Basketball from a fans perspective

Published daily except Tuesdays & Thursdays

First you are ejected…then you’re not?

The final score read Sixers 111 Spurs 106, in between there was a strange mixture of basketball. Sixer Andre Drummond was given a second tech and ejection, then it was determined Wemby had flopped and he was accessed the tech. The second tech on Drummond was rescinded and after headed to the locker room he was allowed to return to the game. Later Sixer Joel Embiid was ejected after a second technical foul call, he went after the official although there is a question whether he bumped him. The final saw Tyrese Maxey lead the way to victory for the Sixers scoring 32 points along with 10 rebounds and 8 assists securing the win. As for Wemby his box saw 26 points 9 rebounds, 4 assists and 8 blocked shots. Wemby ended the game shooting 48.3% from the floor with 39.2% from three.

In all my years of following NBA action this was beyond a doubt the strangest incident in a game I’ve ever witnessed. In closing I’m going to take a stand on an issue after reading a letter written by a fan. He wrote quite emphatically that “Women shouldn’t officiate men’s games,” he went on to explain the why which is not included, a secondary male wrote in agreement. We have traveled so far to arrive near the same place, this is my response to both. I don’t often seen Jurassic age thinking expressed in this manner in 2024. If we take the views of these two there are few instances a female should be in charge. As for Wemby over his last five games he’s got 31 blocked shots for a 6.2 per game average. If Wemby continues at his present pace there is no way he will be denied Defensive Player of the Year this time around.

The explanation 

I am sure by now some of you who read a portion of Monday’s Off the Dribble are questioning, “Why is he so upset with Barkley and Arenas?” While both played in the NBA they did some outrageous stuff, without detailing what they did my statement is certainly factual. Is it necessary to burden yourself with issues or problems one might have faced in the past…of course not. I happen to believe these two and others seem to be preoccupied with airing dirty laundry regarding the NBA.

Listen, I could point toward 25-30 things wrong with today’s NBA in my opinion. The question might be is anything going to be accomplished, will Adam Silver make changes because I complain about an issue?  I have serious doubts anything will be done about my complaint, Barkley’s or Arenas. I have discovered a strange fact, NFL radio guys in KC love Barkley. This was mentioned in the past, there is little if any NBA talk here which is not a complaint. We have no NBA team there is no requirement for lengthy discussions on sports talk radio. Despite this fact at the time Inside the NBA appeared to be scuttled with TNT no longer being in the NBA family this is what I heard. “How insightful Barkley is and I am going to miss him. I tune into the program to hear his take on a matter. When the game begins I turn off the television or change channels.” How about that for a statement from someone in sports media, they watch a specific program but not the game which is generally the topic of discussion.

My question to radio guy, how the heck do you know what Barkley is talking about 75% of the time if you don’t keep up with what is going on in the NBA? I have concluded sports talk radio and Inside the NBA and other programs have become more about clicks than content. I raised the issue, am I being too critical of sports media today…that might be the case you are the judge.  One of the things I’ve always attempted to do was balance the content of this publication, I’m unsure if that is the current state of affairs in much of sports media.

I am in agreement

We are often on opposite sides, I speak of former NBA player and current analyst Charles Barkley. There is one area we find common ground…. analytics. Barkley has often been quoted “I hate analytics” and I agree with him, what exactly are we discussing? This is what I located on the world wide web, “Analytics is the process of discovering, interpreting, and communicating significant patterns in the data. Quite simply, analytics helps up see insights and meaningful data that we might not otherwise detect.” Taking this one step further we have:

Types of Data Analytics

Descriptive analytics: This describes what has happened over a given period of time.

Diagnostic analytics: This focuses more on why something happened.

Predictive analytics: This moves to what is likely going to happen in the near term.

Prescriptive analytics: This suggests a course of action.”

Kenpom.com-Dec 23

  1.Auburn

  2.Duke

  3.Tennessee

  4.Houston

  5.Iowa State  

  6.Gonzaga

  7.Florida

  8.Kansas

  9.Alabama

10.Marquette

You remember him…don’t you?

I turned on the television Friday afternoon and changed to the NBA TV channel. Before me was a G-League game between the Salt Lake City Stars and the Cleveland Charge. Because I didn’t see the game from the beginning I immediately began a search for Emoni Bates, you remember him I hope. This has been an unusual journey for Bates as he hopes for an NBA career. Bates was Gatorade High School Player of the Year while enrolled at Lincoln HS in Ypsilanti Michigan, from there it was Ypsilanti Prep and onto Memphis to play for coach Penny Hardaway.

After a year he transferred to Eastern Michigan, Bates declared for the NBA draft and was made a second round choice by the Cavs in 2023. Since the draft he’s spent more time with the Charge over the parent club Cavs. When inserted in the lineup he’s shown occasional flashes of the talent many believed he possessed. Bates now in his second year in the G-League appears light years from the promise once shown. An NBA scout declared him ready for the NBA if the league still allowed high school talent. Never say never but the NBA dream of Bates just might be a dream deferred. He possesses enough talent to earn a considerable income in the G-League or Europe, an income far above most but I don’t believe it will be from play in the NBA.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published daily except Tuesdays & Thursdays

The loss hurts

Other than facing SEC competition the loss in this game is the worst. For the next year Mizzou Nation will be forced to hear those fans and alumni of Illinois gloat about their 80-77 win. It could have been so different if Mizzou had played better during portions of the game. Tamar Bates (17 pts), Tony Perkins (18 pts) and Mark Mitchell (18 pts) led the way for Mizzou in this hard fought loss. The valiant 3-point shot that bounced off the rim wouldn’t have changed the game only extend it to OT, it was more than that attempt. Far too many mistakes, missed free throws and even bad shot selection at time. 

My chief concern Mizzou was outrebounded again sometimes on the offensive side. Of course that says guys are not blocking out properly, although Mizzou fell behind they managed to come roaring back in the second half of the game. Other than rebounding the ball Mizzou shooting 40% as a team will certainly not lead to very many victories. Mizzou has one more non-con game, they will face Alabama State next Monday and then the rugged SEC play will begin. The first conference game is against Auburn on the road Sat Jan 4, an afternoon contest. Although Mizzou didn't shoot good on Sunday they can, the chief concern on my part is rebounding the basketball. 

“Leave him alone!”

The headline is not mine, it belongs to a co-worker after our discussion. I mentioned a number of former NBA players have voiced an opinion Victor Wembanyama “needs an inside game,” the clear leader being Charles Barkley. My co-worker after seeing a nights worth of action by Wemby said, “Leave him alone, he’s doing the things he’s comfortable with.” His statement was made prior to the Spurs facing the Blazers Saturday night. Wemby led the way in a 114-94 victory over the Blazers scoring 30 points and tying his career high of 10 block shots. Yes I said the number was 10 and that’s why Keenan says to leave Wemby alone.

