Kevin Durant's collection of "business tattoos" took a number of folks by surprise two summers ago. Some were struck by the torso-covering tats, which they viewed as a departure from the clean-cut, broad-appeal persona he'd cultivated; this seemed like a silly, outmoded way of looking at things. Others were simply surprised because they'd assumed Durant was tattoo-free because they'd never seen any; this is also a bit silly, but at least not quite so judgmental.

Whatever your reaction to the artistic revelation, it confirmed that — like many of his peers, both within the NBA and outside it — Durant digs ink, setting the stage for new and interesting decorations to come. The self-expression continued a couple of months later, with the Oklahoma City Thunder star getting "Maryland" (his home state) tattooed across his shoulder-blades above a basketball-holding angel flanked by hands gesturing with Durant's number 35.

Apparently, though, the piece wasn't complete. This week, Durant used some of his newfound, unexpected free time to get it finished:

All done. (Photo via sniperjones35 on Instagram)

Bryan Colangelo traded away the 12th pick in the 2013 draft for Kyle Lowry (Getty Images)

It’s not the worst thing in the world that Bryan Colangelo is staying with the Toronto Raptors in a nebulous, barely-specified role. It’s not the weirdest thing in the world, either, or even the weirdest decision that Raptors-owning Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment has ever made.

It is suitably strange, though, to see Colangelo both promoted and being told to mind his manners when it comes to future personnel moves by his new boss, MLSE CEO Tim Leiweke. The Toronto Raptors’ general manager, Leiweke told reporters on Tuesday, will be the one making the final basketball-related decisions, and “he’s going to have to live with that,” along with living and working with the new Toronto Raptors GM.

A GM that has yet to be named, by the way. Good thing Colangelo already traded away his 2013 lottery pick.

For golfers, "Happy Gilmore" is one of the sacred films of our time here on Earth, a mix of ridiculousness, golf and long drives that few real sports fans pass up if they see it while scrolling the channels on a weeknight.

No matter how many factual golf errors occur during the movie (I once dissected the entire movie when I had much more time on my hands), it's a brilliant look into the world of golf, even if what's portrayed isn't golf at all.

One of the ways the director brought the actual game to life is to include some actual professionals in the movie, namely Lee Trevino. The six-time major winner had multiple head-shaking moments, including this famed Grizzly Adams line during the crescendo of the film.

Gilmore: "That's right, I'm gonna beat your ass on the course!"
McGavin: "Yeah, right. And Grizzly Adams had a beard."
Trevino: "Grizzly Adams DID have a beard."

The El Paso native was in Tyler, Texas speaking at a University of Texas event when he was asked about his role in

Every year, NBA fans wonder why the actual lottery portion of the NBA's annual Draft Lottery — all those numbered ping-pong balls bouncing around before eventually being sucked up to the top of their container, removed and set aside to determine the draft positions (and, just maybe, franchise fates) of the year's bottom 14 teams — isn't shown on the televised portion of the event's broadcast. The conspiracy theorists among us — which, obviously, includes fans of literally every team and even, as we learned last year, some NBA executives — typically swear that it's kept off-camera so we can't see all the devious rigging that goes on, with NBA Commissioner David Stern putting his thumb on the scales of justice to tilt the odds in favor of whichever franchise paid the proper illicit price.

That's one possible explanation, sure. Another, likelier one: The lottery drawing is really, really boring.

LeBron James answers the annoying questions on Tuesday (Getty Images)

Indiana center Roy Hibbert was more than a few NBA observers’ pick for Defensive Player of the Year runner-up, and he’s certainly the most important feature of a Pacers defense that ranked tops in the NBA in defensive efficiency this season. That stingy streak has carried to the postseason, where Hibbert is once again averaging around two and a half blocks per game, in a defense that prefers contested shots to outright throwbacks.

This is probably why LeBron James was seen working on floaters Tuesday on Miami's practice court. It's a move that the NBA’s MVP rarely breaks out on account of him bein’ all LeBron James an’ all. LeBron was spied perfecting the evasive maneuver during the post-practice shootaround on Tuesday that was available to the media, and he explained the added attention at the press scrum following, as documented by Joseph Goodman of the Miami Herald:

“I just dust it off when I need it,” James said.

Rasual Butler poses with Y! Philippines sports blogger Jude Roque at the Impact Training Center in Los Angeles

During the recent US summer training of the San Beda Red Lions at the Impact Training facility in Los Angeles, I chanced upon former NBA campaigner Rasual Butler. The 2013 NBA Developmental League Impact Player of the Year was training in the same facility under renowned hoops trainer Joe Abunassar, who also supervises the Lions’ training camp.

“I’m hoping to make a comeback in the NBA, that’s why I’m here working hard to be prepared,” said the 33-year old shooting guard who played 10 seasons in the NBA. “My training is going very well. Joe and Gio are doing a great job making sure I’m working hard on things that will make me a better basketball player.”

In 2002, Butler was picked by the Miami Heat in the second round. He suited up for the Heat from 2002 to 2004 before he was traded to New Orleans. He played four years with the Hornets where he posted decent norms of 8.7 points and 2.8 rebounds in 25 minutes of play. But it was in the Los Angeles Clippers that he shone brightest in

Finally, an answer to the question that's plagued philosophers/standup comedians for years: What if they just made the whole team out of the worst/most memorable moment of Charles Smith's playoff career?

Thanks, Memphis Grizzlies. But seriously, who could ever believe that Tony Allen and Zach Randolph (with an assist from rookie Tony Wroten) would combine to miss a bunch of layups? I know — totally random and unbelievable.

About four months ago, some NBA people were seriously discussing whether or not Tony Parker could make a legitimate claim to being the league's Most Valuable Player this season. That discussion was mostly bunk, on account of LeBron James existing, but it was an important step up in recognition for the evolution of the San Antonio Spurs point guard's game over the past few years — the vision, pace and timing he's added to his speed and quickness, the subtle in-and-out moves and slight feints he's mastered to keep even first-rate defenders off-balance, the feel he's developed for when to hunt his own offense and when to facilitate for others to make sure San Antonio's offensive machine is in prime working order.

After skewing a bit toward the former with a team-high 14 shots and a game-high 20 points in the Spurs' Western Conference finals-opening win over the visiting Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday, Parker clearly veered back to the latter in Tuesday's Game 2, keeping Memphis' perimeter defenders at arm's length and dominating the opening three quarters of the game en route to a career-best 18 assists in a 93-89 overtime win that gave San Antonio a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Sure, there might have been a little bit of home-scorer's cooking on a couple of those credited dimes, but Parker's overall control of the game and mastery of a hard-working Grizzlies defense was undeniable.

"He was unbelievable," longtime running buddy Tim Duncan said after the game. "I know he's exhausted. We asked a lot of him. He was controlling the ball every time down the floor and he was making every right play there was. He was finding people, and people knocked down shots for him."