There is a Little Bit of Hope Playing for the Philadelphia 76ers

The clouds are starting to break apart over the 76ers

I have pretty much been one of the biggest haters of what the Philadelphia 76ers have become. They have, for the past 4 years, put players on an NBA floor that don't even belong on a D-League court. They have been so open with their tanking, it has become a joke. They trade away decent, young players for, as they put it, "assets". We all know it as more picks. They even draft guys that aren't ready, injured or play overseas and do not have to get out of their contracts for a few years. They also have traded some young players for younger players that have already flamed out in their very short NBA careers.

For example, they traded to get Nik Stauskas last year. He never really got a chance in Sacramento, but as much as I want him to succeed, he is a middling bench player at the absolute best. He is the poor man's JJ Redick, without the mediocre defense, or the shot, and everyone knows how I feel about JJ Redick. Then, we have guys like Nerlens Noel, a good defender, but has zero offensive game and had a torn ACL when they drafted him, Jahlil Okafor, zero defensive game, they already have multiple players that play the same position as him and he is a bit of a head case and Dario Saric, who was drafted, it seems, like 10 years ago, and is now, finally, in the NBA and looks like he still has a long, long way to go before he is a decent player. Their number pick, and first overall in the most recent draft, Ben Simmons, has yet to play in the NBA due to a foot injury as well. 

This all leads me to Joel Embiid. This is another guy that they drafted, with the third overall pick 3 years ago, that had a known foot injury and that he wouldn't be able to play right away. It seemed as if the 76ers were at it again. Taking a player that wouldn't be able to contribute anything at all for at least one year, so they could tank again, and have another shot at the number one pick in the following draft. I get it, teams want young players that they can develop, but at some point, you have to get some veterans on your roster to help out the young guys. The 76ers kept putting it off though, until they finally, and mercifully, parted ways with Sam Hinkie, AKA, Mr. "Trust the Process".

Well, all his moves seemed terrible, that is, until this most recent season started. Don't get me wrong, Hinkie was an absolute train wreck as a GM and owner, but Embiid looks like he might be the real deal. It looks like he may have gotten at least one thing right in his four years tearing down a historic franchise. But, man oh man does Embiid look like a legitimate perennial all star. I tuned in on opening night to see him play, because like everyone else, I was interested in what we would get, and he did not disappoint. This was the first time he had played a real game of basketball in about 3 years, and he looked great. Sure, he took some unnecessary shots, got some dumb fouls and only played 20 minutes, but he also did some wonderful things on the floor that night. He had an incredible spin move on Steven Adams, one of the better big men defenders in the NBA, and hit a pull up jumper on him. Embiid is 7'1 and he looked like a 6'2 shooting guard on that play. He also tracked down rebounds, loose balls, played very good, to great defense at times and looked like he had some very good footwork. He has also added some appropriate weight, and it showed when he muscled up some of the Thunder's big men that night.

So, I thought, he looked okay on opening night, but could he keep it up? Well, he has only seemed to get better. He is becoming a very good scorer in the low post. His chase down block on LeBron, whether it was goal tending or not, was an amazing feat, given his size, and the fact that it was against the best player in the game. He seems to have the desire and passion and even swagger to be one of the league's next big things. When he was still on his 20-minute limit restriction, he was so angry that he couldn't play in a double overtime game, he kicked a chair. I like to see that from young players. The 76ers have upped his minutes to 28 a game, pretty typical for a starter in the NBA, and I think it will only help him get that much better. 

Look, the 76ers still stink, I think they have 4 or 5 wins, but there is, at the very least, some hope for optimism. Joel Embiid has taken on the responsibility of being the player to build this team around. He wants to be "the guy". He has even started calling himself, "The Process". I usually do not like when people give themselves nicknames, but this one is just way too perfect to dislike. I actually find myself excited when I stumble on a 76ers game on TV, and Embiid is in there. That is about the only time I will watch them play. I just really like what I have seen from Embiid so far, and if he continues on this path, gets better and figures out the game even more, I think he will be a legitimate superstar, and the one guy that can turn the 76ers back into a relevant team. He is that good.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man. On this day in SeedSing history, the greatest thing on the internets was born. Wish Ty a happy birthday by following him on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

We Need to Be in Awe of Russell Westbrook

Watching Westbrook is like watching some awesome fireworks

Let's take a moment today to realize the greatness that is Russell Westbrook right now. I mean, he has been unleashed, and he is absolutely going off.

