A fans perspective 

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday

You cannot change history

Reading this blog any length of time you are well aware I delve into the occasional “What if.” I did it with the Wolves with their opportunity to draft Stephen Curry, the same could be said for the Kansas City Kings who passed on Moses Malone. The Kings at the time must have believed guard Ron Boone had more upside than Malone who after his career would be enshrined in the Hall of Fame. Whenever an event or player is profiled I’ve attempted to discuss it from the point history might have been different. In the instance of actual events you cannot change the course of history to fit your narrative.

By now you are wondering “Where is he going with this latest rant?” Only one issue, a social media writer decided to compare Dr. J’s career to Kawhi Leonard. It was the number of championships I took offense, he listed two NBA championships for Leonard (correct) and one for Dr. J. (incorrect). This individual was only counting the single championship won in 1983 while Dr. J. was a member of the Sixers. This author failed to list the 1974 and 1976 championships won by Dr. J. while he was a member of the ABA New York Nets. The blogger probably disagrees with me and that’s okay, a championship is just that, we don’t have permission to decide two championships won in the ABA are less important or should not be counted. 

Recruiting news

The top men’s basketball recruit in the Class of 2026 eliminated at least one school in his list however he accomplished this in a strange manner in my estimation. Tyran Stokes a 6-foot 7 245 pound 5-star forward signed a NIL agreement with Nike, that move might have eliminated Kansas although he visited Lawrence which had been recruiting him. It certainly remains possible the Sherman Oaks California prospect could continue interest but that’s unlikely due to Kansas being associated with Adidas. Although no decision has been reached Kansas remains included along with Oregon, Southern Cal and Oregon on Stokes list.

Despite this apparent negative news there were two positives for Bill Self, they received commits from Taylen Kinney a 6-foot 1 point guard from Overtime Elite, he’s a 5-star prospect. 4-star prospect Trent Perry a 6-foot 5 forward from Link Academy also verbally committed. In other recruiting news John Calipari and Arkansas announced 4-star prospect Abdou Toure a 6-foot 5 forward had chosen the Razorbacks. He made his decision over Providence, Alabama, Arizona State and Florida State who also were recruiting him. Toure is rated the number 33rd prospect in the nation by 247Sports and in the 2026 ESPN 100 he’s in the 31 spot.   

Conspiracy theories

Seeing video of Luka Doncic in action is the basis for this account, conspiracy theories exist in other sports but nowhere near the level they do in the NBA. Last February the trade the sent Doncic to the Lakers was monumental and Mavs fans were left in shock. Fast forward to the draft in June and what occurs, the Mavs win the lottery. The NBA “was making up for Doncic by allowing the Mavs to draft Cooper Flagg,” that was the theory. There are others, Game 6 in 2002 the disparity of free throws in favor of the Lakers allowing them to win the series over the Kings and play for the NBA championship…conspiracy. The nearly two years Michael Jordan played baseball before returning to the Bulls.

The theory, Jordan was suspended for illegal conduct (betting on NBA games), not that he was hiding from organized crime elements. The Patrick Ewing 1985 draft and the “frozen card,” this allowed Knicks GM Dave DeBusschere to separate it from the others and thus Ewing becomes a Knick. This was a brand new one for me, the 2012 draft was “fixed” allowing the Pelicans to draft Anthony Davis. There is also the Tim Donagy hangover, this former game official claimed officials controlled the outcome of games due to their and others gambling habits. There are other conspiracy theories surrounding the NBA and it’s players, in conclusion I’m just not sure why. All I can say is this, every time there is an occurrence that might appear unusual someone will come forth with a conspiracy story from it.   

Arizona basketball

Arizona is expected to draw significant attention from the basketball community this fall and winter. The school has long established itself as a prominent program in college basketball. On this season’s roster is Bryce James, who is the younger brother of Bronny James. Bryce, a 6-foot-6, 195-pound shooting guard, is taller than his brother, who weighs 205 pounds. Bryce previously attended Sierra Canyon High School in Los Angeles and received three-star ratings from Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN. Bryce is another basketball-playing child of LeBron and Savannah James. The youngest member of the family, Zhuri James, is 10 years old and participates in activities such as volleyball, dance, and others. We can expect increased television coverage for Arizona basketball and Bryce James this season.

A fans perspective 

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday

Remember when

I do, the negative comments regarding the average age of the Lakers team. In 2021-22 they averaged 29.9 years of age as the oldest team in the NBA. As for the 2025-26 season the number averages out at 25-27 years of age. While they remain an older team they are no place near the oldest in the association, that honor belongs to the Clippers. Their 2025-26 roster averages 33.2 years of age making them the most ancient team in NBA history. Kawhi Leonard investigation aside, where does that leave the Clippers as a team, are they contenders or pretenders? Utilizing ESPN’s NBA page depth chart newcomer John Collins and holdover Ivica Zubac both age 28 are the youngest starters for the Clippers.

Kawhi Leonard is 34, Bradley Beal is 32 and James Harden is 36, Harden is backed up by 40 year old Chris Paul. Also standing by in reserve is 36 year old Nicolas Batum and 37 year old Brook Lopez. On paper the Clippers present a veteran starting five along with a group of veteran reserves. The players named and unnamed have certainly been through NBA wars during their careers but that makes for another concern…injuries. Despite his limited availability during his time with the Clippers Leonard remains the key. Paul George is gone so who picks up the gauntlet in his place, is it James Harden or one of the new arrivals. This Clippers team certainly contains the right ingredients to compete for an NBA championship, do they, “I’m from Missouri, you’ve got to Show Me.”

Basketball was the big winner

There is no argument from me, college football rules. It rules except for those colleges and universities that once played the sport and dropped it. From AI; “Colleges eliminate football primarily due to financial issues, such as budget deficits and the high cost of running a program. Other contributing factors include the physical risks of the sport, a desire to reallocate resources to academics or other sports, and recent shifts in the sport’s structure like the transfer portal and revenue sharing. Some schools have seen benefits like increased applications or research funding after cutting football.” There are instances generations of alum who never remember a time football was played at their school. Gonzaga a current basketball powerhouse once played the sport but abandoned it in 1941 (probably due to World War II) and never revived the program.

