Basketball from a fan’s perspective

M.I.A.     

I will be taking leave for the weekend, there will be no Saturday or Sunday edition. Publishing will resume again on Monday May 13, I appreciate and value you as a loyal reader of Words eye view. The statement is made again, I make no pretense of having the answer to all the questions. I’m you, a guy who loves basketball no matter the level of competition. Please continue to enjoy my feeble effort at sports journalism as it relates to basketball.

A thing of beauty

The first two games between the Wolves and Nuggets has been a throwback. It reminds us of the Bad Boy Pistons and Jordan Bulls, those teams played lockdown defense on the opposition and that’s exactly what the Wolves have implemented against the Nuggets. Sure there has been a few complaints about rough house basketball but that’s to be expected based on what we’ve seen so far. Game two I found quite compelling, no Rudy Gobert how they would handle the Nuggets was quite a question mark.

Based on the outcome I’d say easy, they managed to neutralize MVP Nikola Jokic once again. Anthony Edwards is not, repeat he is not the second coming of Michael Jordan. Despite my statement I can say he’s pretty darn good. What occurs tonight, I have no idea but I have doubts the Nuggets are swept they are good. I’m unsure they win this series unless there is improvement in a number of areas. In any event sit back and enjoy some ole skool basketball, this is basketball as most of you have never seen played. This is basketball from a bye gone era which has returned.

The Garden

I heard this statement from a non-sports media person, he expressed his excitement regarding the Knicks excellent play but drop this on us. “There is nothing like Madison Square Garden and the Knicks uniting this city, we can’t do it in football (Giants & Jets) or baseball (Yankees & Mets).” He didn’t bother to mention the Nets, I realize they are not particularly good right now but I have a question? This could only be answered by a native New Yorker, if for instance the roles were reverse would the city be as excited about the Nets excellent play thus far?

I will allow that declaration to marinate with you for a brief time, this version of the Knicks has no quit in them. Game 2 Brunson is out for a period due to injury and returns, the NY Post headlined it “A Reed Return” echoing Willis Reed. I hope Pacer fans are not upset by this next statement, there could be a return to a different era. We could have a Celtics-Knicks series to entertain the basketball world. Finally who do we have to thank for the return to glory for this basketball team? It ain’t Jalen Brunson or any other Knick, nor is it Tom Thibodeau or one of his coaches. Surprise, its owner James Dolan, it would appear he is allowing basketball people to run a basketball team.

Possible return of Roundball Rock

It’s certainly far from over, we’ve read a number of quotes indicating TNT might lose its television eye on the NBA. It’ is reported that NBC Universal has a powerful desire to be a player in this area once again. NBC held the broadcast rights from 1954 to 1962 and again 1990 to 2002. If that should occur we lose Inside the NBA with Ernie Johnson, Barkley, Shaq and Kenny the Jet. That would be unfortunate for some NBA viewers to lose that portion alone.

Despite the downside there might come an upset, we could foresee the return of Roundball Rock. Entertainer John Tesh wrote this for the NBA and it was used continuously until 2002. “Fox Sports acquired the rights to the theme for use in college basketball during the 2018-19 seasons, but a generation of fans still associate the tune with NBA. If NBA Sports wins the rights, it will be able to relicense “Roundball Rock” to Tesh, who owns the song, the songwriter said in an email.” Still can’t remember the tune, hopefully this will jog your memory.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avlMZQaKPjg

You Can’t Go Home Again

Despite the classic 1940 novel Cuonzo Martin is returning home…technically speaking. Home is actually East St. Louis where the coach was born but there is more to the story. You might remember the last time I mentioned Martin’s name he’d been fired by Mizzou in 2022 after several unsuccessful seasons at the helm. March 27 Missouri State University in Springfield announced the hiring of Martin as the head coach for the men’s basketball team, he returns to where it began, his first head coaching job.

