# Basketball Times

Basketball Times was an American basketball magazine that was in circulation from 1978 to 2021, and was published by Akers Ink LLC. Basketball Times published monthly and mainly focused on college basketball. The headquarters was in Matthews, North Carolina. The magazine ceased publication with the May 2021 issue.

## History

Basketball Times was launched in October 1978, created by Jay Myers and financed by Edward Bomze. The magazine began as a weekly, during basketball season, that catered to the NBA as much as it did the college game. Basketball Times lasted about two years under Myers and Bomze. Larry Donald purchased Basketball Times in 1980.
While running Basketball Times, Donald was cited 19 times by the United States Basketball Writers Association in its annual writing contest. In 1998, he was presented the Curt Gowdy Award by the Basketball Hall of Fame for service to the sport over his career.
After Donald died of an apparent heart attack in November 2000, his wife Nanci continued to run Basketball Times. John Akers, the managing editor of BT from 2001–11, became publisher of Basketball Times in September 2011. Akers has won 22 USBWA writing awards.

## Magazine features
### Under the Radar

Done annually for the past five seasons, every projected Division I starter is run through an efficiency rating known as the "Larry Bird formula" - a plus/minus system of positive and negative statistics - and takes note of those players who jump out unexpectedly. They then run those players through another filter - testing their efficiency again, but against better teams - before making final decisions.

### Basketball Times Players of the Year

* 2021 - Luka Garza, Iowa
* 2020 - Luka Garza, Iowa
* 2019 - Zion Williamson, Duke
* 2018 - Marvin Bagley, Duke
* 2017 - Caleb Swanigan, Purdue
* 2016 - Denzel Valentine, Michigan State
* 2015 - Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin
* 2014 - Doug McDermott, Creighton
* 2013 - Otto Porter Jr., Georgetown
* 2012 - Anthony Davis, Kentucky
* 2011 - Jimmer Fredette, BYU
* 2010 - Evan Turner, Ohio State
* 2009 - Blake Griffin, Oklahoma
* 2008 - Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina
* 2007 - Kevin Durant, Texas
* 2006 - Adam Morrison, Gonzaga, JJ Redick, Duke
* 2005 - Andrew Bogut, Utah
* 2004 - Jameer Nelson, Saint Joseph’s
* 2003 - David West, Xavier
* 2002 - Jason Williams, Duke
* 2001 - Shane Battier, Duke
* 2000 - Kenyon Martin, Cincinnati
* 1999 - Jason Terry, Arizona
* 1998 - Antawn Jamison, North Carolina
* 1997 - Tim Duncan, Wake Forest
* 1996 - Marcus Camby, Massachusetts
* 1995 - Ed O'Bannon, UCLA
* 1994 - Glenn Robinson, Purdue
* 1993 - Jamal Mashburn, Kentucky
* 1992 - Christian Laettner, Duke
* 1991 - Larry Johnson, UNLV
* 1990 - Derrick Coleman, Syracuse
* 1989 - Sean Elliott, Arizona
* 1988 - Hersey Hawkins, Bradley
* 1987 - Kenny Smith, North Carolina
* 1986 - Scott Skiles, Michigan State
* 1985 - Patrick Ewing, Georgetown
* 1984 - Akeem Olajuwon, Houston
* 1983 - Ralph Sampson, Virginia
* 1982 - Ralph Sampson, Virginia

### Basketball Times Coaches of the Year

* 2021 - Mark Few, Gonzaga
* 2020 - Anthony Grant, Dayton
* 2019 - Chris Beard, Texas Tech
* 2018 - Tony Bennett, Virginia
* 2017 - Scott Drew, Baylor
* 2016 - Chris Mack, Xavier
* 2015 - John Calipari, Kentucky
* 2014 - Gregg Marshall, Wichita State
* 2013 - Frank Haith, Missouri
* 2012 - Steve Prohm, Murray State
* 2011 - Mike Brey, Notre Dame
* 2010 - Jim Boeheim, Syracuse
* 2009 - Leonard Hamilton, Florida State
* 2008 - Keno Davis, Drake
* 2007 - Tony Bennett, Washington State
* 2006 - Bruce Pearl, Tennessee
* 2005 - Bruce Weber, Illinois
* 2004 - Mike Montgomery, Stanford
* 2003 - Tubby Smith, Kentucky
* 2002 - Bob Knight, Texas Tech
* 2001 - Al Skinner, Boston College
* 2000 - Mike Montgomery, Stanford
* 1999 - Tom Izzo, Michigan State
* 1998 - Bob Huggins, Cincinnati
* 1997 - Mike Krzyzewski, Duke
* 1996 - John Calipari, Massachusetts
* 1995 - Eddie Sutton, Oklahoma State
* 1994 - Norm Stewart, Missouri
* 1993 - Dean Smith, North Carolina
* 1992 - Steve Fisher, Michigan
* 1991 - Rick Majerus, Utah
* 1990 - Rick Pitino, Kentucky
* 1989 - Bob Knight, Indiana
* 1988 - Lute Olson, Arizona
* 1987 - Wimp Sanderson, Alabama
* 1986 - Mike Krzyzewski, Duke
* 1985 - Bobby Cremins, Georgia Tech
* 1984 - Jerry Tarkanian, UNLV
* 1983 - Lou Carnesecca, St. John’s
* 1982 - Gale Catlett, West Virginia

## Writers and Editors

Editors and Contributors for Basketball Times have included:
* Larry Donald (founder)
* John Akers (publisher)
* Dick “Hoops” Weiss
* Bob Ryan
* Rick Bozich
* Wendy Parker
* Dick Vitale
* Mike Sheridan
* Dan Wetzel
* J.R. VanHoose