Creighton, which almost always turns out winning basketball teams eliminated football in 1942, this was probably also done due to the war. As for others it was much later, St. Louis University in 1949 for St. Bonaventure University located in Western New York State it was 1951 while Marquette saw football disappear in 1960. Bill Russell’s University of San Francisco Dons quit the sport in 1971. After the 1973 season Xavier (Ohio) dropped its football program. Wichita State suffered a horrendous tragedy in October 1970, several members of the football team, coaching staff and others perished in a charter aircraft crash. Despite the tragedy Wichita State carried on with its football program until 1986 when it was discontinued. In the 2000’s we saw St. John’s (2002), Hofstra (2009) and Northeastern (2009) eliminate football. There are other “basketball only” schools that were not included in this brief look.

Don’t Worry be Happy 

In my opinion it’s not good practice to worry about the future. For the most part often there are elements at work we have little if any control over. Example, I’m concerned about retirement and BAM I win the lottery with the exception of my health and my family there are no longer any worries. That’s an extreme example, the next portion deals with the Lakers and two separate reports. One report “Luka might want to leave the Lakers when he becomes a free agent.” The next one says; “There is hope LeBron James remains through retirement.” Working backwards LeBron is first, birthday number 41 occurs in December. Although I maintain he remains a valuable commodity as a player he’s still old by NBA standards.

If LeBron should decide to leave in free agency the Lakers should prepare themselves for that eventuality. You don’t simply replace a talent similar to him easily however a committee approach perhaps adding two players to replace one. As for Luka his situation is slightly different because he is much younger however much of what you read about LeBron applies to him as well. In conclusion anytime free agency is at work the athlete has the upper hand, I have no problem with that being the case. At the same time I don’t believe the Lakers or any other professional sports team should be held hostage in the manner of Uncle Dennis. Superstar talent is not easily replaced however if either athlete decides to walk there is not much the Lakers can do about it. Reminds me of that old Bobby McFerrin pop tune; “Don’t Worry be Happy.” That’s the road to take to ensure the best health.

He owes us and especially them

The us is NBA fans especially the Clippers and the ownership of the team. This is presented prior to completion of the investigation into Aspiration and its connection to Kawhi Leonard. There is no doubt Leonard is overpaid in volumes based on the amount of time he spends on the court. If you check his numbers for this past season they are certainly above average, the only drawback is the number of games he played. Leonard only played 37 games, his first game of the season was played January 4, 2025, the NBA season had begun October 22, 2024. This number represented the lowest number of games played since he’d become a Clipper, of course Leonard was returning from injury once again which is commonplace for him. Check this out, in the 5 years Leonard’s played for the Clippers the most games played in any one season is the 68 he played in the 2023-24 season.

Since Leonard’s arrival to the Clippers there have been 410 games on the schedule, of that number Leonard’s been available to play in 266 of them, that’s about 64.9% of the games on the Clippers schedule. How bad is this issue, its serious enough where I’m quoting Stephen A. Smith. “He (Leonard) does absolutely, positively, nothing to promote your franchise…I have said on many, many, and I will say it again, he is the worst superstar I have ever seen in sports history. This is not about his play and it’s not about his character…If you’re averaging over $40.3 million a year in your career with the Clippers, can you do interviews? Can you do promotional appearances?” Professional athletes are in a fishbowl I believe we understand that fact, the only portion of Smith’s statement I disagree is the promotional appearances. If the Clippers management signed off on no promotions that is a non-issue for me. Kawhi Leonard has been an enigma throughout his NBA career so perhaps we expect far too much. It was pointed out Leonard has two years remaining on his contract, unless he leads them to an NBA championship they might consider not renewing it. Of course what is covered here has nothing to do with the Aspiration investigation.

A portion from si.com nba

A fans perspective 

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday

Not surprising

Duke announced head men’s basketball coach Jon Scheyer’s contract has been lengthened, he will be working under a 6-year extension which carries him through the 2030-31 season. I once wrote how difficult it is to replace a legend, that being Coach K. Gene Bartow was certainly successful his first two years at UCLA but left the program and out from under the shadow of John Wooden. It was a different transition for Scheyer, he’d played for Coach K., he then took the role of an assistant and later associate head coach. I’ve got to believe that eased his transition to a degree once he took on the role of head coach. Scheyer’s teams have won 89 games in his first three years at the helm and last season they lost in the Final Four although they won 35 games in total. Despite losing Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel and Kaman Maluach to the NBA the Blue Devils appear to have reloaded and are ready for action in the always tough ACC. 

This is going to be brief

I have seen several YouTube podcasters discussing the Clippers, Steve Ballmer and Kawhi Leonard. While the investigation is yet to be completed I wish to address a portion of this account. We have no idea of the final outcome as this is written, however, a portion of what I’m hearing concerns me. “They are not gonna touch Ballmer, he’s the richest owner in the NBA” was the comment I heard by this podcaster, he made this observation after listening to a statement by one former NBA player. In my view this makes no sense whatsoever.

If the NBA has any integrity at all should Ballmer and the Clippers be found guilty they should punish all connected with Aspiration. For someone to conclude the league will do nothing due to the wealth of an owner is a ridiculous statement to make. All parties should suffer whatever penalties are deemed justifiable by the NBA. Naturally as in all instances these are my opinions, there is no requirement for you to agree with me. On the other hand Mark Cuban former majority owner of the Mavs has gone out his way to defend Ballmer. His opinion is, “Anyone as smart as he (Ballmer) is cannot be easily duped.”

Scouting…It’s just like a box of chocolates

I’ve long held the belief that scouting a prospect is one of the most difficult tasks conceivable. Once upon a time a baseball scout might be responsible for projecting a high school athlete into the major leagues. Does a fuzzy faced 16-year old pitcher forecast himself as a major league possibility? For the NFL and NBA generally the scouting occurs at age 19-22 which can make for a major difference in effectiveness. In the NBA draft there are always “sleepers,” players who were scouted but not as highly thought of as another.

That occurs at times but what about a team having an opportunity twice to choose a hall of fame player? That occurred in the 2009 NBA draft, the Wolves had the 5th and 6th pick in the first round of that year’s draft. At pick 5 they chose Rickey Rubio an international prospect from Spain, he’d been playing professionally since the age of 16. With pick number 6 the Wolves selected Syracuse point guard Johnny Flynn 2009 Big East Tournament MVP. Of course that evening and much later the Wolves were questioned as to why they selected two point guards and back to back no less, to my knowledge no explanation was ever offered. The Warriors, with the 7th pick, selected Steph Curry from Davidson. Check this out, pre-draft thoughts regarding Curry. “Stephen Curry’s early scouting reports focused on his limited athleticism, below-average size, defensive liabilities, with concerns he wouldn’t be a starting point guard or effective NBA player. Key weaknesses identified were his lack of explosiveness, skinny frame, and poor ability to finish at the rim, though his shooting touch, ball-handling skills, and basketball IQ were acknowledged strengths.”