Rest assured at some stage the youngster will further continue develop his game adding an inside portion. Below you will read my concern regarding Barkley and others, they serve a vital purpose. He and others give us their insight into the game from a players perspective. Despite this fact what is often stated is not always accurate or correct for that matter. I’m going to borrow my friends statement and say this about Wemby, leave him alone. Just in case you wondered about the NBA record is 17 blocked shots in a game recorded by Elmore Smith of the Lakers and he accomplished this against the Blazers October 28,1973. Second, we are reminded the NBA didn’t begin to track blocks until the 1973-74 season. From the leagues inception in 1947 until the date mentioned we really have no idea how many shots were blocked.     

His take is certainly valid to me

I’m not sure how good a coach JJ Redick has become in a brief time. He’s given his take on a very controversial issue that’s being discussed…lower NBA TV ratings. All indications so far indicate NBA ratings are down and the basis can be varied however Redick mentions an issue which certainly has concerned me. He says, “We haven’t done a very good job of telling the story.” Redick said, “If I am a casual fan and hear analyst and those in social media complain about the product I certainly wouldn’t be inclined to follow the sport.”

That’s not the exact quote but close to the statement made by Redick. Let’s delve into this a little further, if you tune into ESPN when not discussing the NFL generally the conversation is focused on baseball or the NBA. It seems the commentary regarding the NBA is almost always of a negative tone. My next statement is going to upset some of you reading this, among the worst offenders are the Inside the NBA crew of Shaquille O’Neal and at the top Charles Barkley. I don’t watch Inside the NBA all the time but when I do generally complaints are registered about how the game is played. Podcasters share the blame as well, one of the worst in my view is former player Gilbert Arenas. Sometimes it seems anyone with access to YouTube, Facebook or Tick Tok has something to say negative about the NBA product. What’s even interesting most of those on social media (just like me) don’t speak with the voice of authority.

You are probably saying to yourself he’s trying to inhibit free speech, that’s far from it my concern is the same as Redick’s. I too mention negative stuff but make an effort to not dwell on it. How in the world is the NBA going to attract new fans with those close to the game informing us 24/7 how bad the NBA game of today is. Redick has a much larger audience then I do, this is my hope. Those in the media not make it a habit to constantly mention the bad they see and fail to mention any positives.

42

The number will never be worn in baseball again, 42 has been retired at all major league ballparks across the nation. Of course the number belonged to Jack Roosevelt Robinson, shortened to Jackie. He broke the color barrier that existed in baseball prior to 1947, in addition to being a pioneer much of his bio’s not fully covered. We hold discussions routinely regarding the greatest athlete, the names always mentioned seem to be Bo Jackson or Jim Thorpe. Although it was an earlier time Robinson exceeded both having lettered in four sports.

It was baseball, football, basketball and track while he was enrolled at UCLA. Because this is a basketball blog I will cover that part of the Robinson bio. The records indicate Robinson averaged 12.4 points and 11.1 rebounds a game, the rebound total jumps off the page. He stood but 5 foot 11 inches in height so you understand why this figure stands out. It’s reported Robinson was responsible for 40% of UCLA’s scoring. In 1946 he was prepared to join the Los Angeles Red Devils an independent team, despite this fact the team owner had desires to move into the National Basketball League. The NBL would eventually merge with the BAA to become today’s NBA. Baseball came calling and there lies the history however it could have been much different if Robinson had decided on a basketball career.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published daily except Tuesdays & Thursdays

ROY

Jared McCain was chosen at 16 in the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft by the Sixers. This former Duke guard displayed outstanding numbers and was on his way to being named 2025 NBA Rookie of the Year. The 6 foot 3 guard was averaging 15 points while shooting 38% from three and then it occurred. McCain sustained a meniscus tear in his left knee after playing 23 games. Surgery to repair the meniscus was successful however he’s lost to the Sixers until next season. The NBA season is a distance run and not a sprint, there is no method to determine if McCain would have maintained his lead for ROY.

Moving up and into contention is Stephon Castle, this former UConn guard was chosen by the Spurs with the 4th pick. He’s been a part-time starter at shooting guard, his season numbers are not a true reflection of his overall play. How are the Spurs improved this season you might ask, Wemby has played better basketball in his sophomore season but there is at least one more consideration. The leadership of veteran point guard Chris Paul along with Harrison Barnes and the contribution of rookie Stephon Castle. It will be interesting to follow the progress of Castle and find out if he can maintain the pace that might lead to him being named 2025 NBA Rookie of the Year.   

Braggin’ Rights

At noon Central Time today the annual game between the Mizzou Tigers and Illinois Fightin’ Illini will be played. This basketball game is the renewal of a longtime rivalry on the east side of the State of Missouri. In the history Mizzou and Illinois have played one another 54 times with Illinois holding a 34-20 lead in the series. In 2023 Illinois was the winner while 2022 saw the Mizzou Tigers victorious. The game will be played at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis and generally arena capacity is divided almost evenly between those rooting for the Tigers and those cheering for Illinois. Headed into this game Mizzou has 10 wins and 1 loss while Illinois has won 7 games and lost 3. In the game’s history Illinois had a 9 game winning streak while Mizzou’s longest stretch was 4, it will be broadcast by ESPN.

It’s clear now the Lakers won

No, I’m not referring to an NBA championship although AD helped them win in 2020, the Lakers won the trade. Anthony Davis arrived in a 2019 trade with the Pelicans, the question might be asked these years later what did the Lakers give up to acquire him. Well in some circles a great deal, Lonzo Ball who was presumed to be a budding superstar, also sent to the Pelicans was Brandon Ingram and Josh Hart. A final portion of the trade involved the draft rights to DeAndre Hunter and draft capital. Let’s explore this trade from the Pelicans perspective, Ball after playing for them was shipped off in a trade to the Bulls.

Ball’s had a great deal of difficulty remaining healthy and the oldest brother of the Ball family is highly unlikely to reach the heights once projected. The truth is Ball’s NBA career might be over sooner rather than later. Josh Hart a promising guard was eventually traded and is now a member of the Knicks, as for DeAndre Hunter he too was traded prior to wearing a Pelicans jersey and is now a member of the Hawks.  Remember I mentioned draft capital, that turned out to be either the Lakers 2024 or 2025 draft pick. The Pelicans conveyed the 2024 pick to the Lakers which turned out to be Dalton Knecht. In a technical sense the trade becomes Anthony Davis for Brandon Ingram, despite being tagged fragile AD is a much improved player over Ingram. Don’t misunderstand my statement I continue to consider Ingram a talent he’s just not on the level of AD. Early reports indicate Knecht might be a budding NBA star so who wins?

