Tip off or log off....that is the real question:

There are dozens of NBA players on twitter. Here is a list of a few Raptors you can find/follow on Twitter.

Raptors on Twitter:

Chris Bosh

Reggie Evans

Demar DeRozan

Sonny Weems

Patrick O'Bryant

The NBA and twitter have not always gotten along. We had the Charlie Villaneuva incident last season where Scott Skiles got involved and laid down new rules for the ever advancing social networking technology out there. I thought for the occasion of my first online blog I'd embrace this new world, throw in some thoughts and examine what we may come to accept as the new way we interact with our favorite players.

It has been recently reported that Jay Triano has banned all Cell Phones and Smart phones from being used at training camp. The NBA has gone a step further and banned tweeting during games. Now I respect the NBA's decision on the banning. This has perpetually taken it out of the coaches hands and taken the problem right out of the locker room. I'm pretty sure there are a few coaches happy about not having to address this issue with some players on their respective teams. The Villaneuva situation must have been awkward and should not have even been discussed in a locker room before during or after a game. I think this has direct correlation with athletes finding new ways to market themselves and gain new fans. I'm not too sure how well players will take these new rules that could eventually hamper their personal promotion. This has only been a relevant topic this year and I'm interested in seeing how things develop.

All of your favorite beat grunts, NBA analysts and bloggers are all on twitter. In August the developing story of Allen Iverson looking for a new home turned into a tale for the pages of Twitter, literally. The phenomenon here, is the simple fact that everyone including you and the sports writers were waiting in real time for the source(A.I.) to break the story. Where would Iverson end up? Memphis? Charlotte? Miami? Why not log onto Twitter and get the news straight from the eye of the storm? Could Twitter eliminate the unnamed source in news media? Could we find ourselves the fans receiving information and the quashing of rumors straight from the hornets nest? Should we cancel our subscriptions to our local paper? Not just yet. The NBA is a quick moving and strategical machine. Now we have teams popping up with all kinds of social networking accounts detailing "exciting news' and spreading the good word.
Which brings me to this: Who gets to break the story, so they can gobble up the traffic that will direct you the audience to their site? The player or the team?

I am all for NBA players becoming more accessible to their fans. It doesn't take much time while browsing Twitter to see a few folks on the receiving end of replies from players. Whether a player is leaving a team and the fans are wishing them well. Or, the player is arriving in a new city and the fans are welcoming them with open arms, there is a lot of support from the masses. To me, it must be an exciting moment for a young kid to be getting a direct response from an idol. It also must be quite welcoming to be receiving well wishes and tips on good restaurants. Sure would make you feel more acquainted, no? I may not be that old but back when I was a young kid players seemed to be at such a distance, never reachable.

So go, find your favorite Raptor or NBA player because they are popping up by the day! Send them some shout outs and enjoy the interaction. We are in a new era of sports marketing lets hope the greenbacks don't get in the way. Here is a good page that gives you a list of some NBA players on Twitter.

Cool Hand Luke