Rubio would go on to have a 12 year NBA career although portions were of it were spent time playing for other teams. We could state his was a successful career but nowhere close to Curry’s. Johnny Flynn’s story is quite different, his NBA career lasted a brief four years playing for two other NBA teams. In fairness to the scouts some of the concerns mentioned may have been an indirect cause of Curry missing games over his career. Despite that fact he is still destined to be enshrined in the Naismith and College Basketball Hall of Fame one day. Finally we could do a “What if,” would the fortunes of the Wolves be any better if they made the choice of Curry over Rubio and Flynn? That question will remain unanswered, after all basketball remains a team sport.

NBA arena capacity

Unlike the NBA recent trends indicate that colleges and universities are adopting different approaches when planning new arenas. In recent years, newly constructed arenas tend to have smaller seating capacities. Large venues such as the JMA Wireless Dome at Syracuse (35,446), Dean Dome at North Carolina (21,750 seats) or Kentucky’s Rupp Arena (23,500 seats) are becoming less common. It should be of note that the JMA Wireless Dome also is home for Syracuse football. Of course smaller arenas offer greater versatility for multiple purposes rather than being designed solely for basketball. For reference, the latest opening occurred last year with the Clippers opening the Intuit Dome. The arena offers a maximum capacity of 18,300. As for the others check out the list below:

Arena                                                      Capacity                  Team

United Center                                          20,917                     Bulls

Wells Fargo Center                                 20,478                     Sixers

Capital One Arena                                   20,356                     Wizards

Little Caesars Arena                                20,332                     Pistons

Madison Square Garden                         19,812                     Knicks

Scotiabank Arena                                    19,800                     Raptors

Kaseya Center                                         19,600                     Heat

TD Garden                                               19,580                     Celtics

Ball Arena                                                19,520                     Nuggets

Moda Center                                            19,441                     Blazers

Rocket Arena                                           19,432                     Cavs

American Airlines Center                          19,200                     Mavs

Spectrum Center                                      19,077                     Hornets

Crypto.com Arena                                    19,060                     Lakers

Amway Center                                         18,846                     Magic

Target Center                                           18,798                     Wolves

Footprint Center                                      18,422                     Sun

Frost Bank Center                                   18,418                     Spurs

Delta Center                                            18,306                     Jazz

Intuit Dome                                              18,300                     Clippers

Paycom Center                                        18,203                     Thunder

FedExForum                                            18,119                     Grizzlies

Chase Center                                           18,064                     Warriors

Toyota Center                                           18,055                     Rocket

Gainbridge Fieldhouse                             17,923                     Pacers

Barclays Center                                        17,732                     Nets

Golden 1 Center                                       17,608                     Kings

Fiserv Forum                                            17,341                     Bucks

Smoothie King Center                              16,867                     Pelicans

State Farm Arena                                     16,600                     Hawks

A fans perspective 

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday

A second look 

I saw a YouTube video recently, a person was discussing cities pro sports would never return. One of those he mentioned was Vancouver and the NBA. Before I begin my exercise I am not being compensated by any party associated with this Canadian city. Right off the bat the issue I believed which later cause the crash was the Canadian dollar versus the American dollar. This issue would eventually become the death nil of the franchise in Vancouver. This individual mentioned population which I totally disagree with, fact is the metro population in February 2025 is reported to be 3 million citizens with 556,000-600,000 living in Vancouver. That makes it larger than Oklahoma City and Memphis where the Grizzlies now call home.

This individual also mentioned the nearness of Seattle which the NBA will eventually return, road miles is no greater to Seattle than it is between OKC and Dallas. This is the area I find most confusing all these years later, Toronto and Vancouver both came into the NBA in 1995. The Grizzlies won a coin flip over the Raptors placing them in 6th place in that year’s draft. This is the screwy issue for me with that ’95 draft, the NBA had a rule both teams were restricted from drafting above the Top 5 pick. The draft position had nothing whatsoever to do with the lottery or a poor won-loss record which generally affects positioning. The first three years the Grizzlies picked 6th, 3rd and 4th in each of those drafts, the NBA is not headed back to Vancouver however there are issues I believe that require clarification.

The Guru

Joe Lunardi is considered the source for NCAA Tournament play, which teams are in and which are out. He took an early look at 2026 and it appears Kansas-Missouri will be missing a number of schools. Lunardi’s ranks Kansas a 6 seed in the West while he places Missouri at 8 in the Midwest. The other Kansas-Missouri Division I teams are missing from the Field of 68 according to him. Kansas State finished last season with a 16 win 17 lost record, they were 9-11 in the Big 12. After play in the NCAA tournament in Jerome Tang’s first season they have now missed an invite two consecutive years.

With a larger state population Missouri has a greater number of Division I basketball teams, the first to check is Missouri State in Springfield. The Bears finished the season under Cuonzo Martin with a 9 win 23 lost season, they were a 2 win team in the Missouri Valley Conference. If we head directly east we arrive at Southeast Missouri State in Cape Girardeau. The Redhawks won 21 games losing 12, they were 15-5 in the Ohio Valley Conference. Headed north from there we arrive in St. Louis. The Billikens won 19 games losing 15, they won 11 games in the Atlantic-10 Conference. As you can conclude other than Kansas, Missouri and Southeast MO State there is work to be done by the other coaches.

Their outlook

Sixer fans have no idea what they get this upcoming season, no Joel Embiid and no Paul George at least at the beginning of the season apparently. I checked out the depth chart on ESPN.com NBA page and it left me scratching my head. Adem Bona is listed as the starter in the post, Bona has exactly 58 games played in the NBA. At power forward is Guerschon Yabusele, he’s got 144 games played in his career. Veteran Kelly Oubre Jr. is listed at the small forward position along with Quentin Grimes and Jared Butler at shooting guard and point guard, respectively. They have 243 and 148 games played in the NBA between the two, I hope you see where I am headed.

Behind these starters a number of veteran players are on the roster, do these veterans scare opposing teams? That is doubtful, they are reserves due to a number of reasons. This is why I began this exercise to inform Sixer fans you might be in for a long, long season. Of course all that could change provided Joel Embiid is able to return and remain healthy for the season, the same statement could be made regarding Paul George. The arthroscopic surgery was performed on Embiid’s left knee in April, there is no established timeline for his return as this is written. As for George the news is slightly better, he is expected to return at some point during the 2025-26 season. The outlook doesn’t look promising however there is always hope for play that exceeds expectations.

