Lang Whitaker of SLAM and SI.com compiles a list of some of the weird happenings in the NBA this year. It’s an outstanding list… some of my favorites:

• Hornets players Rasual Butler and J.R. Smith appeared as potential suitors in a music video for hardcore female rapper Trina.
• Darius Miles was whistled for a defensive three-seconds violation after stopping to tie his shorts while standing underneath the basket.
• Vince Carter paid to have a life-sized bronze statue of himself erected at his former high school.
• Lakers coach Phil Jackson said that starting power forward Kwame Brown is “a pussy.” (You can say that on SI.com? Awesome.)
• Shaquille O’Neal admitted that two of his aliases when checking into hotels on the road are “Donovan Perot” and “Vladimire Mandingo.”

I think the Vince Carter one is my favorite. I mean, it’s hard to compete with “Vladmire Mandingo,” but… something as vainglorious and egotistical as building a lifesize bronze statue of yourself… well, things like that don’t happen everyday. That’s fucking remarkable for its self-indulgence. I can’t even criticize him for it… the balls required for something like that are huge. Congratulations, Vince Carter. You have done something few others would have the balls to do.

The outstanding picture was grabbed from CarolinaSucks.com.