I know that the Thunder are 11-8, good enough for 6th in the West, and most teams have only played 20 games, at most, but he is currently averaging a triple double. Let me say that again, HE IS AVERAGING A TRIPLE DOUBLE! There is probably no way he keeps this up all season, but if there is one player that could do it in the modern NBA, it has to be Westbrook. I read a ton of stuff, listened to a lot of sports writers and media members say that Westbrook was going to put up big numbers now that KD is a Warrior, but this is just ridiculous. No one has averaged a triple double for a full season since Oscar Robertson did it in the 60's.

I definitely do not think he is going to finish the season with these same numbers, but as I already stated, he is the one guy that could. First reason, KD is gone. KD left, and now the Thunder are fully Westbrook's team. He is the alpha, the go-to guy, the man, whatever cliché you want to call him. Sure, Victor Oladipo, Steven Adams and Andre Roberson are good, but they are not Westbrook, and Billy Donovan knows this. Everything runs through Westbrook. He is the coach on the floor, he calls the plays and he ultimately decides what he wants to do with the ball. He can pull up and shoot, get to the rim, drive and kick, he can do whatever he wants to get the points and assists. He may also be the best rebounding guard in the NBA. He can jump so high, he sometimes grabs defensive rebounds away from 7 footers. He is also just as ferocious attacking the offensive glass as he is going to the basket, so he gets his rebounds.

Second reason, he wants to do this. He knows his stats every game, I would almost guarantee this. I bet he knows exactly how many rebounds he needs if he already has the points and assists. Same goes for all the other stats. He will chase this down. He will get as many triple doubles as he can, no matter what. This is a good and a bad thing. It is good because he is a wonder to watch because he puts up some great numbers, but he also hurts his teams chances at wins sometimes, chasing the stats. That is one of the main reasons they are 11-8.

Third reason, as I already kind of mentioned, Billy Donovan has no other real options. They have threats, but none are the threat that Westbrook is. Westbrook has become a super duper star in the NBA. He is one of the 5, scratch that, 3 best players in the league. He is way more athletic than Steph Curry. He plays harder than anyone, including LeBron James. He has no fear, which cannot be said for a lot of other stars in the NBA, And he is the alpha, something KD could not handle, hence his move to the Warriors. Billy Donovan knows, and hopefully, appreciates this, so Westbrook has carte blanche when he is on the floor. He will get his, come hell or high water.

And fourth, he wants to prove that the Thunder do not need KD to be a threat in the playoffs. He wants everyone to know that this team will be competitive, even though they lost a great, great player. He wants the OKC fans to know that they are in good hands for, at least, the next 2 years. He wants his teammates to know that he can do whatever they need him to do, so they can still win, most of the time. He wants to prove management right by giving him the extension he rightfully deserved. And he wants the rest of the NBA to know that he is a force to be reckoned with.

This first quarter of the season from Westbrook has been one of the best things to happen so far. I think his quest to average a triple double has been a better story than the Clippers hot start. I like Westbrook's story more than the Warriors 15-2 record because, people, myself included, expect the Warriors to be dominant. Westbrook's triple double story is better than any halfway decent start from James Harden, the baby Lakers or any other team over or underachieving. This is something that has not happened in a long, long, long time, and no one thought it would ever happen again. I still do not think he will finish the year with these crazy averages, but to average a triple double for the first quarter of the season is incredible. I think he is the clear cut favorite, and it should not even be close, that he is the undisputed MVP. He doesn't have a supporting cast like the Warriors, Clippers or Spurs, and I picked Kawhi Leonard as my preseason MVP. Westbrook is doing this without KD, and the next best player on his team is probably either Steven Adams, who is not much of a scorer, or Victor Oladipo, who is more known for his defensive ability.

