Darrien Pinkman

Awe-Inspiring: Darrien Pinkman on Kobe Bryant's Work Ethic

2011-03-15T03:15:00.000-07:00

High School basketball Coach Darrien Pinkman talks about the amazing display of dedication from Kobe Bryant after the Lakers' last game against the Heat.

From DARRIEN PINKMAN

There is hardly any debate that Kobe Bryant is in the Top Five of the All-Time Greatest Players of the NBA. His numbers, his jewelry, and his influence in the sport already say enough about the greatness of this polarizing athlete. Yet, after losing a heated game against the Miami Heat, he came back on the court—the very same floor where he lost—proved to himself, more than he wanted to show the world, what has to be done to win the Championship in June.

From DARRIEN PINKMAN

I, Darrien Pinkman, have true respect for this man. He has clearly shown, not only LeBron James and Dwayne Wade, but also the whole league that whoever wants to become Champions have to work harder than he does. While the Heat were sleeping easy after a relieving win following a four-game losing streak, Kobe was working on his shot, determined to perfect his craft. Now that's work ethic.

“This is my job,” Bryant said a couple of hours after the game, slumped in a chair courtside. “This is what you’re supposed to do …”

For him, it's as simple as that. He's got a job to do. He lost a battle, but he's already working to win the war. Young players like those in my team can learn a lot from this great example of one of the greatest athlete of basketball. Even coaches like me can take something from what Kobe does to win.

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From DARRIEN PINKMAN

Darrien Pinkman’s Favorite Michael Jordan Moments

2011-02-14T23:42:00.000-08:00

A perennial fan of the game of basketball, Darrien Pinkman, like all those who love the game, loves one athlete who, throughout his career, demonstrated an unmatched love for the game: Michael Jordan.

Here he shares his favorite Michael Jordan moments:

The Shot before The Shot

Before Michael Jordan victimized Craig Ehlo of the Cleveland Cavaliers by making a game-winning shot at the buzzer—which has since been known as The Shot—he gave the world a preview of his ability to deliver in the clutch when, as a freshman at North Carolina, he took a shot late in the fourth quarter of the 1982 NCAA Finals against Georgetown Hoyas, helping the Tar Heels win the championship.

The Great Escape

Darrien Pinkman remarks that there’s one play that showed Jordan’s presence of mind and fierce competitiveness. It was in a playoffs game against rival New York Knicks in the intimidating stage of Madison Square Garden. Jordan drove to the baseline but got seemingly trapped by John Starks and Charles Oakley when he spun back then drove right back to the basket leaving the two Knicks behind, then going up high, he dunked on Knicks’ Center Patrick Ewing with authority. The ferocious stare that he gave Ewing after that showed just how competitive Jordan was.

Career Capper

And of course, there’s the shot that’s forever etched in the minds of Jordan fans, the shot he made in Game 6 of the 1998-99 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz. It was almost the perfect ending to his career, had he not signed with the Washington Wizards a few years after for love of the game. It summarized Jordan’s career in one play. Defensive notoriety, when he stole the ball from Malone. Competitiveness and flair for the dramatic because you know he’s the one with the ball when the game’s on the line. And sound fundamentals, as he made that jumper with perfect form and follow through.

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The Air Jordans: Darrien Pinkman Elaborates on How Basketball Shoes Have Changed

2011-01-14T02:27:00.001-08:00

Darrien Pinkman believes that the style of basketball uniforms evolving over the years is an example of the change towards a more dynamic game and the overall glitz of basketball. The basketball shoe, in particular, has received quite a great deal of evolution in its appearance and its build, all the while designed to ensure the best performance in players.

Today's basketball shoes are made so that running, jumping, and side-to-side movements that comprise the game would be done with great speed and agility, all the while without compromising the balance and the safety of the player. Often, players would require different shoes, choosing whichever fit their performance best.

Darrien Pinkman says that the first trend in basketball shoes came from Converse and Adidas, with these signature basketballs shoes being all white for uniformity as according to standard league regulations. This changed when Michael Jordan went and signed a contract with the then slowly losing Nike brand, not knowing that the contract would produce one of the most legendary booms in the shoe industry.

Even while the league banned the Air Jordan for it not fitting the all-white rule (players were fascinated by the red, white and black of the shoes), Jordan continued to wear them, paying hefty fines per game.

However, the improvement in performance by way of the design of the shoe was evident, and the trend spilled over to other players who preferred this type of shoe. Today, Nike produces some of the best and most highly regarded basketball shoes in the field of sport.

A high school basketball coach himself, Darrien Pinkman, believes that the shoes will only evolve as the game does.

Pinkman's professional information can be found at his LinkedIn profile.