NBA Jam is Back!

I have to admit, I am more of a simulation guy when it comes to my sports games. Nothing annoys my friends more when they come over and ask to play a game of 2K10, and I am too focused on a franchise too pull away. Usually, eventually, I am persuaded to reluctantly play a game or two of multiplayer, but it's never my first choice.

But this right here, this is something I would play with friends.

No one asking me what '3 in the key' is, no one still learning the controls after the tenth time playing and no one is curious how I'm kicking their ass while only doing post moves.

Check this trailer out, and try to not imagine having a good time with friends.



Between all of the dunking, shooting and crazy shit going on all over, you'd be hard-pressed not to have at least a little fun.

The best part of it all is gonna be debating through all the teams, and picking your players. This time around, EA has put the power in our hands and you can actually go and vote for the players you want in the game. So seeing as it's the trendy thing to do as a basketball blogger, here are my picks for the new NBA Jam game.


ATLANTA HAWKS

1993 NBA Jam Team: Dominique Wilkins and Stacey Augmon

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Mike Bibby, Marvin Williams, Al Horford and Jamal Crawford

My Picks: Johnson, Smith and Crawford
It really burns me to leave Horford off, the team needs some thickness and he is so important to this Hawks team in real life. But leaving off Jamal Crawford? The guy is built for NBA Jam basketball: dunks, threes, hops, handles, he's got it all. Johnson and Smith will make this a team an easy pick, especially if they build J-Smoove as more of a PF rather than a SF.


BOSTON CELTICS

1993 NBA Jam Team: Reggie Lewis and Kevin McHale

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Rajon Rondo, Rasheed Wallace and Kendrick Perkins

My Picks: Rondo, Pierce and Garnett
Rondo is the future of this team, I feel like this guy will be an All-Star for the better part of the next decade. Leaving Allen’s stroke out of this game is a travesty, but getting KG and Pierce back with some ups will remind all the Boston fans that their team wasn’t always made of dinosaurs.


CHARLOTTE BOBCATS

1993 NBA Jam Team: N/A

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Gerald Wallace, Stephen Jackson, Tyson Chandler, Boris Diaw, D.J. Augustin and Raymond Felton

My Picks: Wallace, Jackson and Felton
Crash and Captain Jack are obvious choices here, these two are the face of the Bobcats right now and they would both be awesome Jam players. I wanted to go Diaw for his crafty passing, but IQ doesn't translate well into this game. Speed sure does, and Felton has that in spades.


CHICAGO BULLS

1993 NBA Jam Team: Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Derrick Rose, Luol Deng, Joakim Noah, Kirk Hinrich, Taj Gibson and John Salmons

My Picks: Noah, Rose and Hinrich
Noah is the obvious first choice here - hair like that is once in a lifetime. Rose is in with his hops and speed, but the last spot is a tough choice. I would've liked to give the lifetime achievement nod to Brad Miller, but Hinrich's shooting will help this team be a little more competitive.


CLEVELAND CAVALIERS

1993 NBA Jam Team: Mark Price and Brad Daugherty

2010 EA Sports Ballot: LeBron James, Shaquille O'Neal, Antawn Jamison, Anderson Varejao, Anthony Parker and Mo Williams

My Picks: James, O'Neal and Varejao
No words necessary for the man who will probably be the best NBA Jam player ever. Lebron's dunking with this seasons 3-point shooting? Watch - the - eff - out. Shaq has to be in it, he's too much of a legend to not be in it. Once again, this last spot gives me a bit of trouble. I want to go with Varejao because he is probably the second most important part to this team (not to mention that hair!), but Jamison deserves to be in this game and could help the team spread the floor a bit with his range.


DALLAS MAVERICKS

1993 NBA Jam Team: Derek Harper and Mike Iuzzolino

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Caron Butler, Shawn Marion, Jason Terry and Brendan Haywood

My Picks: Nowitzki, Kidd and Terry
Headaches written all over this one. Dirk and Kidd have to be on here, both have good skills for this game and the added athleticism will be awesome for them. Where do you go now? Butler has the skills for this game, Haywood has the size and Matrix has the athletics, but Terry's tenure with the team and his shooting makes me go with him.