KenPom

I’m unsure if this was mentioned recently, if not its news to some and an affirmation to others. Going forward this collegiate season I intend to utilize KenPom only to assess the strength of teams and conferences. The AP Top 25 poll is a bunch of guys and gals just like me, they follow the game but generally have not much more insight on the game than you or me. As for the Coaches poll it’s slightly different, the coaches are well acquainted with how the game is played and managed however they have an issue as well.

Do you really believe during the season Bill Self or Penny Hardaway or any other coach has time to sit down and judge the positioning of teams either raising them or lowering them in a poll? Like Charles Barkley I have been critical of analytics, not because it’s incorrect I don’t understand it in its totality. KenPom is full of analytics however I only intend to utilize that which I am able to comprehend. With that said let’s check out the Top 10 as of December 18 and see what KenPom indicates. This certainly looks different from the polls we are accustomed to seeing or utilizing. There are 4 SEC members, 3 from the Big XII, 1 from the ACC, one from the West Coast Conference and one from the Big East.

 

  1. Auburn

  2. Tennessee

  3. Duke

  4. Houston

  5. Iowa State

  6. Gonzaga 

  7. Florida

  8. Alabama

  9. Marquette

10. Kansas

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published daily except Tuesdays & Thursdays

Sounds right

I am guilty of this practice, if I read or hear something that appears correct I often don’t conduct a fact check. I must admit it is a shortcoming of mine however maybe I’m not as alone as I might believe. In any event this is what I read that didn’t surprise or shock. “Pelicans forward Zion Williamson has missed 50% of the games the teams played since he was drafted in 2019.” Could that be correct, surely that must be an error I thought before checking. This is the information I discovered, Williamson played 24 games his rookie year, year two witnessed him in action for 61 games.

He missed the entire season in his third year, year four he played 29 games. Last season was the high water mark, Williamson played in 70 games during the regular season. The ESPN NBA page list he and other Pelican players out, as for Williamson the time as to a return date is unknown. Let’s dive a little deeper into the issue, I probably couldn’t locate anyone who would deny the talent of Zion Williamson. There is one problem all the talent in the world fails to help or improve the Pelicans if he’s constantly sitting out with injuries. Williamson is not the only “brittle” athlete this is an occurrence that exist in the sports world. The team sport of basketball requires all its best players available come game time. For the Pelicans since drafting Williamson that’s not always been the case.

I wanted a workout 

Jayson Tatum went on the record and expressed his disappointment, Tatum indicated the Lakers didn’t invite him for a workout. Of course you are aware of the history, the Lakers, with the second pick in 2017 chose point guard Lonzo Ball. The Celtics through a trade held pick number three which they used to draft Tatum. You might remember this as well, Magic Johnson was still associated with the Lakers and made the decision to choose Ball. I have been critical of player moves however I can see why the Lakers didn’t extend an invitation to Tatum.

Magic says, “We had Brandon Ingram, Julius Randle and Larry Nance Jr., we had enough forwards we needed a point guard.” That was the decision behind the pick, with the 3rd pick the Celtics through a trade chose Tatum. None of those forwards is with the Lakers now and Ball is in Chicago after being first traded to the Pelicans. If I look at the 2017 draft from the present I must say the Lakers were losers, they could have had the talented Tatum in their lineup. One by one all the forwards that prevented the Lakers from looking at Tatum are gone, so too is Ball. With this explanation so goes the story of why they failed to work out Jayson Tatum. Magic Johnson the superstar player was not a superstar in the front office assessing talent. 

That’s their belief

Lenny Kravitz had a hit tune titled “It ain’t over ‘til it’s over” in 1991, the lyrics have only a slight connection to the developments in Philadelphia. As reported in this blog as recently as yesterday the ongoing effort to okay a new arena for the Sixers. The Sixers desire to “own” their building rather than pay a lease as they do at present with Wells Fargo. The city council passed the bill on Thursdays allowing the Sixers $1.3 billion arena 76 Place to move forward, the vote before the full city council was 12-5. The mayor is behind the project so are labor units and now the council is too, everything would appear to be moving in a positive direction.

We are moving toward a groundbreaking date and eventual construction start…but wait there is more. Despite passing the bill a number of citizens groups remain opposed to the arena and made their voices heard at the council meeting. As reported previously no taxpayer funds are utilized opposition appears to be location more than anything else. As for the gathering the protesters attempted to disrupt the vote with a voice protest, it’s clear they believe the fight over the arena is not over. What occurs going forward is advancement and it looks as if a 2031 arena opening is possible. The only unknown will the citizens group file an injunction to pause the proceedings, as I indicated yesterday of the three projects (OKC, San Antonio) 76 Place continues to be the shakiest of all.      

This will have changed

A portion of Off the Dribble is written ahead of the published date, that is the case here. Although Wemby’s Spurs lost I saw his blocked shot total for the game was 7, I wondered if he was still leading the NBA. Yes, sure enough his name was at the top with 3.5 block shots a game but then I checked out the balance of players. The list continued with centers and power forwards, there was one small forward and one point guard in the mix. Tied at number 34 is point guard Derrick White of the Celtics, interesting in that his per game block shot total is ahead of several well-known and taller NBA players such as Karl-Anthony Towns and Draymond Green. We held a discussion on the subject at work and Keenan said, “Blocking shots requires effort.” That statement is certainly fact however, it’s my belief its more to it than that.

It’s been my contention that scoring the ball might be the easiest component of basketball and the simplest measurement for most observers of the game, that’s why a number of players are outstanding yet other facets of their game are often lacking. Rebounds, blocked shots and “belly button” defense in my view require effort sometimes only visible to the most ardent. When discussing a game we almost always focus on a players offensive total rather than other portions of his or her game. There is an obvious reason why we can see the point total easily, I include myself too. What’s the first thing usually asked about a game…” How many points did (insert a name) score?” It’s not done intentionally but we tend to ignore other facets of the game, I will give you a quick answer why I love guys like White. Not only does he play the game defensively but we can look at his 17 points and nearly 5 assists a game to point out his value to the Celtics.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published daily except Tuesdays & Thursdays

Bits n Pieces of information   

I covered NBA Europe previously however there some who continue to believe this will work. Let’s explore two of the stumbling blocks to this effort. At some date in the distant future the Lakers fly from Los Angeles to Paris France to play Paris’s NBA team. According to information uncovered on the web that is a 10 hour and 45 minute flight, the next day the Lakers board their charter for an 11 hour and 45 minute to Los Angeles. I hope you seen the intent here, NBA players complain about travel in the continental US and Toronto. Imagine if there is an NBA team in London, Paris, Berlin and other European cities face with flight times similar to those listed here. Recently I had an opportunity to view a YouTube video on continental and European expansion. I’m unsure how former commissioner David Stern envisioned Euro-NBA teams being part of those on this continent. The other issue other than travel is infringement, would the NBA take on Euro basketball and compete with them, a league begun with FIBA in 1957 and Euroleague Basketball beginning in 2000.