After experiencing on court success at Missouri State Martin was hired by Tennessee and later Cal. In 2017 he was announced as the head coach at Mizzou and you are aware the balance of his resume. There are occasions when a coach leaves a program and you might say good riddance, that is not the case for me regarding Martin. A coach is paid to be successful, no requirement for me to make excuses or repeat the narrative. I hope Martin is able to turn the program around at Missouri State, he was successful in Springfield at one point early in his coaching career.

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

The Rules 

1. Never match players from different eras against one another.

2. A nickname is given, a player cannot bestow a handle on himself.

3. Comparing draft choice ensure the player you use as the example is well known.

4. Become well acquainted with basketball abbreviations or phrase

5. Research high school prospect sites periodically, they are a valuable source.

6. NBA mock draft sites are a reference tool only, an analyst opinion.

7. Don’t attempt to invoke humor discussing a serious event or person.

What’s done is done

Rudy Gobert was named 2024 NBA Defensive Player of the Year. Check out these numbers:

Victor Wembanyama   

254 blocked shots        

88 steals                                        

105.8 defensive rating     

Rudy Gobert

162 blocked shots

52 steals

104.5 defensive rating

In college and now the NBA

The resurgent Knicks have been supported by three players from Villanova. Although none of them arrived in New York by the draft that’s how they find themselves today. The leader of the group is Jalen Brunson, he was selected in the second round by the Mavs. After four years with the Mavs July 12, 2022, he signed a free agent contract with the Knicks. June 2017 saw Josh Hart drafted by the Jazz however his rights were later traded to the Lakers. In July 2019 Hart along with several others was traded to the Pelicans and later the Blazers, in February 2023 Hart was traded to the Knicks. 

The last member of the trio, Donte DiVincenzo was a Bucks pick in 2018, later he would play for the Kings and Warriors before a free agent signing with the Knicks in July 2023. So there you have it the brief story how three Villanova teammates all reunited with the Knicks and aid the team during the regular season and into the playoffs. I’m unsure if this number of college teammates have become NBA teammates ever in history. In the Game two victory (130-121) we saw Brunson with 29 points, 5 assists and 3 steals, for Hart it was 19 points, 15 rebounds and 7 assists. Finally it was DiVincenzo adding 28 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. It was more than simply the numbers for this trio, they are the glue of this Knicks team. 

Rebuild what exactly

The Laker fan website pointed to the fact the Lakers should look at a rebuild. It struck me odd for several reasons, LeBron remains in place and will probably return. In addition AD (if not traded) also remains but what about the balance of the roster? The Lakers had a number of young players on the team who didn’t play, they didn’t play because this veteran team was in the playoff race all season. Let’s check out who is there, we have Colin Castleton a 6-foot 10 center, he’s 23-years old. There is 6-foot 5 guard Max Christie age 21, Jaxson Hayes 7-foot center age 23- and 6-foot 5 guard Jalen Hood-Schifino age 20 and guard D’Moi Hodge age 25.

That’s only 5 names just a portion of the roster, keep in mind none of the names mention has truly been tested for a lengthy period. The Lakers have no first round pick in 2024 but they do have a second-round choice, so that is one additional youthful member to consider. LeBron will soon be gone but whoever is the coach must begin allowing his team to have their baptism of fire. Consider this fact, although Kobe Bryant was on the roster he didn’t play much early because the Lakers were a veteran team. Coach Del Harris sent Kobe into a playoff game and during a crucial period managed to shoot two air balls. That was his baptism of fire, infuse the young players into the lineup as much as possible. They cannot learn how to play in the NBA sitting on the bench.

Loyalty

I never heard the name Jeremy Sanchez prior to reading his name. Sanchez will be a preferred walk-on at Mizzou in August, what’s the loyalty or connection it’s the coach. The explanation is this, you might be aware a number of Cleveland State players followed Dennis Gates to Mizzou Sanchez was not one of them. He would go on to play for Division II St. Leo University in St. Leo Florida, I had to check the map. The town is located in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater metro. In any event Sanchez in his portal year decided to connect with his coach once again so that’s the loyalty and connection. He certainly is not going to arrive in Columbia with any fanfare, he’s a 6-foot 170-pound guard who filled a reserve role at Cleveland State.

