We live a world where the talented are revered. Latrell Sprewell is reborn as a saint in New York even though he was late joining his teammates in training camp. As Isaiah Rider was finally cut, Allan Iverson was suspended for repeated violations of team policies. At least Dennis Rodman was released by the Dallas Mavericks. They learned quick enough.

I'm done with Sprewell. He's done a decent enough job to stay off the wacko radar, even with his unexplained drive across America during training camp. Rider is another story. He was finally cut by the Atlanta Hawks. I'm sure Minnesota wanted to cut him. I'm sure Portland wanted to cut him. I'm sure half a dozen teams want to sign him. His talent is just too great. Talent wise, he might be the best two guard in the NBA. If not number one, then at least top 5. He's that good. Too bad, he's got a few screws loose. From his washout at UNLV to his stint with the Hawks, Rider has never fit in. Sure, you'll here the requisite, "he's a good kid who's done some stupid things." But when you do stupid things so often, doesn't it become the rule and not the exception. I think when Rider does good things, but the bad just seems to outweigh the good. It's too bad that Rider use release as a lesson and change his ways. Another desperate team will sign him and let his actions slide until he destroys them too.

I fear the biggest talent in the NBA, Allan Iverson, is going down this road. Dave D'Alessandro of the Sporting News had a good piece on the Iverson incident. This is what Alonzo Mourning, never at a loss for words, had to say. "At his age, and with the people he surrounds himself with, he makes poor decisions and they influence him to make poor decisions. It's good to have your loyalty to your people, but at the same time, you've got to separate the two. You've got your job, and you've got your leisure time. You can't bring the two together at all."

Iverson is blindly loyal to his friends. They stood by him when he was a star in high school in both football and basketball. They stood by him when he went to prison for a fight in a bowling alley. They stood by him when he left Georgetown early. They are his support system. The problem is, they might not be the best thing for him as an NBA superstar. Loyalty is admirable to a point. But all this is pure speculation. Who knows what goes on in the mind of Allan Iverson or in the inner circle of his friends? We hear glowing reports of Kevin Garnett's friends, who he has working for him, but he doesn't seem to have the same problems that Iverson does.

Here is more Zo from the D'Alessandro article. "I know it's all about maturity and experience, but at the same time I know that he's been taught better than that," Mourning said. "He was taught by John Thompson. He doesn't even want to hear what coach has to say about an incident like this. "He will avoid trying to hear what coach has to say, because we all know that, based on our experiences, our lifestyles, we're going to make mistakes. But when mistakes have compiled to more and more mistakes, eventually, you've got to stop, sit back and ask yourself, 'What am I doing? Not just to myself, but my teammates?' "

If Rider wants to stay in one place for the duration of his next contract he has to figure out what he is doing. If Allan Iverson wants to become the leader of his team, lead his team deep into the playoffs and become a superstar, he has to get rid of his distractions and focus on what's important. What Alonzo Mourning said, "What am I doing? Not just to myself, but my teammates?" is a question that both Isaiah Rider and Allan Iverson have to ask themselves.