At one time HBCU schools produced a considerable number of basketball players who found their way into the NBA. For those who might be unfamiliar with the term it stands for Historically Black College (or) University, these schools in the south sent Willis Reed, Earl Monroe, Sam Jones plus Bob Love and a host of others. In all over 350 athletes were drafted by NBA teams from HBCU institutions. Baseball’s Jackie Robinson attended UCLA in 1939 but that was California and not the deep south which prohibited black and white students from attending the same schools. 

Two early NBA pioneers Earl Lloyd and Chuck Cooper at West Virginia State and Xavier of Louisiana broke the color barrier in the NBA in 1950, both attended HBCU schools. If the question were asked why are there no HBCU players currently when 70% of the players in the league are black? The passage of civil rights legislation changed the landscape for America, black athletes from the south began slowly bypassing HBCU’s. These athletes might have said, “Why play for an HBCU or northern school, I can remain home and attend Auburn or Georgia.” Don’t misunderstand the intent, there remains good basketball play however the overwhelming majority of black players have chosen other paths. 

I wondered why the date of February 9 was selected, I read on and discovered that date would be the last telecast for longtime ESPN television analyst and former coach Hubie Brown. The game is from Milwaukee and the location where his coaching career began in 1972. The 91-year is still sharp as ever in his role as an analyst. The Hall of Fame Brown will leave the NBA after 50 years of association and more than 35 years providing his insight of the game for radio and television. It should also be noted that Brown was named NBA Coach of the Year twice.

To quote Suns forward Kevin Durant “I hate it”! He was referring to the announced change in the format for the NBA All Star Game. Read it for yourself and formulate your own opinion, after reading details of the change let’s just say I intend to echo Durant’s opinion, I will affirm what he said, I too hate the format. Also agreeing with his teammate was guard Devin Booker. Former guard Jeff Teague with a 15-year NBA career also expressed his opposition to the change, we also heard from LeBron James on this revision. He is the only player as this is written to come out in favor of the change. We shall see what occurs over the next few weeks and determine if this change is intended to become permanent.

An update

As an outside observer I thought it was time to indicate the progress (or lack thereof) of planned arenas in Oklahoma City, San Antonio and Philadelphia. In simple terms Oklahoma City could be described as making progress, a Kansas City sports architectural firm has been hired to design the replacement for Paycom Center. The planned opening for the arena is the summer of 2028, which is feasible at this point. As for San Antonio its quite different from Oklahoma City and Philadelphia, a little over a month ago Project Marvel was unveiled to citizens.

The project is given that name because there is more than the “Wemby” arena that’s to be part of the project. The entire development less the arena is detailed as a 15-year building plan, developing for the future with that large a window could create huge cost overruns. From what I read the arena will not be funded by taxpayers although it is unclear where the funds will come from for the balance of the project, as more information is available I will attempt to update you. Although it’s difficult to determine from where I sit but it appears 76 Place in Philadelphia might face the greatest hurdle of all the three cities. The mayor and the city council have approved this arena be built and no taxpayer funds will be utilized in this effort, that’s the good portion of this story. The bad, is this a done deal because there appears large scale community opposition to the project.

The chief opponents are businesses that lie in the Chinatown section, this is near a location where the arena would be built. Representatives of the owners have lodged complaints about the impact of traffic flow affecting revenue. In conclusion I can state with certainty that the project that’s a go is Oklahoma City. In San Antonio it appears to be a yes however there seems a degree of hesitation with exception of the arena. Maybe the solution might be separating the arena from the other portion. I believe 76 Place will eventually be resolved however not smoothly or rapidly. As news continues to develop I will keep you advised.  

A new guy

Coach Gates is playing his entire roster, only those injured have not had the opportunity. The opportunity I speak of is being Mizzou’s top scorer in a game, on Tuesday evening it was Jacob Crews a 6 foot 8 senior guard. Crews emerged from the bench and led in scoring with 19 points, it was 66.7% shooting from the 3pt line. He was assisted by Mark Mitchell with 18 points and Trent Pierce with 12 leading to the 83-72 victory over Jacksonville State. This win became number 10 for Mizzou which exceeds last year’s victory total. Mizzou has one more tough game (Illinois) before beginning SEC play January 4 against Auburn on the road.

The only downside to the win over Jacksonville was the rebound total, Mizzou was outrebounded by 10. As for the other portions of the game Mizzou registered good numbers, it was 50% shooting from the floor, 48% from 3 and that came with only 3 TO’s for the game. As I indicated yesterday one of our local sports talk radio guys remains unimpressed with Mizzou. He hints their schedule is somewhat light however there is an explanation. There was no reason to stock the schedule with Top 25 opponents based on last season. This statement is made because the SEC with the addition of Oklahoma and Texas is probably the strongest in the nation. I am sure several who follow the Big XII might believe it to be the strongest however I continue to believe the honor belongs to the SEC.

25

We continue to hear the question, “Why was Dalton Knecht picked at 17 rather than the lottery?" The Laker sharpshooter is 23-years old, birthday number 24 will occur prior to the end of this season. As far as we can determine Knecht’s age was the basis that caused him to slide downward in the draft. The NBA has become a “youth dominated” league seeing an increasing number of 19-year olds and Euro players. Keep in mind the NBA game continues to develop however all the youngsters covered in this account are under the age of 25 and certainly could be termed budding talents. We begin our list with 22-year old Paolo Banchero, he’s injured currently however he should return to the Magic lineup soon.