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

The Rules 

1. Never match players from different eras against one another.

2. A nickname is given, a player cannot bestow a handle on himself.

3. Comparing draft choice ensure the player you use as the example is well known.

4. Become well acquainted with basketball abbreviations or phrase

5. Research high school prospect sites periodically, they are a valuable source.

6. NBA mock draft sites are a reference tool only, an analyst opinion.

7. Don’t attempt to invoke humor discussing a serious event or person.

Has the window closed?

The question is asked for this simple reason alone. I’ve held this belief for a number of years, the opportunity to win a championship exists for a short period. If a team fails to win it all they never win, in the NFL that might be the Buffalo Bills. Before Bills Mafia become upset with me allow an explanation for my reasoning. The Bills appeared in four consecutive Super Bowls without winning, from 1991 through 1994 they came up losers each season. Has this scenario played itself out for the Clippers, will they win an NBA championship with this current roster? I don’t have the answer however it would appear the opportunity to win might slowly be concluding. Even LeBron James cannot continue to play at a high skill level forever.

That is the primary issue facing the Clippers going forward, in addition to the injury factor we could say they are “getting” a little long in the tooth.” Russell Westbrook is Iron Man however he’s 36-years old next season, in addition he cannot hit an open jump shot if you paid him. Paul George recently celebrated his 34th birthday, despite the fact he plays at a high skill level he cannot carry this Clippers team alone. Point guard James Harden turns 35 before next season, Harden remains skillful at distributing the rock but don’t ask him to defend his counterpart and then there remains Kawhi Leonard. You remember a few years back, a number of the media questioned the “ancient Lakers?” It might have been valid, they did have one of the oldest average age teams in the NBA. It would appear, notice I said appear the window of opportunity is not yet closed. It’s getting mighty darn close to being shut tight with this present group of Clippers.  

Abbreviations

We love abbreviations in this country, I believe much of the world fails to use them as often as we do. Allow me to cite several examples, in Missouri and Michigan you can use the same initials and be talking about different schools. Both sets of parents claim their basketball playing offspring attend MSU, those in Missouri would guess Missouri State University unless told otherwise. Those in the northern state believe MSU stands for Michigan State University, see what I’m talking about? How about next door, its written as KU for Kansas when the school is actually the University of Kansas.

We could refer to it as UK however folks in Kentucky might become upset hearing it used in that manner. They have always believed the abbreviation belongs to them. There are plenty of others I only wanted to provide you with just a few. By the way I continued to see UMBC on the scoreboard and thought, “Where the heck is that school located?” An investigation on my part I discovered it is the University of Maryland Baltimore County. Without an investigation if we read the score for BU could it be Baylor University or Buffalo University? Finally I’m closing with this jewel, University of Southern California is often abbreviated SC. If I’m checking a box score is it a Southern Cal game or a South Carolina final, SC can stand for South Carolina too.

It was different then

By now you are aware that Jontay Porter of the Raptors has received a lifetime NBA ban for betting on games. As far as we can determine after an investigation it was established Porter was proven to be guilty. That was the standard for today, the standard in 1961 was quite different. There was a college basketball scandal, there were players found guilty of point shaving, Connie Hawkins was not one of them. The issue of betting culminated during Hawkins freshman year at the University of Iowa.

He couldn’t have affected an Iowa game for one reason, at that time he was ineligible to play varsity all schools had freshman teams. Athletes were ineligible to play until they reached their sophomore year. Hawkins maintained his innocence but it made no difference, he was expelled from school. In addition he was never arrested nor charged with a crime, his only involvement was his brother borrowed $2,000 from the chief suspect but repaid the loan prior to the point shaving scandal becoming news. Hawkins was never allowed counsel and when his 1964 class was drafted he was passed over. He would go undrafted the following season and in 1966 the NBA issued a permanent ban prohibiting him for life from play in the league.