DENVER NUGGETS

1993 NBA Jam Team: LaPhonso Ellis and Dikembe Mutombo

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups, Kenyon Martin, J.R. Smith, Nene and Chris Andersen

My Picks: Anthony, Billups and Nene
Obviously 'Melo is gonna be a beast in this game, all I wanna do is re-create this moment over and over. Billups gets on here because he is what changed this team from a threat to the juggernaut it is now. Nene needs to be on this team, the guy is bigger than Dewey Oxberger and will shatter backboards all day long. Leaving off the Birdman and Earl Smith is obviously tough, these two would be just awesome in this game. Fingers are crossed for some cheat codes to unlock more players.

Anyone remember this cheat code? Yes, that's Bill Clinton on the left.


DETROIT PISTONS

1993 NBA Jam Teamv: Isiah Thomas and Bill Laimbeer

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Rip Hamilton, Ben Gordon, Tayshaun Prince, Charlie Villanueva, Rodney Stuckey and Ben Wallace

My Picks: Wallace, Prince and Hamilton
Ben Gordon is a personal favorite of mine, and Stuckey and Villanueva have had more of an influence on this team this year than either Rip or Tayshaun. But who the hell in their right mind wants to remember this team over the one from 3 years ago?


GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS

1993 NBA Jam Team: Tim Hardaway and Chris Mullin

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Monta Ellis, Corey Maggette, Stephen Curry, Andris Biedrins, Anthony Randolph and Anthony Morrow

My Picks: Ellis, Curry and Randolph
Ellis and Curry are the obvious choices after this season, they have arguably the brightest future out of any backcourt duo in the league. The only thing the team is lacking with these two is some defense and rebounding, and while Biedrins fits the bill, Randolph's summer league performance gives me hope for the future.


HOUSTON ROCKETS

1993 NBA Jam Team: Hakeem Olajuwon and Kenny Smith

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Kevin Martin, Yao Ming, Shane Battier, Aaron Brooks, Luis Scola and Trevor Ariza

My Picks: Yao, Brooks and Ariza
This Rockets team is so team-oriented that it's a little tough to pick here. Yao makes it in because he is the face of the franchise and the best player on the team. Battier is the consummate Rocket, but he isn't the type of player made for NBA Jam. Brooks has been great this season and has only ever been a Rocket, so he earns his spot. That leaves Scola, Martin and Ariza to choose from, and I would feel bad leaving Ariza's hops out of this game.


INDIANA PACERS

1993 NBA Jam Team: Reggie Miller and Detlef Schrempf

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Danny Granger, Mike Dunleavy, T.J. Ford, Dahntay Jones, Roy Hibbert and Brandon Rush

My Picks: Granger, Hibbert and Dunleavy
Where's my boy Troy? The man has been one of the league's best shooting big men for the better half of a decade and Jones, Ford and Rush get a spot over him? What gives? Anyways, Granger and Hibbert are the first two that come to mind - they will be at the forefront of this franchise for awhile. Mike Dunleavy's all around game will pair well with Granger's and make this team playable, at the least. I just wish I could get the Schrempf-inator back on this team.


LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS

1993 NBA Jam Team: Ron Harper and Danny Manning

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Baron Davis, Blake Griffin, Chris Kaman, Eric Gordon, Steve Blake and Marcus Camby

My Picks: Davis, Gordon and Griffin
Baron Davis needs to be on this team just because of how well his game translates to the NBA Jam arena. His size, passing, dunking and shooting ability will be awesome without all the bad decision making you're used to. Eric Gordon gets a nod after his nice Dunk-In performance on All-Star Weekend and because the team needs some shooting. The last spot goes to Griffin, and I'll let this do the talking.


LOS ANGELES LAKERS

1993 NBA Jam Team: Vlade Divac and James Worthy

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom, Ron Artest, Andrew Bynum and Derek Fisher

My Picks: Bryant, Gasol and Bynum
Kobe gets in for obvious reasons, his all-around game will probably result in him being the second-best player in the game after Lebron. Gasol is one of the most under-rated players in the league, and his awesome mobility for a big will fit well in the game. There is a lot of talent still available, but Bynum will be a force for this squad for a long time and will add a nice shot-blocking side to this team.


MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES

1993 NBA Jam Team: N/A

2010 EA Sports Ballot: O.J. Mayo, Zach Randolph, Rudy Gay, Marc Gasol, Mike Conley and Ronnie Brewer

My Picks: Gay, Mayo and Randolph
This Grizzlies team is composed of a bunch of great one-on-one talents; this should make them a big time threat in the game. Rudy Gay gets in being arguably the best player on the team, but his ridiculous in-game dunks are what makes him a lock. O.J. Mayo’s shooting and handling make him a shoe-in, but it gets tough after that. If the young Gasol still had his beard, he would be in. If Brewer had been here longer, he would be in. It has to be Randolph though, after a career year on a winning team, despite Conley’s marked improvement.