At this point LaMelo Ball is clearly the best of the three brothers, he’s played some outstanding basketball for the Hornets…he’s 23-years old. In San Antonio we have the Spurs Victor Wembanyama, he will turn 21-years in January. Zion Williamson has an injury history however I would be remiss in not including the 24 year old in this list of talents. Wemby’s French teammate Bilal Coulibaly a member of the Wizards is also a rising start at 20. We close with the names of Tari Eason and Alperen Sengun of the Rockets, Dyson Daniels Hawks, they are 23 and 21 and 22 years of age. You’ve read the complaints of Charles Barkley and others, they say these youngsters don’t have the reverence for the game they did. The NBA has changed its course over time but that fails to take into consideration overall we might have the most talented basketball athletes in the leagues history. I’m sure that last statement will upset some but it’s my belief it’s true.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published daily except Tuesdays & Thursdays

KenPom

Mizzou escaped a “trap game” with an 83-72 victory over Jacksonville State. I was listening to sports talk radio on the drive home, the host spent more time in my view discussing Kansas State’s game against Drake (now 6-4) over Mizzou (now 10-1). The focus from this host was on Mizzou’s overall record giving the listener he was less than impressed. The guest indicated Mizzou might earn an NCAA invitation just by playing in the SEC. He said if they are .500 in the conference race they might earn an invite. As for the headline Mizzou is rated 49 by KenPom if they remain at or near that level it just might be enough. Yes, my reference to a trap game, it’s my belief Mizzou might be looking ahead to Sunday. On that day Mizzou will face Illinois in the Annual Braggin’ Rights game.

Pop

Long time Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has been missing since November 2. As most are aware coach suffered what the medical staff refers to as a mild stroke. Based on that statement it appears Pop will return to the Spurs bench although the date is yet to be determined. I’m not going to repeat what you already read, he wanted to thank fans for their support during this time. Pop will turn 76 years old next month and there is no doubt in anyone’s mind. He’s served in the role of coach because he loves the game and loves his players.

Despite a downturn in victories the last few seasons Pop has the most wins in NBA history with 1,401. What’s most interesting like fine wine his ability to coach went through an aging process. His first head coaching position was at Pomona-Pitzer College in Claremont (CA) a Division III school, his record there (76-129) was less than stellar. The truth of the matter I seriously doubt he would have been hired by the Spurs or any NBA team with a losing record on his resume. Despite his rough exterior there appears a heart of gold, I don’t know this to be a fact. I can only make that assessment based on those who played for him on the Spurs. In all the years he’s coached the Spurs I’ve only read or heard from a single player with a negative comment regarding Pop.

No, that’s not the reason 

A website yardbarker.com’s NBA page provided a list of the Top 15 cities for NBA expansion. After checking the list a number of them have me scratching my head…why. I realize some of you will claim I’m hatin’ cause Kansas City is not on the list, believe me that is not the case. With the disclaimer out of the way I am disclosing five I believe are questionable in my mind. Along with the location I provided the basis why I believe the NBA should bypass those named:

San Diego-Despite its large population how many ABA and NBA teams has this city had in the past. The NFL Chargers after calling San Diego home for years decided in favor of Los Angeles. The city limit to city limit boundary indicates the two cities are only 120 miles apart however I cannot estimate drive time due to California traffic, as for San Diego its thumbs down in my opinion.

Jacksonville-The city has an NFL team which is certainly noteworthy. The issue for me is location, location…the city of Orlando and Jacksonville are close to one another (140 miles). It would seem to this observer wouldn’t a franchise here be extending into the Magic’s fan base since the two cities are so near one another. This is even closer than road miles between Oklahoma City and Dallas, this is a no.

San Jose-This represents the same issue discussed earlier, this Silicon Valley city lies 55 miles from San Francisco and 119 from Sacramento. In the instance of San Jose it would be encroaching on the territory of two present NBA franchises, this would be a no in my view. On the other hand this is home of the microchip and deep pockets…who truly knows the answer.

Baltimore-The second Bullet franchise began play in 1963 and were mainstays of the city until they moved in 1973. It’s too far down the road of history to detail why the Bullets left the city and now call Washington D.C. home. At most the two cities are some 50 miles apart definitely an encroachment on the Wizards territory.   

Philadelphia-My question here is simple…why? The metro population of Philadelphia is well over 6 million people but is that reason enough. There is major league football, baseball and basketball. In addition there are 6 colleges that play basketball, and toss in several high schools with their sports programs this might be a different case than the other cities named. Can we state the Philly metro might be oversaturated in basketball?   

Below are the other cities the article indicated they would be ready day one for an NBA team. The cities listed have concerns as most in the nation, despite this fact I believe the cities below would be ideal candidates to add teams to the NBA. Finally this fact, money always talks, if some billionaire in Baltimore or Jacksonville decides he wants a team in his hometown you really thin the NBA will turn him or her down.

Vancouver

Montreal

Seattle

Las Vegas

Pittsburgh

Mexico City

Raleigh NC

Louisville

Nashville

Columbus OH

An expanded tourney

As most are aware the NCAA Men’s basketball tourney now consists of 68 teams. This tournament has continued expanding, in 1951 it expanded to 16 teams, doubled to 32 in 1975 and expanded to 67 in 1985 and finally in 2011 the 68 team format was adopted. As the NCAA tourney has expanded the prospect of teams selected to play in the NIT tourney has diminished. Expansion is very much on the agenda again, NCAA president Charlie Baker wants to increase the number of invited teams to either 72 or 76.

In my view expansion will occur the only question is when, the chief reason it will occur is $$$. The information I am relating to you might have changed by now, I cannot document it. It was said at one time that nearly half the revenue of the NCAA is generated from the basketball tourney. For you and me there will not be any change just more basketball games to watch in March. As for the revered National Invitation Tournament currently on “life-support” an expanded NCAA tourney will see it cease to exist. What’s interesting this tournament predates the NCAA tourney. The NIT first played in 1938 while the initial NCAA tourney began play a year later in 1939. 

Basketball from a fans perspective

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I hate it!!

The word hate is a word I rarely use, it’s clear why but no further explanation is required. I hate the 3-point shot, it makes NBA games unwatchable. And then we have this as the example from the Friday evening Hornets-Bulls game. The Bulls were winners 109-95 but the story of the game for me is the missed baskets. The teams set an NBA record with the number of MISSED 3-point shots taken, the total a staggering 97. It doesn’t take a scientist to figure out 3 is more than 2 but the emphasis on shooting it is driving me batty. It’s clear it must be bothering fans as well, if you attend a game you are “captured.” You the fan must sit there and be punished, if, for example, you are in front of your television set something different occurs.

You decide this is not worth seeing and you turn off the television. There are not numbers provided to back this up but check for yourself, viewership numbers are down. I have long believed the NBA game is superior to that we see on college campuses, at this rate the NBA is close to changing minds. How do you address this issue, honestly I don’t believe Adam Silver’s office can do anything about this matter. I do believe the issue should be a subject of discussion at the next owners meeting. It’s up to the NBA coaches, someone must have (if it’s not already done) track the number of three point attempts. When a team reaches that number whatever it might be he’s got to inform his team no more. Will it work, probably not, however that’s the only solution I can find, what about your suggestion?  