I just think it is tremendous what he is doing, and I wanted to take my time today to point this out. Russell Westbrook is on pace for a historical season, and I think anyone that watches the NBA would agree with me.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He once had a quadruple double in his rec league, if you count 11 turnovers as part of the stats. Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty Tells You How each NBA Team Can Win the Title: Hornets, Thunder, and Hawks

We are on day 6 of my NBA countdown. From here on out, it's all playoff caliber teams. These teams have the players to, at the very least, make the playoffs. We got started yesterday with the Wizards, now, it's all playoff teams, all the time. On with the countdown.

At number 15, I have the Charlotte Hornets. Two really quick things before I get into meat of what I like and dislike about this team. First, I love that they are called the Hornets again. I know this started last season, but it just feels right. Second, I don't know why some people think they will take a step back because Jeremy Lin is gone. Lin is a good offensive player, but I do not think he will missed all that much. If he was that important, I think the Hornets would have tried harder to keep him. Anyway, let's take a look at this roster. I love Kemba Walker. The dude just has guts and plays with a passion that is nearly unparalleled. He has always been told he was undersized, too slow, wouldn't be able to adapt to the pro game, basically he's been told he wouldn't make it, but he has been a pretty good pro, especially last year. He has become a legitimate threat on offense and his defense has stepped up. I think Kemba Walker has the potential to be an all star. Marvin Williams finally played like he was supposed to last season. It was impossible for him to live up to where he was picked when he was drafted, and he was on the wrong team. The Hawks, back then, needed him to be the star. He is so much better fitted to be the fourth or fifth option on a team. He is an incredible athlete, and he uses that to his advantage when playing defense and getting rebounds. He needs to work on his jumper, but he looked really good last year. I see that continuing. If Michael Kidd-Gilchrist could stay healthy at all, I think he would be a good bench player for this team. He's not a great shooter by any means necessary, but he can attack the basket and he plays decent defense, which is what this team is built around. Nic Batum got a big contract, and he did look good in the Olympics, at times, but he needs to stay focused all season. He is a good player, but he doesn't seem to have that killer instinct. They do not have any great big men, so that could pose a problem. When you are relying on Jason Maxiel, Tyler Hansborough and Roy Hibbert to be your guys, that won't work out all that well for you. Those guys don't have any really good, specific skills, they are just big. The bench is fine, with guys like Marco Bellinelli, a great three point shooter, Frank Kaminsky, seems too slow, but can take big guys outside and Jeremy Lamb, he hasn't figured it out yet and I don't see him figuring the NBA out. The bench is just okay. I love Kemba Walker and Marvin Williams though, those guys are really good. The Hornets bench and lack of a true rim protector will be their downfall, but they will win between 42 and 45 games and be in the playoffs.

So Ty, how will the Hornets win the title? The Hornets can win the title if they get a true big man and play the most suffocating defense in the history of the NBA. It would be ugly, but that would be their only chance at a championship, to completely slow the game down to a halt.

At number 14, I have the OKC Thunder. KD is gone, and that is a huge, huge blow to this team. Had he resigned, I think I would have picked them to win it all this year. But, they do have Russell Westbrook back, and when he plays angry, he will not be stopped. That is a good and a bad thing. He will play with reckless abandon and put up huge numbers, but will that translate to wins? They do have a much better roster than two years ago when Durant was out and Westbrook was the man, so I don't think they will be that bad. Steven Adams is on his way to being one of the better true centers in the NBA, He doesn't have an offensive game like Boogie, but I think he is the best defensive true center in the league. He is also a beast on the boards and he is world class trash talker. Andre Roberson is non existent on offense, but he is an incredible defender. He always guards the oppositions best player, and more times than not, he slows them down. Victor Oladipo was a great pick up for them. He is a great slasher, has a sembalance of a jump shot, and he, much like Roberson, is a lock down defender. They did lose Serge Ibaka, but I don't think he will be terribly missed. Enes Kanter is a great offensive big, but he is a horrific defender. He barely played at the end of the Western Finals last year because his defense was so bad. Anthony Morrow is a great spot up shooter, but he brings nothing else to this team. And with KD gone, he will not find himself as wide open as usual. Cameron Payne is a fine young point guard, but he is Westbrook's back up, so he barely sees the floor. Mitch McGary seems like he'd rather get high than work on his game, so he will be relegated to bench duty as soon as his suspension is done. Kyle Singler is trash and Nick Collison is about a million years old and way past his "prime". But, with guys like Westbrook, Oladipo, Adams, Kanter's offense and Roberson's defense, I still see the Thunder as a playoff team, getting about 42 or 43 wins. It may be the eight seed in the West, but still, a playoff team. And Westbrook is going to be on an absolute mission this season.