Naismith Hall

Oftentimes when one is critical of an athlete the question might be is it justified. In this instance I cannot answer the question I can only present to you what has occurred in the past leading to the present. The question is posed, does Kawhi Leonard belong in the Naismith Hall of Fame…my quick answer is no. My opinion is not based on the NBA’s investigation related to Aspiration. Before delving into the why he doesn’t belong I’m going to make this statement. You will not read anything from me claiming his talent lacks justification, far from it. Leonard is one of the most talented offensive and defensive athlete there is currently it’s the other stuff.

I look over his record of play, do you realize since he first set foot on an NBA court he’s never played 82 games. Is that really important based on load management by many of today’s players? Playing for the Spurs who drafted him a single season with the Raptors and his time with the Clippers. 13 years in the NBA and the most Leonard’s played in a single season is 74 games when he was a member of the Spurs. Time spent with the Clippers has seen him in uniform in 68 games two seasons ago, this past season it was 37. I know you are about to mention his injury history, that’s fair but I’ve got a question for you. How valuable are you to your team sitting next to the coach rather than playing the game? I admit there are a few players I question how did they get elected to the Naismith Hall of Fame? Perhaps I will be fooled on this one but I don’t think so.

NAIA basketball

Unless you are associated with a NAIA school in some capacity you don’t know the history. The NAIA Basketball Tournament is older than its NCAA counterpart. The first championship tournament was held in Kansas City MO in 1937, two years later the NCAA was first held. Nowadays NAIA basketball is an afterthought but that didn’t always exist. In the early days of the NBA up through the 1970’s a significant number of players honed their skills at NAIA schools. Have you heard of Scottie Pippen, of course you have?

Robin to MJ’s Batman began his play at Central Arkansas, the school now competes at the NCAA Division II level. At the time Pippen played the schools competed at the NAIA level, but he is only one of a number of Hall of Fame players from NAIA schools. Willis Reed was the heart and soul of the Knicks and key to their championship aspirations. Reed played at Grambling State, they are now NCAA Division I but when Reed was there it was NAIA. Dennis Rodman “The Worm” played at Southeastern Oklahoma and we could add Jack Sikma to the count, he played at Illinois Wesleyan and like Rodman and Pippen is also in the Naismith Hall of Fame. There are other names but I wanted to provide just a few who might be more familiar to you.

A fans perspective 

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday

Be scared, be very scared

The headline is a warning for opponents of the Spurs this upcoming season. The alien is the nickname LeBron James hung on Spurs center Victor Wembanyama because his play gave the impression he was from another planet. He was on the road to exceed his rookie numbers when BAM he went out with an injury. In February 2025 deep vein thrombosis a (blood clot) in his right shoulder ended an outstanding sophomore season. Over the summer after receiving medical clearance Wemby began to work out and the results are certainly interesting.

There’s been debate on his height since he arrived in the NBA, last season the Spurs roster listed him at 7-feet 3 inches and 213 pounds. He is now measured at 7-feet 4 and 236 pounds, with that opponents have been issued a warning. They need to be very, very scared especially with the weight increase, draft night Wemby was listed between 209-210 pounds. He now ties the Grizzlies Zach Edey as the tallest player in the NBA at 7-feet 4. One additional note I came across, someone asked the question “How tall was he at 10-years of age?” As a 10 year old Wemby stood 5-feet 10 inches, he might have been as tall or even taller than his schoolteacher.

Eyewear

Anthony Davis has announced that he will wear protective eyewear for the remainder of his career following an eye injury. While this adjustment represents a change for Davis personally, it is by no means an uncommon practice in the NBA. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was among the earliest and most notable players to adopt the routine use of goggles, beginning after he suffered a scratched cornea during his tenure with the Milwaukee Bucks. Over time, Abdul-Jabbar experimented with various types of eyewear before selecting the pair now iconic in historical footage and photographs.

Other prominent players have also utilized protective eyewear for different reasons. For example, James Worthy, Abdul-Jabbar's teammate, regularly wore goggles, as did Horace Grant, whose prescription lenses addressed nearsightedness and improved his on-court vision. There were additional athletes such as Bo Outlaw, Buck Williams, Thurl Bailey, and Antoine Carr are also remembered for donning protective goggles during their NBA careers. In summary, Anthony Davis’s decision to adopt protective eyewear aligns with the precedent set by numerous NBA players throughout the league's history. This is the dilemma faced sometimes by taller players such as AD.

Tony Gwynn played basketball

It certainly is not uncommon for athletes to play multiple sports, the late Tony Gwynn is one. Most of us are familiar with his illustrious baseball career (1982-2001) all 20 years spent as a member of the San Diego Padres. I was aware he’d played basketball along with baseball at San Diego State prior to his major league baseball career. This is the portion new to me, he played baseball three years but basketball all four years while enrolled at San Diego State. This you might find interesting, Gwynn received scholarship offers to play basketball but none for baseball.

After all these years he still holds the single game record for assists (18), season (221) and career (590). Gwynn was named to the All-WAC second team twice, his senior year he averaged 8.8 assists a game. This was the portion pointed out to me by a friend and it details how outstanding a hitter he became once he reached the major leagues. In a 20 year baseball career he struck out fewer times (434) than his assist total at San Diego State. Now the question, could Gwynn have played in the NBA, that subject will remain forever unanswered? The statement can be made in truth, he was a prolific hitter in baseball over a long career. In addition to that fact Gwynn was an outstanding collegiate player as a point guard and perhaps in the NBA.   

For the first time

The NBA season begins officially October 21, 2025, this will be the 79th year of NBA play. This season will be unlike others because of one reason, for the first time since the 1996-97 season Gregg Popovich will not be prowling the sidelines for the Spurs. The longest tenured coach in NBA history suffered a stroke November 2, 2024. It was believed at the time coach Pop would be able to return to coach the team through the balance of the season. Finally in February it was made known Pop would be sidelined for the balance of the 2024-25 season.

May 2, 2025, the Spurs announced Pop would step down as head coach, Mitch Johnson who became interim head coach would now take over the team with the interim tag removed. Pop is not riding off into the sunset, he’s taken on the role of Spurs president. After 29 years serving as head man he will no longer run the Spurs program on the court, that is now Johnson’s responsibility. I for one will miss Gregg Popovich whenever I tune into a Spurs game. Beneath that rough gruff exterior beat a heart of gold, just like Phil Jackson. I’ve yet to read a negative comment by anyone who played for Jackson or Pop. Just one other note, do you realize he was a “losing” coach? At Pomona-Pitzer (Division III) Pop won 76 games while losing 129.