Move over Wemby

I bet you didn’t realize there is a younger version of Victor Wembanyama, he just turned 19 in May! This athlete’s name is Trent Burns and he was a 4-star prospect who hails from Houston Texas. As for the comparison to Wemby check this out, he stands 7 feet 5 inches and weighs 235 pounds, there are two reasons why you might not be familiar with him. For one he’s a freshman and adjusting to the college game and secondly he’s injured. As for the injury it appears to not be a season long issue but at this writing it’s unclear when he will be able to return to action.

Once Burns is able to play his time might continue to be limited, it’s got nothing to do with ability its people. He’s got 7 foot 260 pound Josh Gray playing major minutes. Behind him is 7 foot 300 pound Payton Marshall also a freshman, wait there is more. There is 6 foot 10 Trent Burns and 6 foot 9 Aiden Shaw along with 6 foot 9 Mark Mitchell. I have no intention to mislead you but to simply point out Mizzou has an extremely tall front line this season. Burns will be contending for playing time from Gray or Marshall only. Last season saw the opposition outrebound Mizzou for much of the season, this time around coach Gates is attempting to ensure that issue is not repeated again this season.

This pains me

I don’t care to write this but it’s finally time to admit the truth, Laker management requires an intervention. Owner Jeanie Buss and GM Rod Pelinka have done their best to convince Laker Nation that nothing is wrong when that is clearly not the case. This team has a 40-year old as a leader on the court, despite a stellar career just like an automobile there are signs of “wear and tear.” LeBron James can no longer produce at the level he once did and its clear why…he’s 40 years old. He’s at an age 99% of those who played the game in the NBA would have been retired 5-7 years ago. 

Up next is Anthony Davis who certainly is talented but is expending his effort for a Laker team that is treading water. I don’t believe in Rod Pelinka any longer, that ship has sailed for me. He’s failed to perform in those areas he is highly paid to do. I’ve witnessed the Lakers draft players that could have been foundational pieces. Could they have won a championship with these players, probably not but I really can’t say they couldn’t. Who are they, Jordan Clarkson, Kyle Kuzma, the injured Lonzo Ball, Alex Caruso I could go on. The 2020 championship team had a two-headed center combo Dwight Howard and JaVale McGee. Both are history with the Lakers but have continued to play at the present. The Lakers have no first round pick in 2025 but have two in the second round, it might be an innovative idea to hold on to both picks.

The Lakers need to play the youngsters they have on the team right now it matters not whether they win or lose. It is now time to “blow this team up,” they need a new cast of athletes to wear Purple and Gold. Management stated Darvin Ham was the problem, the Lakers have hired 7 coaches since 2011 and fired all of them with the exception of the present coach JJ Redick. I didn’t include Bernie Bickerstaff in the count since he was an interim head coach. At one time I held the belief that the Lakers were the best run franchise in the NBA, I no longer subscribe to that picture.

It’s still early

By the time this is published the numbers will have changed a bit, I speak of the top college freshmen. The following five including Cooper Flagg are likely to be announced as the number one pick by commissioner Adam Silver. We figure Cooper Flagg will be drafted number one in June should he declare for the NBA. What if some other athlete comes to the forefront between now and the draft, who is it? Including Flagg who else comprises the Top Five for the 2025 NBA draft?

Please note these are not in any order of projection by the NBA or me for that matter. One of the other issues to consider is the impact of this particular freshmen, some will be in dissimilar roles on their team than others. We begin this look-see with Ace Bailey 6 foot 10 shooting guard, he’s nearly 18 points and 6 rebounds a game for the Scarlet Knights of Rutgers. Up next, teammate Dylan Harper 6 foot 6, he’s scoring 23 points and nearly 5 assists a game. We head west to BYU where we locate Egor Demin a 6 foot 9 guard, he’s at 13 points and 6 assists per game. There might be someone else who comes to the forefront in between time. 

Basketball from a fans perspective

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Trap game…it could have been

After an emotional win last Sunday against rival Kansas would there be a letdown, would the Tigers be prepared to face Long Island University? The game was never in doubt although early on LIU played a competitive game. The final score read Mizzou 88 LIU 61 as the Tigers stepped on the gas and never let up throughout the game. I’ve not read or heard any commentary from Mizzou coach Gates but this game appeared to be an experiment in a sense, allow an explanation. Tamar Bates the hero against Kansas played 16 minutes in the game, the same for center Josh Gray who played but 10 minutes.  Instead the minutes and points went to Trent Pierce 6 foot 10 guard/forward, he led the way with 24 points.

Also playing extended minutes was guard Marques Warrick and forward Mark Mitchell. Of those named Mitchell is the only Mizzou player with major minutes against Kansas and LIU. Mizzou after losing to Memphis on November 4 has now reeled off 9 wins in a row. Naysayers might contend with the exception of Memphis and Kansas the schedule thus far has not been overwhelming. I could agree with such a statement however the portion that looks good to me depth. Gates is preparing his team for the tough upcoming SEC Conference race. Up next, Jacksonville State from Conference USA and then it’s the Braggin’ Rights Game against Illinois on December 22. The LIU game that could have been a trap game turned out to be nothing of that sort as Mizzou was an easy winner.

I’m not by myself…as I believed

The NBA blackout rule totally bamboozles me, I have tried to make sense of the regulation to no avail. Naturally when faced with a problem one always assumes he or she is by themselves, not so. Drive time from Kansas City to Oklahoma City is 352 miles or 566.489 kilometers, that’s 4 hours and 52 minutes’ drive time. Denver to Kansas City is even further, 604 miles or 972.044 kilometers or 8 hours and 14 minutes. Blackouts were a method for the “home team” to encourage fans to attend the game rather than view it on television. As you can see by the road mileage provided the distance between my hometown and these two NBA cities is no short drive, there is no way I could take a flight and arrive in either city in short space of time but that’s about it.

Allow me to take this one step further if a Thunder or Nuggets game is on NBA TV it’s not available to me. That same blackout rule fails to apply if the game is broadcast on ESPN, TNT or ABC. To provide greater confusion for you understand this little twist, in Kansas City we have FanDuel Sports Kansas City and FanDuel Sports Extra. I can view Thunder games on either of these channels anytime they play, figure that one out if you care. You remember me stating I was the only one in the nation with this problem…I discovered that is far from the case. A fan wrote, “I live 700 miles from SLC (Salt Lake City), yet am blacked out for Utah Jazz.” This from another NBA fan, “Peoria IL has Bulls (makes sense), Pacers (eh but ok) & Grizzlies (makes no sense). I am unsure if the new media agreement going into effect next season changes the existing rule. For the immediate future I must make do with what I can

It’s the building

What might we suppose is the most intimidating factor for a visiting college team, A. the opposition B. the coach or C. the building? It’s my contention that sometimes it could be all three however for these purposes I am going to settle on C. the building. Can you imagine playing in Cameron Indoor, the Dean Dome or Rupp Arena…maybe its Allen Fieldhouse. Over the years these arenas have witnessed several outstanding athletes and dynamic teams. Each of the arenas is old by today’s standards but that might add to the mystique as much as the coach or the opposition. Cameron on the Duke campus has been in use since 1940, of course this tiny (less than 10,000 seat) arena has been remodeled several times over the years.