Fast forward to 1968, due to legal action by his attorney the NBA would later relent and pay him $1,300,000 (about $10,000,000 in 2024) settlement. The Suns won a coin toss and Hawkins would begin play in the NBA as a 27-year-old rookie. For complete details of the story and his life read “Foul; The Connie Hawkins Story” written by David Wolf is still in print. As I tried to point out without knowing all the details I’m sure Jontay Porter had far more legal counsel available over that of Connie Hawkins in 1961.

Who are the others

Victor Wembanyama was named 2024 NBA Rookie of the Year, that is well-known by now. It was reported he received all 99 votes making him the unanimous choice despite competition from Thunder rookie Chet Holmgren and Hornets rookie Brandon Miller. There were others receiving the honor similar to Wemby, they received all the votes. The following are the names and the year they won beginning with the oldest:

Ralph Sampson-1984

David Robinson-1990

Blake Griffin-2011

Dame Lillard-2013

Karl-Anthony Towns-2016

Victor Wembanyama-2024 

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

The Rules 

1. Never match players from different eras against one another.

2. A nickname is given, a player cannot bestow a handle on himself.

3. Comparing draft choice ensure the player you use as the example is well known.

4. Become well acquainted with basketball abbreviations or phrase

5. Research high school prospect sites periodically, they are a valuable source.

6. NBA mock draft sites are a reference tool only, an analyst opinion.

7. Don’t attempt to invoke humor discussing a serious event or person.

99

To no one’s surprise Victor Wembanyama was named 2024 NBA Rookie of the Year. In any other year Thunder forward Chet Holmgren or Hornet forward Brandon Miller would have been able to challenge Wemby for the honor. Both players transition to the NBA was just as smooth as Wemby…the French youngster just exceeded their effort. That is not the case for the 2023-24 NBA season, this is the year of The Alien as LeBron’s dubbed Wemby.

The Spurs rookie has other pending honors, he will be named a member of the All-NBA Rookie First Team. He stands an outside chance of winning Defensive Player of the Year, in any event Wemby will be named to the first team here too. Did I mention he led the NBA in blocked shots, I’m unsure if there is a trophy for that. Just in case you questioned the headline, the maximum number of votes a player could receive for Rookie of the Year is 99. Wemby received all 99 votes making him the unanimous choice, the first since Karl-Anthony Towns in 2016.

Say it ain’t so Woj

In Laker news, tell me it ain't so. ESPN Insider Adrian Wojnarowski is reporting the Lakers have   contacted JJ Redick about becoming the next head coach for the team. I trust Woj, he’s always been one of the media voices that is sound and reasonable although there are times I don’t agree with him. Should I remind the Lakers the last two times recently an NBA coach was hired without prior experience? Jason Kidd (2013) and Steve Nash (2020), both of them excellent players but bad head coaches.

Of course I cannot make the same claim now, Kidd is now on his 3rd head coaching stop, he functions effectively in that role now. There were missteps for Kidd in his tenure with the Nets and later with the Bucks, as for is time with the Mavs it appears smooth sailing. In connection with the news of a coaching search Tyronn Lue and Jason Kidd owe the Lakers a great deal of thanks. With the Lakers seeking a head coach and hearing the names mentioned the Mavs quickly signed Kidd to an extension, the Clippers have begun work on one for Lue.

Did I miss this

The Mizzou basketball coaching staff plus Mizzou Nation is looking toward the Class of 2024 anxiously. Despite this fact we are checking the future-future, in this instance I’m unsure if this story was reported earlier. This past December Mizzou received a verbal commit from point guard Aaron Rowe, he’s rated a 4-star prospect by 247Sports in the Class of 2025. Rowe is slight, he stands 6 feet and weighs 155 pounds but rest assured, the staff will have him in the weight room on day one.

You might find this next portion interesting, there will be little Rowe has to accomplish familiarizing himself with the campus and City of Columbia. He will enter his senior year in August at Father Tolton High School in Columbia, according to Google Maps Rowe’s school is located 5.3 miles or 8.52952 km from Mizzou Arena. Recruiting is an ongoing process despite the advent of the transfer portal, there are additional prospects the coach and his staff are scouting. As we arrive closer to a commitment the names will be revealed at that time.