A fans perspective 

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday

I didn’t know that

The late Jim Brown is an NFL legendary running back, he should have won a Heisman Trophy but that’s another story. He was a member of the Browns championship team, get this back then his first four years the NFL only played 12-game seasons, his last five they were 14-games played. Today running backs play 17-game seasons, although he played a lesser number of games and only 9 seasons he still ranks 11th all-time in rushing with 12,312 yards. Brown is also enshrined in the NFL Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. I believe most of us were aware of his exploits on the gridiron but this is the Brown few of us were aware. Just this year, 2025 I discovered while also playing football and lacrosse at Syracuse he was on the basketball team.

How good was Brown on the basketball court, good enough to be drafted into the NBA. Standing 6-foot 2 and 231 pounds I imagine few would be brave enough to take a charge from him. In the past the NBA draft contained a much larger number of rounds than today, in the 1957 NBA the draft comprised a total of 14 rounds. Brown was chosen as the 68th pick in the 9th round by the Syracuse Nationals (Philadelphia Sixers now). So you discover that along with me Brown might have played in the NBA back then. It certainly was quite possible, there existed a great deal more separation of professional seasons than now. Look him up, Gene Conley, he was drafted by the Celtics in 1952 but he was also a baseball pitcher he played for a time with the Boston Red Sox and also was a reserve forward for the Boston Celtics in the same season.

NBA Watch Guide

The season will be upon us before we realize. As most of you are aware there are new broadcast partners and hence a change in days of the week. Mark this on your calendar or whatever you keep track of important stuff. The NBA preseason begins on Thursday, Oct. 2 which features the Knicks and the Sixers from Abu Dhabi, UAE. Tipoff is scheduled for 12 p.m. ET. The teams will play again of Saturday, Oct. 4. Tipoff for that game will will take place at 11:00 a.m. With that said here goes, by the way this is subject to change:  

Sunday-ABC afternoon NBC Peacock night

Monday-Peacock

Tuesday-NBC early game Peacock late game

Wednesday-ESPN

Thursday-Prime

Friday-Prime early game ESPN late game

Saturday-Prime early game ABC late game

Who wins in April

Last year near this time the men’s college basketball poll had Florida as the number 21 team in the nation and Kansas at 1. Of course we know how that turned out, so what happens this upcoming season? Check back the first Monday in April and you will discover the winner. In between time there are plenty of contenders and this is interesting, Kansas is not one of them according to SB Nation. Who are the potential NCAA champions according to them:

UConn Huskies

Florida Gators

BYU Cougars

Kentucky Wildcats

Michigan Wolverines

St. John’s Red Storm

Duke Blue Devils

Purdue Boilermakers

Houston Cougars 

I misjudged this move

Near the middle of last season Jimmy Butler was making lots of noise, he wanted out of Miami. He even dared go to war against Pat Riley paterfamilias of the NBA and the Heat, February 5 he received his wish. The Heat traded him to the Warriors in a multi team trade, the Warriors were struggling and I wrote “How is Butler going to help them when they are lacking height and rebounders?” I am admitting to you I was wrong, the Warriors did show improvement advancing to the Western Conference playoffs defeating the Grizzlies before eventually losing to the Wolves.

So as you might surmise the Warriors have proven me wrong once, do I make a dire prediction again and they win the Western Conference. Okay that might be a gigantic reach however this team will continue to go as far as Steph Curry’s lights out shooting and mercurial Draymond Green’s defensive presence. There is still the issue surrounding Jonathan Kuminga, for now there are too many moving parts to this story which makes this too difficult to call. He could be traded or he could sign an extension. After wallowing around the first portion of last season the addition of Butler and better play saw them win 48 games and finish in 3rd place in the Pacific Division, can they win 48 games in this upcoming season, the division looks mighty tough and I just don’t know.

A fans perspective 

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday

Did you see this

You may have seen this already, ESPN presented its Top 10 player rankings for the 2025-26 season. Do you believe Wemby has moved into this list without playing three seasons? What about Luka, do you think ESPN’s rated him too high? Does Jalen Brunson belong on a list of the top players in the NBA? Who do you believe was left off the list, where is Jayson Tatum (injury aside) or Jaylin Brown? Tatum and Brown were the clear leaders to the Celtics 2024 championship. The list has no Karl-Anthony Towns, James Harden or Donovan Mitchell, in any event below is the complete list:

  1. Jokic

  2. SGA

  3. Luka

  4. Giannis

  5. Wemby

  6. Ant

  7. Curry

  8. LeBron

  9. KD

10. Brunson

Meanwhile….

The basketball landscape has changed in 20 short years. Let’s check out the ACC, it once contained 11 teams in the 2004-05 season. The ACC now consists of 18 teams, added since 2005 are Boston College, Cal, SMU, Louisville, Stanford, Notre Dame, Pitt and Syracuse. The SEC back then was a 12 team conference, it’s now 16 teams having added Texas A&M, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas. I have no intention of going through this conference by conference. The Big 12 has also seen change during this period, in that year there were 12 teams. Since then Missouri, Texas, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas A&M have all departed. They have been replaced by Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah plus BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, TCU, UCF and West Virginia. The plan is to detail the changes in a short space of time. As for the Pac-12 this conference remains on life-support hoping to sustain itself. 

I ain’t no hater, I can be critical of an athlete, an individual and an organization at times. I could use our local hero Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, for every 10 fans here and maybe across the nation there are 5-6 who dislike him for no apparent principle. They are tired of the Super Bowl wins, the commercials and plus the fact his Chiefs beat their favorites. The Lakers are in the same category, they haven’t won it outright since 2020 yet there are a legion of fans downplaying that championship season. They use all kinds of excuses to justify their position which boiled down is simple hatred. I would never root against an opposing player hoping for an injury or something similar to take him out of the game…that’s hating for no practical reason.

Have you seen the photos of Zion Williamson yet from media day? The Pelicans power forward has been on a strict campaign this off season to tone his body including slimming down. As you might be aware his injury history has kept him from performing at the level the Pelicans and most of the NBA community expected. At one time Williamson was reported to be in the neighborhood of 284+ pounds. That weight is not uncommon for many centers in the past and present, for a guy who is 6-foot 7 and maybe an inch smaller the extra pounds may have been a contributing factor in his injury history since his arrival in the NBA. The photos I’ve seen display a slim, trim Zion Williamson, he’s reported to have lost 40 pounds which should place him somewhere between 244-246 pounds.