So Ty, how will the Thunder win the title? The Thunder can win the title if Westbrook goes for a triple double every night, and the numbers have to be huge, I'm talking about 30 ppg, 15 rbg and 15 apg and Adams offensive game takes a huge step and the rest of the roster scores a ton of points. The Thunder would have been so much higher if KD was still there, but he is not, oh well.

At number 13, I have the Atlanta Hawks. Some may say this is too high, but I feel it is just right. I don't think they will regress as much just because they don't have Al Horford anymore. They still have Paul Millsap, who may be the most underrated player in the NBA. Millsap is an all star, a double double machine and a great teammate. He is an excellent basketball player, Some will say, well they don't have Jeff Teague either. I say, I like Dennis Schroder more. He plays with a cockiness that he needs to play with. He thinks he is the best point guard in the NBA. That's not true, but when he is on, he's on. He just needs to stay that way more often. He plays a little too out of control, but he can learn to slow his game down. Kyle Korver is getting way too old to be any threat anywhere on a basketball court, except the three point line. He is still a deadly three point shooter. Kent Bazemore has gotten better the more he's played, and he is becoming a really good NBA player. He is a great slasher, and his jumper is coming along. He also plays very good defense. Thabo Sefolosha is a world class defender, and he can hit the open shot. Other bench guys like Kirk Hinrich, Tim Hardaway Jr, Mike Scott, Kris Humphries and Jarret Jack are all very ho hum. Hinrich's and Jack's best days are way behind them. I'd be shocked if either plays more than 10 minutes a game. Hardaway Jr could be good, but his confidence was wrecked by playing with Carmelo Anthony, and he doesn't see the floor that often for the Hawks. Kris Humphries, when you take away the Kardashian thing, is a pretty decent basketball player. He isn't a world beater, but he isn't a liability either. Mike Scott is their best bench player. He plays hard and smart. And, I cannot forget to talk about their signing of Dwight Howard. I don't know what Dwight Howard they are getting. Will it be the Laker, end of Rockets tenure? Or will it be the Magic, beginning of Rockets tenure? I think they'd like something in the middle. He is not dominant like he was early in his career, but if he engages and plays like he cares, he can be a very big spark for this team. He is still relatively young and can still play, he just has to want to. The Hawks will be in the playoffs again, and they will probably go out with a whimper, like they always do. I see them winning anywhere from 44-47 games this year.

So Ty, how will the Hawks win the title? The Hawks can win the title if Millsap becomes the league MVP, Korver hits 65 percent of his threes, Schroder becomes a team first player, Bazemore becomes an all star and Dwight Howard plays like he did in Orlando, at the beginning. That's asking way too much. Millsap is the only one that may/could play like that.

That's it for today, come back tomorrow for the next three teams.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He would really love the Hornets if they also brought Grandmama back. Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of generous donors. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty tells you how each NBA team can win the title: Clippers, Thunder, Rockets

Did I mention yet that I love the NBA?

Now we are in the upper crust of the NBA. These teams today are legitimate title contenders and have a very real shot at winning the championship this year. Once again, it depends on health and breaks going their way, but each of these three teams have a real chance. Today I'm going to reveal my number 6, 5 and 4th ranked teams in the NBA.