MIAMI HEAT

1993 NBA Jam Team: Glen Rice and Rony Seikaly

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Dwyane Wade, Michael Beasley, Jermaine O'Neal, Udonis Haslem, Mario Chalmers and Quentin Richardson

My Picks: Wade, Beasley and
Wade is obvious, and B-Easy is clearly the second best talent on this team and is still going to improve a whole whack. The last spot is a bit of a toss-up, but I went with O’Neal because of the shot blocking and dunking. The real question is whether or not this team could improve a whole bunch this summer by adding Bosh, Stoudamire or some other major free agent.

Dwayne Wade is gonna be on fire in this game more than Nic Cage in Ghost Rider.


MILWAUKEE BUCKS

1993 NBA Jam Twosome: Blue Edwards and Brad Lohaus

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Michael Redd, Andrew Bogut, Brandon Jennings, Luke Ridnour, Hakim Warrick and Ersan Ilyasova

My Picks: Redd, Bogut and Jennings
Michael Redd is on his way out and likely won’t be a big part of Milwaukee’s future, but I can’t bring myself to pick any of the other options. Jennings and Bogut will be putting up some of the best alley-oops in the league, and with Redd lighting it up with that lefty slingshot from the outside, this team could be a lot of fun to play with.


MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES

1993 NBA Jam Team: Christian Laettner and Chuck Person

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Al Jefferson, Kevin Love, Jonny Flynn, Corey Brewer, Ryan Gomes, Ramon Sessions

My Picks: Jefferson, Love and Flynn
Not a tough set of picks here, these are the three most talented players on this team. I would love if Sessions would get more playing time so I could put him in here, or that Darko was on the list at all. Sessions is a better shooter and playmaker than Flynn right now, and Darko could have a wicked hidden move where he rips his jersey in half and starts cursing uncontrollably.


NEW JERSEY NETS

1993 NBA Jam Team: Derrick Coleman and Drazen Petrovic

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Devin Harris, Brook Lopez, Yi Jianlian, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Rafer Alston and Courtney Lee

My Picks: Lopez, Harris and Jianlian
What can you do with this massacre of a line-up? I would love to put Skip in here for those wicked streetball roots, but considering he already left the team that’s not really an option anymore. Lopez gets in for the size, Harris for the speed and Yi for the Chinese sales.


NEW ORLEANS HORNETS

1993 NBA Jam Team: Larry Johnson and Kendall Gill

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Chris Paul, David West, Peja Stojakovic, Emeka Okafor, Devin Brown and Marcus Thornton

My Picks: Paul, West and Stojakovic
The Hornets two All-Stars are the easy choices – Paul and West get in immediately. Okafor is too much of a robot to get in this game and Devin Brown was traded two months ago. The next choice comes down to the shooters – Thornton or Sotjakovic. I want to go with the young gun in Thornton, but Stojakovic has a long history of being one of the league’s best long bombers and I can’t give up hope of those crazy Peja heads popping up in the stands.


NEW YORK KNICKS

1993 NBA Jam Team: Patrick Ewing and Charles Oakley

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Al Harrington, Danilo Gallinari, David Lee, Wilson Chandler, Tracy McGrady and Chris Duhon

My Picks: Gallinari, Lee and McGrady
The Knicks were the biggest and most physical team in the original edition of the game, but now that D’Anotni is in town this team will be a bit different. The Rooster has to make the team, along with Lee – they will help the team a ton and their shooting and rebounding. McGrady takes the last spot in my mind; it gives the team a bunch of size and passing which could be interesting. My only issue is that Toney Douglas wasn’t an option for the team because the kid has been fire since he got the starting role in New York.


OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER

1993 NBA Jam Team: Shawn Kemp and Benoit Benjamin

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, Russell Westbrook, Thabo Sefolosha, Nenad Krstic and James Harden

My Picks: Durant, Westbrook and Green
The rookie Harden has put up a good case this season, but Green brings some size and rebounding which this team desperately needs. Surprisingly, this team doesn’t translate all that that well to the 2-on-2 game. Oh wait, Durant is well known for hitting 40 footers, and he is 6’11”. Heads up.