Only 7

I have no idea if this feat can be documented, it certainly appears correct from what I’ve read and heard over the years regarding Kareem Abdul Jabbar. A blogger claims only 7 players in NBA history blocked Kareem’s skyhook, he even names the players that were able to accomplish the deed:

Wilt Chamberlain

Hakeem Olajuwon

Nate Thurmond

Bill Walton

Robert Parish

Ralph Sampson

Bill Willoughby

This blogger indicates his research reports there are others who blocked Kareem’s skyhook however they were all negated by a goal tend being called. 7 blocked shots in a 20-year NBA career is an amazing accomplishment in itself. As for the players I’m sure a few of the names might be unknown or unfamiliar to you, take time and research them.

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

The Rules 

1. Never match players from different eras against one another.

2. A nickname is given, a player cannot bestow a handle on himself.

3. Comparing draft choice ensure the player you use as the example is well known.

4. Become well acquainted with basketball abbreviations or phrase

5. Research high school prospect sites periodically, they are a valuable source.

6. NBA mock draft sites are a reference tool only, an analyst opinion.

7. Don’t attempt to invoke humor discussing a serious event or person.

Talk me down please

I saw another proposed trade that sends Trae Young to the Lakers. This one had the Lakers giving up Rui Hachimura, D’Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves in order to acquire the Hawks point guard. At the time, this trade was first proposed I said NO, NO what about this trade makes the Lakers better? Young’s scoring over D’Lo is better however it could be partially based on how he’s used in the offense, Young is better at passing the rock. The key area for me is always defense, how effective a defender are you?

These are not my words, I located them online; “Trae Young is one of the most dynamic and exciting offensive players in the NBA, but his defense has been a major weakness for him and the Atlanta Hawks.” Once upon a time I read Magic Johnson admitted he was not a good defender, at the same time indicated he’d committed to playing good team defense. At this point with no bench leadership in place the Lakers are waiting on that decision from the coach whoever that might be. The determination will ultimately rest with the coach over the desires of everyone including yours truly. If this is the final outcome I will accept it however its not the best move in my view. The connected portion is the search for a new Laker head coach.

We are reading and hearing a number of names, most of them don’t make a great deal of sense. As an example Jason Kidd, sure he was an assistant at one time under Frank Vogel but his Mavs team is in the middle of a playoff fight. The Lakers are his last consideration. Another reported connection is Tyronn Lue, he turn down the job prior to Darvin Ham being hired. I reported on JJ Redick who might be okay however he’s got 0 coaching experience. The one name that would appear to be viable is Kenny Atkinson an assistant with the Warriors, I know little about him except he does have experience as a head coach with the Nets 2016-20.

They just didn’t know

One of my social media feeds Saturday evening contained a photo of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in a Clippers jersey. Although he’s only 25 years of age most of us have forgotten his NBA career began in Los Angeles. In 2018 he was made pick 11 in the first round by the Hornets, later his draft rights were traded to the Clippers where he began his NBA career. How Gilgeous-Alexander found his way to the Thunder had nothing to do with his ability to play the game.

It was believed Paul George would provide them with a better path to an NBA Championship over a rookie point guard. A July 2019 trade saw George head west to the Clippers while Gilgeous-Alexander would travel east to Oklahoma City. Once he began play for the Thunder all his numbers would rise significantly over the next few years. Because Gilgeous-Alexander has a midrange game his FG average exceeds that of most other point guards. This recent season saw him shoot 535% from the floor and .535% from three, in addition he dished out 6.2 assists per game. His scoring average was 30.1% from the floor, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander already an NBA All Star.

I hope it’s not me

There are story’s we read and hear that say, “please top I’ve heard enough.” I’ve heard enough regarding Bronny James, don’t misunderstand me I have no dislike for the youngster. The problem is the considerable number of words written and spoken, he is not ready for NBA play. Someone wrote “If he is drafted he will spend the year in the G-League,” that sounds like a reasonable statement. I’ve read critical remarks regarding the manner Bronny was utilized at Southern Cal but I also saw the numbers. Although health was a prime consideration emerging from the bench he demonstrated little for me to believe he’s got an NBA career in his future.