Coming in at number 6 I have the Los Angeles Clippers. Everyone who reads my blogs knows how I feel about the Clippers. I wrote a very long piece on my irrational hatred for this team. I loathe them. I'm going to put that all aside today and judge them strictly on their recent playoff history and their current roster. Here goes nothing. The Clippers had an epic collapse in last years playoffs. They choked away a 20 point lead in the second half of a close out game and went on to lose the series. Their "stars" couldn't come through in the clutch and their coach made poor decision after poor decision. They were failures last year and I think last year was their best shot at the Finals. Sure they would have had to beat the Warriors in the West Finals, but they had their chance and blew it. Their roster is still very talented and while I really like the addition of Paul Pierce, I hate the acquisition of Lance Stephenson, and the dirty tactics they went to in keeping DeAndre Jordan. Resigning Austin Rivers was a HUGE mistake and the most blatant form of nepotism that I've ever seen and Josh Smith is no savior. With all that being said, the Clippers still have Chris Paul and Blake Griffin. As you all well know, I think both of these guys are overrated, but they are very good NBA players. Chris Paul, while moody and whiny, is one of the best point guards in the game today. He can shoot, but he'd rather find the open man for an easy basket, as a point guard should do. He's also a pretty decent defender, but watching Steph Curry destroy him with a crossover lasts season was a huge delight. He is getting older and whinier and he's played a lot of minutes in the NBA. Blake Griffin is the most puzzling "superstar" I've ever watched. Some nights he looks unstoppable, but in the playoffs, in critical moments, he fades away. Superstars rise to the challenge, but Blake Griffin does not. He's the Alex Ovechkin or Andy Dalton (ed note: The currently 6-0 Andy Dalton) of the NBA. He's great in the regular season, but shits the bed when it matters most (ed note: good point). DeAndre Jordan is a glorified rebounder and rim protector. The only reason people talk about him, or that he was offered a max contract was, ESPN puts him on their highlight reel every night. Spoiler alert ESPN, he's 7 feet tall, I'd sure hope that he'd be able to finish an alley oop. Dwight Howard owned him in the playoffs last year and he has been a top tier center since he left Orlando. He also proved how childish he truly is this offseason with the whole backing out of a contract to return to a team that he openly complained about being on. You're a joke DeAndre Jordan. JJ Redick is still just a haircut, but he's also a good shooter. That's it, just a shooter. He's a lousy defender and cannot get to the basket. Lance Stephenson replaces Matt Barnes in the starting lineup, but is that really an upgrade? The Hornets and Pacers couldn't get rid of him fast enough and now he thinks the Clippers will turn him into the "star" he claims to be. He's a classic under achiever who believes his own hype. He's mediocre at best. The addition of Paul Pierce was great. He has a great repertoire with Doc Rivers and is a clutch player. That being said, he's very, very old and I don't think he has a lot of life left in his legs. The rest of the bench is really bad for a "contending" team. When Austin Rivers is the sixth or seventh man off the bench, you have a huge problem. Jamal Crawford is still a good offensive player, but gives this team nothing else. Josh Smith, the same Josh Smith that complained about taking a pay cut this offseason, is not that good. His time in Houston last season was an anomaly. He will still shoot way too many threes and air ball free throws, but this time around it will be all over TV since he's playing in LA now. Other than those guys, and those guys aren't very good, with Pierce being the exception, the rest of the bench is god awful. The Clippers will win 48 or 49 games, but that will be a step back for them and they will be the fifth, maybe fourth seed in the West, probably the fifth though and will have a rough season. The players don't like each other, and that will finally bubble over and there will be a lot of in fighting in the Clippers locker room.

How the Clippers will win it all.

The Clippers will win the title if they can somehow forget about last years playoff collapse, all come together and leave their woes and whining at home. This team complains way too much and they're not that good anymore and they missed their best chance at a title last year.