The student body is right on top of the court…a mighty intimidating factor. The Dean Dome at North Carolina has also been renovated a couple of times, it opened in 1986 and seats almost 22,000 Carolina Blue fans, alumni and visitors. Rupp Arena in Lexington is the newest of the intimidators, it opened in 1976 and seats 24,000 rabid fans of Big Blue Nation. Finally we arrive at Allen Fieldhouse home of the Kansas Jayhawks, this building opened in 1955 and has seating capacity for 16,000 fans of the program. There are other arenas which once had an intimidating factor, one of those being Pauley Pavilion UCLA’s home. Pauley is probably less scary as it was in the days of Alcindor, Walton and others. There are some college basketball arenas I surely overlooked, those named in this account are the ones I believe panic the opposition the most.

It's a destination

This member of Mizzou Nation was pleased with the post-game comments of Mizzou guard Tamar Bates. His basketball journey began at Piper HS in Kansas City, Kansas, from there it was IMG Academy in Bradenton Florida. I’m unsure if he was recruited by Mizzou because he was in school during the Cuonzo Martin period. In any event this local kid “escaped” and headed to Indiana University and then transferred to Mizzou prior to the 2023-24 season after not playing much at Indiana. His scoring numbers are not outstanding but certainly noteworthy, he appears to excel on the defensive side of the ball. Bates’ 29 point scoring effort included 5 steals against the Kansas Jayhawks, oh the press conference.

Bates said something to the effect “You don’t have to travel far to find outstanding basketball” a reference to Columbia MO and its distance from Kansas City KS. The proof will not be forthcoming immediately however its hoped Mizzou becomes a basketball destination. Perhaps Mizzou will attract a number of McDonald’s All Americans rather than just eating there. An explanation is required here for those who might not be aware of the story. Former Mizzou coach Norm Stewart (1967-1999) was once asked; “Do you have any McDonald’s All Americans on the roster?” Stewart’s response, “We have no McDonald’s All Americans but we eat there.” Lawrence Kansas is less than 50 miles from most of metro Kansas City MO, the present roster contains three kids from the Kansas side of the metro, why not recruit on both sides of State Line Road.

Basketball from a fans perspective

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Breakout game

Thursday evening Bronny James had the game that made his critics shut up. Sure it was a G-League game however it was still good, the only downside the South Bay Lakers lost the game 106-100 to the Valley Suns. It was a game high 30 points on 57% shooting from the floor which included 3 for 3 from the 3P line, he finished up with 3 rebounds and 2 assists. I am pleased with this continued development in Bronny’s game and hope it continues. His stats look good for the season, 14 points a game 3 rebounds and nearly 3 assists. I will backtrack a bit and remind you of my earlier comment regarding young James. I had no problem with Bronny being drafted although I didn’t believe then as I continue to believe now he was ready for the rugged play of the NBA. He wasn’t going to play major minutes with the parent club an extended period of play was required with South Bay. I have no inside information at this point the best destination for Bronny to date is not the Lakers but to remain with the G-League affiliate South Bay.

Bill Belichick

I listened to a conversation on sports talk radio on Thursday regarding Bill Belichick. As most are aware the longtime NFL coach has been hired by North Carolina as the school’s head football coach, that part is surprising but not the basis for this rant. One of the radio host indicated “Belichick wanted his son to take over as head coach with the Patriots if he’d remained there, in addition his son might take on an assistant coach role at Carolina.” They proceeded to discuss fathers and the fact some chose to clear a path for their offspring.

The two hosts appeared to have no issue with this process and my mind immediately began racing. As I’ve indicated there is not much NBA talk here but I’ve heard plenty of conversation regarding nepotism when it comes to LeBron and Bronny James. My objection last June to Bronny James was I didn’t believe he was ready for the NBA, the relationship to his father was not that important to me. These two radio host certainly don’t set the standard but I did find this interesting. There is no issue regarding nepotism it appears to matters more who you are, there is no occasion for me to wish ill will toward the Belichick’s I have no connection to Carolina, we shall see what unfolds.

He returns…to a degree

The Clippers announced Kawhi Leonard returned to practice for the first time this season. This was actually the first time he’d worked out with the team since last season. This was no declaration he was ready to play but it certainly gives Clipper Nation hope for his return. There remains a question, Kawhi is now 33-years of age with a long history of injuries can he return is the question? The quick response is yes however will the “old” Kawhi be able to return, allow me to elaborate? I remember Kobe Bryant and his Achilles tendon tear, he was 34 and after a time was able to return to the Lakers. I don’t remember reading it but it seemed to these amateur basketball eyes of mine he wasn’t the same.

Kobe returned and would play two more seasons for the Lakers but it seemed to me the lift was not there. He’d lost a step or two on the offensive and defensive side of the ball, for him this must have been devastating. The positives we read from coach Lue should be expected, he certainly would have no reason to downplay the comeback attempt of Kawhi. The portion of this story that concerns me most, although Kawhi and Kobe were comparatively the same age Kobe didn’t have close to the injury history of Kawhi. According to ESPN Kawhi “has missed 204 of a possible 460 games since joining the Clippers in 2019.” That is an astronomical number to have missed, two and a half seasons worth of games. I truly hope Kawhi is able to return but when he does I wouldn’t expect the “old” Kawhi if I were you, that version is history.

The dangers of court storming

Mizzou is not any different from any other school in this instance. The thrilling 76-67 win over then number one Kansas triggered the student body to storm the court. As I stated Mizzou is not any different however in this instant court storming became quite expensive. The SEC issued a fine of $250,000 to Mizzou for last Sunday’s action, the SEC in a manner similar to others prohibits such action but why such a large fine? This is from KSDK’s website, “It is Mizzou’s second violation of the SEC rules since they were instituted in 2023.

The first was when football fans stormed the field after a win against Kansas State on Sept. 16, 2023. The punishment for violations starts at $100,000, escalates to $250,000 for the second offense and is $500,000 for the third violation and each violation after that. The money goes to the SEC Post-Graduate Scholarship Fund because it was a non-conference game.” I checked Mizzou’s schedule, with the addition of teams to the SEC they will only play Tennessee (current number one) once. This game will be played in Knoxville, if Tennessee is still number one and Mizzou beats them there is no danger of an expensive court storming. 