Keep in mind while at Southern Cal Bronny filled the role of a reserve player, despite that fact a player could have an NBA career of 6-10 years which bode well for financial success not much for a legacy. We’ve witnessed a considerable number of offspring following their father’s footsteps into the NBA, their rate of success has only been average in my view. This is being done from memory which can be fuzzy at times but it’s my belief the number has been somewhat limited. As for the headline until there is a move one way or another its worth reporting. If that is not the case I will attempt to refrain from publishing any further accounts on Bronny James until there is a firm development. In closing this might be shocking however he’s better off playing in Australia or the G-League

Can you see it    

This is one of those things, “Never say never” has become a catch phrase for me. The main reason for adopting the statement is just that. We are often forced (sometimes by circumstance) to travel a route we never intended. With that statement said, allow me to delve into the subject at hand. For the first time since forever the NBA playoffs will proceed without the trio of Kevin Durant, LeBron James and Steph Curry.

This from a media member who speculated “The window has closed on any future championship for the three unless….” The unless part was them willing to accept a reserve role on a team. Sorry friends, I cannot see that as a future for any of the three named players, they have been in the forefront of action their entire NBA careers. Although in truth I could see them coming on the bench during a crucial period of the game. They would take the game winning shot for their team, listen I can see it in my mind’s eye although it is highly unlikely to ever occur.

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

The Rules 

1. Never match players from different eras against one another.

2. A nickname is given, a player cannot bestow a handle on himself.

3. Comparing draft choices ensure the player you use as the example is well known.

4. Become well acquainted with basketball abbreviations or phrase

5. Research high school prospect sites periodically, they are a valuable source.

6. NBA mock draft sites are a reference tool only, an analyst opinion.

7. Don’t attempt to invoke humor discussing a serious event or person.

Ant Man

The 5,000+ foot altitude of Denver certainly didn’t appear to effect Anthony Edwards one bit, his 43 points were a key factor in the Wolves being able to defeat the Nuggets 109-99 in Game 1. This Wolves team made an emphatic statement winning the first game of this series. They also detailed for us how to play The Joker, utilizing Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert defensively. After the game TNT analyst Kenny Smith indicated as much saying: “They speeded him (Joker) up” and that certainly appeared to be the case. 

Joker managed to score 32 points and shot well but he was really forced to work for every shot he took. This was due to the defense of Towns, Gobert and Reed, his 9 assists also kept the Nuggets in the game. Based on the first game of this series we witnessed this evening we should be in for an entertaining series. I would be remiss without mentioning Naz Reed, the Wolves reserve center came off the bench and scored 16 points while aiding the defensive effort of his team. I am looking forward to Game 2 on Monday evening, are you?

15 minutes

“In the future everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes.” All these years later I discover it wasn’t Andy Warhol visual artist and film director who first uttered the phrase, it was actually an offshoot of a phrase first used in the Elizabethan era of Great Britain in the 16th Century. Now the history is out of the way how about the purpose of this exercise, I’m glad you asked. I have ranted and raved about ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith over the years and have discovered this about him. There is no middle ground, he’s either loved by some in public or hated by others. Why am I writing this, there is a fork in the road for me, I can choose the left path or the right. Heading left I can continue to report on many of the outlandish statements he often makes or if I take the right path he’s ignored by me.

There is a two-fold reason why I believe Smith’s used nearly all his time up. I imagine he’s dishonest and his venture into the political arena. The untruthfulness part has been discussed, briefly the call he reportedly made to NBA offices attempting to ask why a player was not suspended. He doesn’t work for the NBA he’s a media member, he cannot be serious about placing a call. The second part addressed recently was the 17 consecutive 3-point baskets he made scrimmaging for a Hall of Fame coach. I’m a political person, you might see that if you were privy to my social media page. I believe for the most part I have avoided discussing politics in this blog over time. Smith’s role in the past has been reporting sports, on the other hand its apparent he sees no issue with political commentary. Based on these two issues and others I believe my destination is the path on the right.