Coming in at number 5, I have the Oklahoma City Thunder. Full disclosure, this is my favorite team in the NBA. I'm a Thunder fan. This team's shot at a title fully depends on health. They haven't had their three star players all healthy, at the same time, in about three years. If healthy, the Thunder are one of the best teams in the NBA. When three of your starting five include Kevin Durant. Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka, that's pretty damn impressive. Durant was the MVP of the league two years ago, but rushed back from offseason foot surgery last year and ended up missing most of last season trying to fully heal. He looks good right now, and can easily get back to being one of the three best players in the NBA, but he needs to string together a lot of games healthy before he is fully back. Russell Westbrook is a beast in every sense of the word. I used to think he was an out of control ball hog, but after watching him last year, without Durant and Ibaka for a lot of the year, I have a newfound respect in him. He's still kind of a ball hog, but he's the most in control out of control player. When he explodes to the rim, or starts a fast break, watch out, because he is going to do something special. He is the new Allen Iverson in my opinion. Serge Ibaka is one of the best defenders in basketball and can give the Thunder 17 or 18 points a night. He's worked on his outside shot and, while I feel he uses it a bit too much, he makes it at about 50 percent. I wished he played a bit more back to the basket, but that's not his game. Enes Kanter is a very good offensive player, but he cannot play professional level defense. He may be the worst defender in the NBA. Steven Adams is a good, young player still fully learning the game of basketball,  but he can be a nuisance at times, and if he wasn't on the Thunder, I probably wouldn't like him all that much. People say he's this generations Bill Laimbeer, but I feel like that's a slight to Laimbeer. Sure, he was a nuisance as well, but he was a good scorer and rebounder. He was much better at this point in his career than Adams is right now. The bench is fine. Guys like DJ Augustin, a good back up point guard, but getting older, Kyle Singler, a hustler, but not very good at any one skill, Mitch McGary, another guy with an unstoppable motor, but can't stay healthy and Nick Collison, an elder statesmen in the league, are good enough to help steal a few minutes here and there from the starters. Anthony Morrow is super interesting coming off the bench for the Thunder. He's an excellent three point shooter and can catch fire at any time, but he's a liability on defense. I think their draft pick Cameron Payne will soon take over Augustin's spot as the second team point guard, and I think he will become a valuable bench player for the Thunder. Like I said before, if the Thunder can stay healthy, they can compete with anyone at anytime or place. Their title chances lie solely on health and I see them winning 50 or 51 games and being the four seed in the West.

How the Thunder will win it all.

The Thunder will win the title if their "big three" can stay healthy and produce like they're supposed to all season and Enes Kanter and Steven Adams become unstoppable at the things they're best at, Adams being a pest on defense and Kanter scoring double figures every night. They'll need help from their bench as well, but that's a very real possibility. Thunder Up.

My number four team is the Houston Rockets. This team has all the potential in the world, it's just a matter of putting it together at the right time. James Harden leads this team and while he's a tremendous scorer, he is a lot like Blake Griffin and fades when the spotlight is on him. When playing for OKC, he was great all the way through their run to the Finals in 2012, but then he crapped out in the Finals, averaging less than 10 points per game. Same thing happened last season in the West Finals. He was bested every night by MVP Steph Curry. He's also dating a Kardashian now, so he's bound to take a dip in production, just ask Kris Humphries or Reggie Bush. Dwight Howard was, at one time, the most unstoppable force at center since Shaq. Now, he is constantly injured and making excuses. When he puts his mind to it, he's a really good player, but his head isn't always in the game. Houston needs him to focus on basketball. They have Patrick Beverly coming back at point guard, and he's a good point guard, but they traded for Ty Lawson this offseason, and he's an upgrade. Lawson will be starting over Beverly by midseason. Donatas Motiejunas is a good power forward, and if he and Howard can both stay healthy, their front court is as good, if not better than most. Trevor Ariza is still there and he's still a lock down defender and an excellent three point shooter. Ariza is a very underrated player. Jason Terry is still playing basketball, and he's still hitting clutch shots. He can't keep up on defense, but Houston doesn't ask him to do that, they need him to hit big threes. Corey Brewer is a great bench player in the NBA and people finally get to see that since he's on a good team. Both draft picks, Sam Dekker and Montrezl Harrell can be valuable to this team. Dekker is very athletic and can step back and hit the three and Harrell will do all the dirty work and do it happily. The Rockets are good and got a taste of a deep postseason run last year. They will win somewhere in the mid fifties, maybe 55 or 56 games and fight the Thunder for that third spot in the West.

How the Rockets can win it all.

The Rockets will win the title if Harden can perform in the clutch and Howard stays healthy and focuses on basketball solely, all season. The rest of the roster needs to keep doing what they do and the Rockets will be very good. I love the addition of Ty Lawson and I feel that he makes this team a very real threat to compete for a title.

There you have it, teams 6, 5 and 4. Tomorrow is my final NBA preseason piece and I'll give you my top three teams and all my predictions.

Who will be the champion?

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man podcast. He once held court 100 straight times against the editor on NBA Street. Follow Ty on twitter @tykulik.