And you wonder why?

In the past up to the present day a number of athletes have been “bad actors” for a variety of reasons. When they make an error no matter they should be called out for their actions. This is for the media and their often misguided or miss-aligned attempts at a message. Often we are reading or hearing the words of someone who was never talented enough to play the game at a high skill level such as what they report. I have no idea where it began, however, the feud between Kevin Durant and Stephen A. Smith could be used as an example. My response is simple, although athletes, especially in the NBA, accumulate huge sums of money they are subject to many of the same issues we face.

The only difference between them and us is their vast financial wealth which allows them to avoid some of the pitfalls of life. They had a difficult day on the basketball court, who critiqued the difficult day you experienced on the assembly line or in the office? I’m not claiming those in non-sports fields escape free, they too are subject to review however theirs is quite different. Most generally it’s one on one between you and the supervisor it’s not a dress down between you and a couple of million folks. All these media members are attempting is to gain clicks for their podcast or viewers for their program. Keep this in perspective next time Gilbert Arenas, Stephen A. Smith or some others go off.

Basketball from a fans perspective

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What about him

Too much basketball and I have difficulty tracking it all. I turned on the Marquette-Wisconsin game too late to review it, Marquette was a winner 88-74. This became win number 9 for the Golden Eagles against a single loss so far this season. I thought for a moment, every time we discuss winning basketball coaches Shaka Smart is omitted from the conversation and the question might be why? Smart burst on the scene at Virginia Commonwealth in the 2009-10 season as he led his team to a 27-9 record. After six outstanding seasons an offer arrived he couldn’t turn down, the University of Texas. I remember saying to others in 2015 this is the perfect job for him at least that’s what I believed.

Texas is abundant in high school basketball talent Smart wouldn’t have to leave the state to recruit. The bright picture I painted back then did not come to fruition, sure there was only one losing season at Texas but nothing at the level expected by others including me. In 2021 Smart took over the Marquette program, that very first season resulted in a 19-13 record. From that point on his teams have been 29-7, 27-10 and at present 9-1 as this is written. Unlike the seasons experienced at Texas his Marquette team has earned an NCAA invite each season. I am forced to this conclusion is Smart better suited to coach at so-called mid majors over schools where the spotlight shines so much brighter? I pose the question however I don’t have the answer, what do you think? Am I on to something or is this work history only coincidental?

Cooper Flagg sweepstakes

The NBA season has just commenced, the race to draft Duke’s Cooper Flagg has begun. I decided to take an early look at several NBA mock drafts, it is unclear which NBA team might be the winner. As I’ve stated I’m unsure if these guys copy from one another but here goes. The first is bleacherreport.com and tankathon.com indicate the Nets will have the first draft pick in 2025 and will select Flagg. On the other hand nbadraftroom.com and nbadraft.net believe the Pistons choose Flagg.

This might be considered good or bad depending on where you are seated. I would tend to believe most fans might be joyful if their team is able to draft Flagg, others might be disappointed with the fact of “another losing season.” As the season has begun and barring the possibility of additions after this is written this is how I see it. Short term the Pistons appear to have a more stable roster than the Nets, don’t misunderstand my observation. Both teams are on the same plane, I happen to believe the Pistons are slightly better. In a sense it doesn’t matter, if Flagg is as talented as we are told there will be no problem for him to become a starter for either team.

Court storming 

I don’t like to see students storm the court, it occurs after the home team’s victory, this past Sunday we saw it in full effect. Mizzou hasn’t beaten Kansas since February 4, 2012, which saw the Tigers win 74-71 on that day. Victories haven’t come easy for Mizzou so the excitement by the student body is based on the drought of wins and Kansas being the number one team in the nation. With a 12-year drought you can see the enthusiasm regarding the victory but is court storming a good thing?

While I understand the WHY I remain critical and the chief reason is the risk of injury. Scores of persons running onto the basketball court from all directions and there is a possibility someone could be severely injured should they stumble, fall and be trampled. In the past there have been efforts made by administrations to curtail court storming but the majority of time it appears to be in vain. In conclusion despite my excitement in the win I didn’t want a court storming. I am pleased coach Gates called a TO allowing the coaching staff and players for Kansas to leave the court area.

In case you forgot

This has been mentioned in the past but I thought I would remind you again. I belong to a nostalgia ABA social media group, my hope was to gain insight into what this startup league was like while it existed. One of the more interesting aspects for me was gaining an understanding of the history. The 1976 agreement was no merger rather it was “expansion” of the existing NBA. The older more established NBA absorbed the 4 teams it wanted and allowed the others to fall by the wayside. The history says expansion, if a league expands it takes in all the teams such as what occurred with the NFL merger in 1966.

The NBA expanded in 1976 adding the Denver Nuggets, San Antonio Spurs, Indiana Pacers and New York (Brooklyn) Nets. The Baltimore Claws had folded which left 5 teams which ceased operations most of its talent dispersed throughout the NBA. A number of players didn’t earn roster positions with the existing NBA teams they were forced to look toward Europe to continue play. Remember at that time there was no G-League or its equivalent in addition the NBL in Australia wouldn’t begin play until 1979. Do you think NBA owners were playing hard ball…you bet they were. There is no one in place who remains a part of the expansion. NBA team owners has changed 3-4 times since 1976, truth is the Buss family is the only remaining long term owner, Dr. Buss didn’t purchase the Lakers until two years after the expansion agreement.   

Overrated

This is your warning ahead of time, you are about to read my thoughts regarding Kansas basketball. There are portions that might be offensive to your hearing so you can stop at this point. Okay now that many of the Kansas faithful have stopped reading we can proceed. It seems every season Kansas basketball is rated number one or near the top of teams in the nation. 

By the time March Madness comes around and they have fallen short much of Jayhawk Nation refuse to believe anything’s changed. I love Dick Vitale but he is one of the main culprits, every pre-season he and a host of others pronounce Kansas “The best college basketball team in the nation.” By the time the calendar turns to April that is rarely the case, they are a good team annually but not great, the Jayhawk has his feathers plucked. In 2022 they won the whole thing, many claim they could have won in 2020 if not for covid which caused the cancellation of the season without a championship. The 2022-23 season Big XII season saw Kansas finish with an unlike 10-8 conference record and 23-11 overall. 

Hear me, Bill Self has not forgotten how to coach but the change is from an area few thought might have been possible. Kansas is no longer getting the cream of the crop of college talent, we could use A.J. Dybantsa as the example. Who could have figured Kansas and BYU in competition for the top player in the nation? That player with the opportunity to play for Bill Self and that Kansas history…chooses BYU. BYU, like several other programs across the country is ready and willing to compete with Kansas basketball and its history.