Monday And-1 links: The new Jordan XX8 is… different

Here is our regular look around the NBA — links to stories worth reading and notes to check out (stuff that did not get its own post here at PBT) — done in bullet point form. Because bloggers love bullet points like Steve Novak loves the corner three.

• What really got twitter buzzing on Monday? The new Air Jordan XX8 were released. And they are… different. See for yourself to the right, it breaks the mold of basketball shoes. The reaction on twitter was not kind initially, to put it mildly. Nike makes a great product, they may play very well on the court. As for their “casual wear” sales to people who just wear them around the neighborhood…

• Charles Barkley trained with Manny Pacquiao for an upcoming TNT show called “Charles & Reggie: Toe to Toe with Manny Pacquiao.” So warm up all your “Pacquiao trains with a heavyweight” jokes. (The Reggie is Reggie Miller, but we may watch this anyway.)

• If you care about the kerfuffle where Michael Jordan broke the dress code at a fancy Miami country club, here is Jordan’s response. Which really should have been “you really want to be the country club that banned Michael Jordan?”

• Speaking of Jordan, check out this video of a 1989 television show — “Michael Jordan’s Airwaves” — that aired locally in Chicago in 1989. Can’t believe that didn’t catch on.

• Rajon Rondo may have been suspended by the league three times in the past nine months, but the guys who play with him speak very highly of him on and off the court.

• Good news in Boston, apparently Avery Bradley is very close to returning to the court.

• Don’t tell LeBron James he is a power forward.

• Long time NBA writer Charlie Rosen has joined Sheridan Hoops, and in his first work for the site just shreds Jim Buss. I’ll just add what Rosen writes about the sibling rivalry in the Buss family is something I have heard from multiple sources.

• Darren Collison doesn’t feel he got a fair chance in Dallas to prove his worth. I would say he pretty much played at the level of most of his career, Rick Carlisle just wasn’t thrilled with that. But he’ll get another shot, Derek Fisher is not the answer.

• Interesting discussion of why the Thunder have won five in a row and look like they are hitting their early-season stride.

• Wizards owner Ted Leonsis has got the back of his young players. For whatever that’s worth.

• The Cavaliers waived Luke Harangody, who has been out following right knee surgery and has not played for the Cavs this year. Once he is fully recovered I expect some team will grab him and give him a chance.

• Some video of rookie Harrison Barnes getting on-the-court tutoring from Jerry West.