I remember last season, it was June 2024 in fact, the Lakers were chasing Dan Hurley UConn head coach. “On June 10, coach Dan Hurley turned down a reported six-year, $70 million contract offer from the Los Angeles Lakers to remain the head coach at the University of Connecticut.”  I was extremely disappointed in the fact Hurley had turned the Lakers down, it was clear they needed veteran leadership at the first chair. On June 24, 2024, the team announced they were hiring former NBA player JJ Redick, I was extremely upset with the hire because Redick had never served as a head coach anywhere. A short time later I’m not sure of the date decided I would give him some “rope” because he’d hire veteran assistants who previously were head coaches. Fast forward to September 25, 2025, the Lakers announced Redick was signing a contract extension, he’s proven in the short space of time he's turned out to be a very good NBA head coach. He was better prepared for the opportunity to coach than what I first thought.

The all-time Lakers

I found this interesting I hope you do as well. The MO Sports Networks’ Myron Beena Goodson put together his all-time list of the top 5 NBA players at each position. This is the portion I discovered most interesting, the Lakers failed to land a player on his power forward team as for the others that was a different matter. At the point he placed Magic Johnson, certainly not shocking considering he was the bus that drove the Showtime Lakers. The small forward position had Elgin Baylor and also included LeBron James. At the center position there was the smooth Kareem Abdul Jabbar and his skyhook plus Shaquille O’ Neal and his bruising play. The shooting guard’s on Goodson’s team was comprised of Jerry West and the Black Mamba, Kobe Bryant.

I had written earlier one of the keys to success of the Lakers was an abundance of talent. All of the names listed are enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame with James being the exception, he will earn a spot just as soon as he retires. You might wonder about the power forward position and why no Lakers earned a spot on Goodson’s list. Most of you reading this might not be familiar with Vern Mikkelsen, he played for the Minneapolis edition from 1949-1959. Mikkelsen is enshrined in the College and Naismith Hall of Fame. After checking the list I could nominate Pau Gasol, he too is in the Naismith Hall of Fame. The other greats played for the Lakers but were near the end of their careers as an example Connie Hawkins and Karl Malone. What do you think, are there other former Lakers at any position Goodson missed?

A fans perspective 

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday

Who is Mark Walter

If you are a fan of Dodgers baseball you are familiar with Mark Walter, he purchased controlling interest in the team in 2012 for $2.15 billion. More recently the NBA world was shocked when Jeannie Buss announced the sale of the Lakers to Walter, what about his background besides sports. This from Wikipedia, “Walter is an American businessman, philanthropist, and the chief executive officer of Guggenheim Partners, a privately held global financial services firm with more than $345 billion in assets under management. He is also the CEO and co-chairman of TWG Global.”

It is reported the Buss family is somewhat cash short compared to other NBA owners due to the Lakers being their sole source of income. Walter is reported to be able to spend somewhat freely by comparison to Jeannie Buss and the Buss family. Everything is so new in Laker Nation no one really has a clue how this change in ownership will impact the team. We could look toward the Dodgers to provide us a clue on how operations for the Lakers will function soon. Some reading this might not be aware of this fact, the Dodgers spend huge sums of money to acquire the best baseball talent available. Will that be the Modis operandi of the Lakers we shall soon discover the approach Walter intends to go about this task.

The NBA will never return

The NBA will never return to my hometown of Kansas City for details presented to you over the next several paragraphs. I’ve concluded a 5-hour drive to Oklahoma City or an hour flight to Dallas on occasion must suffice. If you are questioning why the NBA never returns I have plenty of evidence as to why. I will begin with the “New Kids” on the block…not the Boy Band of the ‘80’s the Kansas City Current Women’s soccer team. This metro area is super excited about having a professional women’s soccer team, they have a dedicated stadium built exclusively for them. While we are discussing soccer I cannot leave out Sporting Kansas City the men’s soccer team. Although they have not experienced the success recently, Sporting’s attendance remains steady for them. I have no idea of the bottom line but the thought might be how can minor league baseball exist in the same metro as the major league version.

This is not New York, Los Angeles or Chicago with their huge population base yet the Kansas City Monarchs survive. Now we arrive at the guys that have called Kansas City home for the longest time period the Chiefs and Royals. The NFL began a boom period shortly after the Dallas Texans moved here in 1964 and were rebranded the Kansas City Chiefs. There have been a number of down years however this always playoff bound team and former Super Bowl Champions have continued to experience record attendance despite continued price increases for tickets. In 1969 baseball expansion brought the Kansas City Royals into existence to replace the A’s who’d left the city for greener pastures in Oakland. As you might surmise with 5 professional sports plus college football and basketball nearby is there a need for the NBA? I believe there is but I am a party of one, could today’s NBA survive in Kansas City with 41 games played annually? I’d like to say yes however that question might require additional study.

Is it possible

A member of the media for CBS Sports wrote this “Projecting top 25 college basketball programs of next 25 years.” I read it with curiosity and thought that’s interesting, can a school lay a foundation that might last that length of time? My Mizzou Tigers are nowhere close to having a foundation although I hope under Dennis Gates there is a plan. Kansas basketball has managed to sustain winning over numerous generations. Bill Self is part of this effort but it began long before the present coach was born, it goes back to James A. Naismith. You remember him don’t you…the “inventor” of basketball. Sidebar for some, unlike sports such as football and baseball the game of basketball came about due to weather. Dr. Naismith a Springfield YMCA instructor needed an activity for his students in the cold New England weather.

You remember the story a peach basket was placed at the lip of the upper floor of the gym which turned out to be 10 feet high. Fast forward to 1899, Naismith began his tenure as basketball coach which lasted to 1907. This tidbit you might find interesting, in the history of Kansas basketball Naismith has the only losing record (55-60) in the history of the school. Self has the most wins with 624 however Phog Allen who recruited but never coached Wilt Chamberlain was a 590 game winning coach. Ted Owens won 530 games and Roy Williams 519 providing us proof of a coaching legacy that continued generationally. There were the 203 games Dick Harp won from 1957-1964, Larry Brown was only head coach for 5 years but managed to win 179 games and an NCAA championship. For the most part years spent as head coach was not mentioned however the victory totals provide you a clue of longevity of the program plus recruiting talent to Lawrence Kansas. I don’t know if you consider it luck, good coaching, talent or something else however Kansas basketball has managed to continue victorious overtime.