ORLANDO MAGIC

1993 NBA Jam Team: Shaquille O'Neal and Scott Skiles

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Dwight Howard, Vince Carter, Rashard Lewis, Jameer Nelson, Mickael Pietrus and J.J. Redick

My Picks: Howard, Nelson and Vince
It’s tough to not put the beer pong champion J.J. Redick on the team, but if I kept Vince off this team, I might be burned at the stake by some old Air Canada. So after the inclusions of Dwight, and one of my favourite short players in Nelson, Vince took the last spot. I guess his dunking is nice, but just don’t expect to ever see me playing with that wimp.


PHILADELPHIA 76ers

1993 NBA Jam Team: Hersey Hawkins and Jeff Hornacek

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Andre Iguodala, Elton Brand, Allen Iverson, Lou Williams, Marreese Speights and Thaddeus Young

My Picks: Iguodala, Young and Iverson
I’m expecting Iggy to rip the rim off the backboard in this game over and over, but the choices get pretty limited after this. Brand doesn’t have a single knee between his two legs and I like the idea of a quicker PF like Thad for this team. Iverson gets the final spot over Lou Williams; the Answer has worked too hard for too long to not be in the game.


PHOENIX SUNS

1993 NBA Jam Team: Charles Barkley and Dan Majerle

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire, Jason Richardson, Grant Hill, Channing Frye and Leandro Barbosa

My Picks: Nash, Stoudemire and Richardson
Nash and Stoudemire’s pick and roll game will make them a popular choice when this game is finally released but I just hope that Stoudemire is still on the team at that time. Lots of options for the final spot, but two time dunk champ J-Rich edges out the Brazilian Blur and Frye’s silky stroke.


PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS

1993 NBA Jam Team: Clyde Drexler and Terry Porter

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, Greg Oden, Andre Miller, Marcus Camby and Martell Webster

My Picks: Roy, Aldridge and Oden
Including Oden is easy because there is no such thing as an injury in NBA Jam. Roy and Aldridge become easy picks after this inclusion, but I think most players will end up using Oden and Roy. Clyde the Glide would still be awesome in this game and he would still look younger than Oden, even with that legendary widow’s peak.

The peak that dreams are made of.


SACRAMENTO KINGS

1993 NBA Jam Team: Wayman Tisdale and Spud Webb

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Carl Landry, Tyreke Evans, Jason Thompson, Spencer Hawes, Beno Udrih and Andres Nocioni

My Picks: Landry, Evans and Hawes
Landry and Evans make this team a big, scary, efficient scoring team for years, but who else will help them out? Thompson’s athleticism is nice and Beno can do some things; Hawes gets the nod so they can have a true big to play with.


SAN ANTONIO SPURS

1993 NBA Jam Team: David Robinson and Sean Elliott

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Richard Jefferson, George Hill and Antonio McDyess

My Picks: Duncan, Parker and Ginobili
Hopefully Manu stays this summer, but even with the option of him leaving through free agency was there ever a question about these three being the team?


TORONTO RAPTORS

1993 NBA Jam Team: N/A

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Chris Bosh, Jose Calderon, Andrea Bargnani, Hedo Turkoglu, Jarrett Jack and DeMar DeRozan

My Picks: Bosh, Bargnani and Calderon
A surprisingly hard choice, the team has a lot of talent on paper when you list it all down. The CB4 and Il Mago have the shooting touch to stretch the floor and get inside, which could make this team a big threat and one of my favourites to play with. A good passer to set either of them up would be nice, and Hedo’s lacking play this season left me with Calderon.


UTAH JAZZ

1993 NBA Jam Team: Karl Malone and John Stockton

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Deron Williams, Carlos Boozer, Mehmet Okur, Andrei Kirilenko, C.J. Miles and Paul Millsap

My Picks: Williams, Boozer and Kirilenko
Williams and Boozer aren’t quite the tandem Malone and Stockton were, but Boozer has played well this season despite the massive distractions he caused with the trade demands and Williams has continued to be one of the best PGs in the league. The last spot is between Okur and Kirilenko, but AK-47’s all around game is built for this game and it would just look unnatural to see Okur dunk again. He can’t dunk anymore, right?


WASHINGTON WIZARDS

1993 NBA Jam Team: Tom Gugliotta and Harvey Grant

2010 EA Sports Ballot: Randy Foye, Mike Miller, Josh Howard, Andray Blatche, Nick Young and Al Thornton

My Picks: Blatche, Howard and Young
Since the big fire-sale, Washington has become one of my favourite teams to watch, even though they got a lot worse. Blatche looks like he is going to be a headache for ages, even though he has potential. Josh Howard is the closest thing to a sure thing on this team, and Young has got the jumper and the hops for this game.