How to present this   

I wrestled with this presentation, how should I present the results of the Clippers-Mavs game? The Clippers were down 3 games to 2 playing in Dallas but it was more to the final score of 114-101. Paul George, Terrance Mann and others did the best they could to lead their team to victory. The key problem once again no Kawhi Leonard, at a point during the game play by play guy Mike Green said this. “Of 20 playoff games Leonard has played in four,” once again the question is raised regarding Leonard.

How valuable are you to your team when your play is sporadic especially in the playoffs? Perhaps sporadic is too strong an adjective to use, Leonard is certainly not missing games on purpose he’s been injured. The point I’m attempting to make his importance to the Clippers is vital at the same time his failure to partake in so few games devalues his worth to the team. Several NBA fans love to point fingers at LeBron, he might be a problem as well but there is a key here. Although he’s older than Leonard he’s missed fewer games while in Los Angeles, the same statement cannot be made about Leonard. Prior to the beginning of the season there is always a debate for me…which Los Angeles team is the best in Southern Cal.

Based on their first-place finish in the Pacific Division and the Lakers in 3rd I would conclude the Clippers were the better team, now I'm not so sure. Based on their first round exit it would appear the Clippers have just as many issues to resolve as their Crypto.com neighbors. One of the other issues is the disappearing act of of James Harden, how do they get around this annual move. The Clippers have now escaped the arena, in the fall they will begin play in their brand new home the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. Expect drastic changes next season for this Clippers team...maybe more than the Lakers. 

Everyone is recruited

The headline is intended to point out a great deal more effort is made now to recruiting than in the past. I cannot document this so the story comes with a disclaimer. Truly little background checks were involved in recruiting athletes in the recent past. Some would arrive on campus and almost immediately get into trouble, in this instance I’m not discussing grades or classroom attendance. It’s the other stuff, burglary, armed robbery, sexual assault and other criminal activity would occur with the finger pointed toward the athlete. Recruiting in this age is more than sitting in the family room with mom or both parents at the time a coach is attempting to attract that athlete to his school.

UConn’s Dan Hurley claims he’s recruiting the parents as much as the athlete. In addition it’s people that athlete surrounds himself with. This from Hurley, “They drop hints (athlete). An if you have the wrong type of people in that inner circle around your players. They will sink your program.” I don’t believe there is a desire by the coach to exclude friendships. Athletes more so than others might have a reason to maintain a smaller and smaller circle. Before someone misses the point I’m not stating the athlete must disavow bunches of friends however it’s for the betterment and future of the athlete to maintain a small circle. As the headline states everyone is recruited, which includes family and circle of friends. Finally this from Dawn Staley South Carolina coach, "If they respect their parents, they are going to respect us. If they don't respect their parents, we don't have a shot." 

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

Not surprising

By now you are aware Darvin Ham is out as Lakers coach, this news should certainly not be surprising, you’ve read he would be fired in this blog and from other sources the last few weeks. As for his replacement depending on the resource you will read many of the same names. There is no desire on my part to repeat all the names except to say this, no hire without experience. As for me Purple & Gold is ingrained in my system, I am a long-time card-carrying member of Laker Nation. Hopefully whoever the Lakers eventually hire will be a coach on the same page as his team. One of the names mentioned is JJ Redick, sorry I ain’t buying it.

Redick had a prominent NBA career as a player for a single reason alone, he’d arrived in the NBA an All American from Duke. He discovered quickly what he was able to accomplish at the college level on the court wasn’t going to cut it in the association. What did Redick do, he re-invented himself becoming a 3-point shooting specialist. He even managed to work his way into the starting lineup for more than one team. As for the no in front of Redick, need I remind you of Jason Kidd and Steve Nash. Both were outstanding NBA players, they were hired as head coaches with no experience. Kidd and Nash were walking disasters as head coaches, Kidd now in his 3rd stop with the Mavs fully comprehends the role of head coach. As for the other names mentioned as a possible head coach we shall see what eventually develops.  

