capacity in the NBA. In addition to the small arena, Sacramento is the NBA’s 10th smallest television market. Being so small, the Kings organization has found it hard to secure funding for a new arena, especially in such a trying economical time as it is.