Len Werle

2 months ago | opencourt-basketball.com | Len Werle

6 Before the first of two NBA Paris games on Thursday, Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle raved about his two star players. Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam, calling them “All-Stars”. However, hours after the Pacers’ 140-110 blowout loss to the Spurs, you needed to scroll past many names, before either one of the players popped up on the 2025 NBA All-Star starters list.

2 months ago | opencourt-basketball.com | Len Werle

131 A young fan’s selfie turns out to be the last photo of Kobe Bryant. Five years ago today, Bryant and his daughter Gianna were among the nine people on board the helicopter that crashed and left no survivors in Calabasas, California. The day before, 13-year old Brady Smigiel took a blurry selfie with Kobe Bryant at the Mamba Sports Academy, obviously not knowing that he’ll take the last picture of the NBA legend. Since the selfie turned out to be pretty blurry.

2 months ago | opencourt-basketball.com | Len Werle

84 I can’t believe that it’s already been five years since we’ve lost Kobe and Gigi Bryant. Thinking about different ways to honor his legacy, I remembered Kobe’s letter to his 17-year-old self, which he published after his retirement. When Kobe Bryant retried from professional basketball in 2016, he published this letter to his younger self in ‘The Players’ Tribune’ and it was perfect!Looking back to it now, it hits different.

Jan 25, 2025 | opencourt-basketball.com | Len Werle

7 Ben Simmons recently opened up about a deeply challenging period in his career, revealing that he had seriously contemplated retirement while recovering from back surgery. The Australian guard made the candid admission during an appearance on the “Young Man and the Three” podcast. Simmons explained that the physical and mental toll of his injuries led him to question whether he could continue playing professional basketball.

Jan 24, 2025 | opencourt-basketball.com | Len Werle

11 The NBA, in partnership with Tissot, has revealed a new round shot clock set to debut at the 2025 NBA All-Star Game and be implemented full-time for the 2025-26 season. The innovative design and advanced technology signify a landmark shift from the traditional, square-shaped shot clocks that have been a staple of basketball for decades.