“Sometimes you eat the bear and sometimes he eats you”

You know by now from reading this blog for a time I am full of movie references and metaphors. The headline is a metaphor which hints, “In life, there are times when you are successful and times when you are defeated.” The story begins in 2019 and Kawhi Leonard’s meeting and signing with the Clippers. As a condition of Leonard signing with them he indicated he wanted to play alongside Paul George with the Thunder at the time. The Clippers said okay and arranged a trade with the Thunder trading a host of players to acquire George, one of those Clipper players who was made a part of the trade was Shai-Gilgeous Alexander who’d just completed his rookie year with the team.

Word is they were reluctant to include SGA in the trade however they believed in acquiring Paul to play alongside Leonard they would be on the road to an NBA championship. Okay we can now fast forward to the present day, George spent 4 years with the Clippers before signing a free agent contract with the Sixers in 2024. As for SGA he began adjusting to the NBA and raised his level of play ever season thereafter and in June 2025 reaped the ultimate reward for an NBA player a championship. Not only was he an NBA Champion but we also witnessed him being named NBA and Finals MVP. As for Leonard he played well for the Clippers last season but was only in action for 37 games after January 1. Leonard remains with the Clippers however the team has never won a championship, at this point I could say “the bear might be waiting for his second helping of Leonard.” On the other hand I could be wrong and the final act is yet to be completed, the Clippers breakthrough and win the 2026 NBA Championship…maybe.

A fans perspective 

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday

The best

Another post that originated at work and yours truly was the culprit. I asked a couple of co-workers who was the best “Little Big Man” in NBA history. Naturally, some of the names we had no opportunity to see in action, based on that fact I decided to do a 6-foot 2 inch height cut-off. None of the players on the list stand any taller than the height mentioned, in addition rather than place them in order their names will simply be listed. We begin with Allen Iverson (6-feet), he spent his best years as a member of the Sixers. At his height and weight of 150 pounds he should have been a pure point guard, coach Larry Brown moved him to the shooting guard due to his prolific scoring. The Bad Boys of the Detroit Pistons had Isiah Thomas (6-foot 1) driving the bus, there is no doubt the Pistons would have not gone as far as they did without Thomas orchestrating the offense.

A few years prior to Thomas the Kansas City Kings and later Celtics had Nate ‘Tiny’ Archibald (6-foot 1) playing for them. He remains the only player to ever lead the NBA in scoring and assists in the same season, by the way it’s my belief Tiny was closer to 5-foot 11. How about Spud Webb who stood 5-foot 6 and won the 1986 Slam Dunk Championship at the All-Star weekend. Muggsy Bogues was only 5-foot 3 but managed a 14-year NBA career mostly for the Charlotte Hornets. We come upon Nate Robinson (5-foot 9), he won the 2006 Slam Dunk contest beating Andre Iguodala. Several of these mighty mites are still playing such as Chris Paul who is 6-foot tall, he’s now a member of the Clippers. Also injured and expected to miss the season is 6-foot Fred Van Vleet of the Rockets, this critique is closed mentioning the greatest 3-point shooter in NBA history…his name Steph Curry. He’s listed as 6-foot 2 however there is a question in my mind, I believe he’s at least an inch or two shorter.

Class of 2026

Coach Gates and his staff secured another commitment on Sunday: Aiden Chronister, a 6-foot-7, 180-pound wing and 4-star prospect in the Class of 2026. Chronister attends Sunrise Christian Academy in the Wichita, Kansas metropolitan area and is originally from Rogers, Arkansas. He was recruited by several programs, including Arkansas, Indiana State, Nebraska, and Oklahoma. The addition is notable as Mizzou was able to attract Chronister despite competition from John Calipari at Arkansas. Mizzou continues to pursue basketball talent nationally. Recruiting in-state remains valuable, a broad national approach is particularly significant. Rivals and 247Sports both place Mizzou basketball recruiting number one in the nation for 2026, of course we are still early in this process.

There is a possibility they might not remain in this position at the end of summer 2026, regardless of that fact they are first place this time of the year is certainly noteworthy. As I have indicated the recruiting uptick is well and good however there is one needed essential. Mizzou needs to play deep, deep into the NCAA Tournament in the upcoming season and every season thereafter establishing that foundation mentioned by another 2026 commit.  As evidence of the past let’s delve into the past briefly, since the move from the Big 12 to the SEC the record is not good. Since 2012 Mizzou has gone 84-148 (36.2% in league games. They have finished with a losing record in 7 of their 13 seasons in the SEC along with having 4 coaches over that period including Gates. This certainly points out the need of building a successful basketball program, in addition to maintaining a successful high skill program such as Kentucky, Louisville, Michigan State and others.

A revisit

A number of you might remember Karim Lopez, previously profiled last year. As an update for those reading about him for the first time he’s an 18-year-old basketball player originally from Hermosillo, Mexico, a city located in the central portion of the country. Lopez would began his professional career in 2022 with Joventut Badalona’s “B” team and was subsequently promoted to the senior squad, where he appeared in four games before moving to the NBL. During the most recent season, he played for the New Zealand Breakers and continued to demonstrate significant potential.

Analysis of several reputable NBA mock draft sources provides us valuable insight into the prospects for Lopez. According to nbadraft.net, Lopez is projected as the 13th pick in the 2026 draft. In two other sites, nbadraftroom.com ranks him number 8 in their draft while tankathon.com places Lopez at number 5. Standing 6-foot 8 and 220 pounds he is projected as a small forward. It should be noted that Lopez must maintain a high level of performance to secure his position in the draft; nonetheless, it is noteworthy that all three mock draft sites currently project him as a first-round selection, suggesting he has made a favorable impression on NBA scouts. As for the question about his status, he was born on the North American continent which says no…he’s not an international player in my view.

A bold trade for Chief (and McHale)

That was his nickname, I would bet money today even in Boston it’s believe Robert Parish was always a Celtic. If not that he played a year or two for another NBA team. The truth of the matter, the Warriors made him the 8th pick in the 1976 NBA draft. Parish actually played 4 years for the Warriors and after a slow rookie season was on the road to becoming an outstanding player. “In 307 games over four season, Parish averaged 13.8 points, 9.5 rebounds and 1.8 block with the Warriors.” This is what unfolded, center Dave Cowans had retired after the 1979-80 season and Larry Bird had finished his rookie year with the Celtics. The team needed a replacement at the center position and that’s when Red Auerbach went to work.

Prior to the 1980 draft Auerbach dealt the top overall pick and an additional first-round pick to the Warriors for Parish and the Warriors’ first-round pick, the third overall. With that pick, the Celtics chose Kevin McHale while the Warriors selected Joe Barry Carroll with the first pick. This is not intended to denigrate Carroll however his NBA career was nowhere near that of Parish and McHale. Auerbach and the Celtics certainly didn’t realize it at the time but the foundation for those ‘80’s championships was laid in front of them with the trade. Of course Larry Bird was the clear leader of those Celtics teams but he certainly couldn’t have accomplished it without the aid of two hall of fame players Parish and McHale. NBA teams arrange trades routinely, the hope by both sides is for a winner. Sometimes the trade is totally lopsided in favor of one team over the other, that certainly is the case here.

A fans perspective 

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday

Is it fair

I have no intention to attack Charles Barkley in this instance for speaking his belief. The former NBA player and current television analyst is concerned regarding the manner NBA fans are being treated. According to Barkley the new television package that goes into effect in October will leave a portion of the audience unable to view games. The “old” partner is ESPN/ABC, the “new” partner is actually an old one, games were once broadcast on the NBC Network which will occur again. In addition games will also be broadcast on Peacock, the streaming service of NBC. The “new” partner will be Amazon Prime Video, gone is the partnership with TNT.

A closer look is Barkley correct in his observation, sort of but the history says something quite different. TNT begin broadcasting the NBA during the 1989-90 season unless one was a cable or satellite customer you missed seeing those games. ESPN began broadcasting the NBA in 1982 and held the rights until 1984. Beginning with the 2002-03 season ESPN began broadcasting once again if you were not a cable or satellite customer you missed those games. Does the consumer always lose…pretty much that might be the case. I’m unsure if this is correct however in addition to the networks NFL games are available on Fubo, DirecTV, and Prime Video in addition to YouTube. In closing as I mentioned earlier the consumer is forced to pick and choose what he or she wishes to pay based on the level of service they desire. Is the Barkley complaint valid, yes it is however there is absolutely nothing NBA fans can do about this development.

Confused

The headline might be a slight bit misleading, I will explain near the close. Duke basketball and Jon Scheyer continue to attract talent to the Durham North Carolina school, in May 2025 he committed. He is an international prospect named Elhadji Dame Sarr although he’s more easily identified by his middle name, Sarr, he’s from Italy, his parents immigrated to the country from Senegal. The line between pro and amateur, especially regarding international players, has become even more confusing to me. In any event Sarr played for FC Barcelona of the Spanish Liga ACB and the EuroLeague. This 19-year old stands 6-foot 8 and weighs 190 pounds, he is listed as a guard/forward on Duke’s roster, I mentioned earlier the pro/amateur designation.

There is another area of confusion for me, Sarr like other international players is given the same rating as if he attended an American high school. As an example 247Sports rated him a 5-star prospect however his name is not included in the Class of 2025 in any other sites other than the one listed above, you might understand my confusion now. He’s not there yet however Aziz Olajuwon a Class of 2026 prospect committed to Stanford. If the last name sounds familiar it should. He is one of the son’s of former Rockets center Hakeem, Aziz stands 6-foot 7 and is projected as a small forward. Young Olajuwon ha offers from Cincinnati, Vanderbilt, and his father’s alma mater Houston. In addition Virginia, Xavier, TCU and Virginia Tech had offers. Aziz is rated a 4-star prospect, closing this out I wonder if dad worked on the Dream Shake with Aziz.   

I don’t have all the details

The Lakers acquiring Luka Doncic in the middle of last season caught me (and I am sure most others) completely off guard. At the time of the Anthony Davis trade it wasn’t as much of a shock at all, most in Laker Nation were aware a quality Big Man was required. This time it’s different and based on that fact alone I am unsure, I try to refrain from commenting on pending trades until they are consummated but this time it’s different. Practically all summer and today being the first day of fall I’ve listened to plenty of conversation regarding the Lakers acquiring Andrew Wiggins.

This veteran wing could provide depth for the Lakers and ensure they are able to compete, however, at what cost? Reports indicate the Heat want Dalton Knecht, Gabe Vincent, Rui Hachimura plus a first round draft choice. As the headline reads I don’t have all the details but it would appear the Heat are attempting a robbery on a huge scale. If I sit in Rod Pelinka’s chair this is my statement to the Heat, “We can trade you Knecht, Vincent and Hachimura and a second round draft pick for Wiggins.” I would hesitate including Rui in any type of deal based on what he brings to the table for the Lakers when on the floor. Should the deal go through and include Rui the Heat must give up another player besides Wiggins. The Heat and Lakers continue to talk whether there is progress is another story altogether.  

We didn’t know

Shaquille O’ Neal is recognized for his prestigious basketball career in college and the NBA, he’s honored by his enshrinement in the FIBA, Naismith and College Basketball Hall of Fame. Shaq is often recognized for his powerful playing style, he might be comparable to Wilt Chamberlain in strength. During his NBA career from 1992 to 2011, he faced numerous skilled centers and forwards in the paint. In a recent interview with Matt Barnes on his podcast O’Neal listed opponents who he considered particularly challenging. The names on O’Neal’s list surprised me to a point, Malik Rose, primarily known for his defensive capabilities, played many of his best seasons with the Spurs, Despite being 6-foot-7 compared to O’Neal’s 7-foot-1, his 250 pound frame and defense stood out to O’Neal. Bryant Reeves, known as “Big Country,” spent six seasons with the Grizzlies when they played in Vancouver.

Standing 7 feet tall and weighing 290 pounds, Reeves was able to physically match up with O’Neal until injuries led to his premature retirement in 2001. Rik Smits, who was 7-foot 4 and 265 pounds, played his entire career with the Pacers from 1988 to 2000, contributing significantly to the team’s achievements during that time. Kevin Duckworth, another prominent center during that time played for the Blazers and matched up against O’Neal and other centers with his 7-foot, 300 pound stature. Bill Wennington, remember by many as the center for the Bulls during much of their championship seasons, he played several roles for various other NBA teams but it was his time with the Bulls that stands out. At 7-feet tall and 265 pounds, Wennington provided necessary support for his teams. Much of O’Neal’s offensive arsenal was power play basketball, driving the lane an opposing player’s life was in danger if he dare chose to take a charge near the basket. According to O’Neal, each the players’ presented here provided distinctive challenges for him defensively throughout his career.