A name from the recent past

Several of you reading this might remember the name Kai Sotto. He was the Filipino youngster who came to these shores to prepare himself for the NBA. He certainly had the size standing 7 foot 3 and 232 pounds however a strange thing occurred. Sotto’s name was not announced in the 2022 draft so what occurred? Since then he played a year in the NBL in Australia and presently is on the roster of a Japanese B. League team. The season witnessed Sotto at play for the Hiroshima Dragonflies and he is now on the roster of the Yokohama B. Corsairs.

Despite the passage of time Sotto is still only 21-years of age but has the window began to close for him? There were rumors he would join the NBA Warriors, that scenario makes a great deal of sense because the Warriors are one of the smallest teams in the NBA in height. It would seem with the close of the regular season this might be an ideal time to hook up with an NBA team, he could play Summer League which would allow that team to see him in action and possibly sign a free agent contract. We’ve discussed over and over the game has changed however not to the point an NBA team could not utilize a quality Big Man.

Discussing a post player(s)

Dennis Gates and Mizzou did satisfactory in the transfer portal, 247Sports places the Tigers 8th in the nation. As for the crop of incoming freshman Mizzou did fine here as well, their recruiting class is number 5. So as you can see hopefully Mizzou will improve over the tragic won-loss record this past season. I thought the program would be down a notch however experiencing a losing season in the SEC was certainly not expected in the coach’s second season but hopefully help is on the way. The help from two directions, the incoming crop of freshman and the transfer portal.

Mizzou has two legitimate post players arriving in the fall both of whom are 7 feet tall. Despite the fortune that might accompany one or maybe both they are fresh faced, college basketball will become a gigantic experiment for them in this first year. Mizzou remains on the hunt for a portal post player and there are several who could fit the bill. Team scoring should be improved over last season so that player manning the post must be defensive minded, there is no requirement for him to be a scorer although an offensive game is secondary. One of the names mentioned is Josh Gray (7 foot, 260 pounds), the Mizzou coaching staff has certainly seen him in action playing for SEC rival South Carolina. Also mentioned in the report is Bent Leuchten from Germany, he played at UC-Irvine and is 7-1, 265 pounds.

The scouting report indicates there other potential athletes available and they are mentioned however Gray and Leuchten appear at the head of the class. Neither has much of an offensive game but again that’s not the vital need for Mizzou basketball. As indicated earlier a defensive minded post player who can rebound the ball and score on occasion. The upside for both players signify that is their strong suit, we shall see what develops between now and August if Mizzou is able to land one of these prospective post players.

A much fairer comparison 

If you’ve read this blog any length of time I am always complaining about rule number 1. What is rule number 1, never argue Michael Jordan could beat LeBron James. The two played in different eras, a much better argument could be made regarding those of the same era. Someone wrote, “What about a Wilt versus Kareem match?” Sounds good on the surface, the two certainly battled one another until Chamberlain retired. The only problem I have Kareem was 22 years old and Wilt had turned 33 by the time they first met on an NBA court. The comparison is not bad however for me it would be much better if the two rivals were closer in age. Bill Russell versus Chamberlain would have been better except the offensive game of Russell was limited compared to his opponent.

Although its lost to history I believe a better match might have occurred with a player most of you are probably unfamiliar with, his name is Walt Bellamy. No way am I indicating Bells is a superior play over Bells I just happen to believe it makes for a better matchup. Bells is much closer in age (3 years younger) to Chamberlain and unlike the age difference between Kareem and Wilt the two named played in the same era. During his NBA career Bells scored 20,941 points in his NBA career, he’s enshrined in the College and Naismith Hall of Fame. It was not only scoring the ball Bells was a prolific rebounder as well. For me Rule number 1. is in effect, compare players of the same era. Prior to completion of this account I read of another, Nate Thurmond. He was a teammate of Chamberlain for a time before the Warriors traded him to the Sixers. In addition Thurmond was known more for his defense than his offensive capability, he provided quite a defensive presence on the floor for the Warriors and later Bulls.

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

Sounds like desperate measures

You can stop reading this if you’ve heard the issue regarding the Sixers and their home fans. The Game 4 crowd a very vocal contingent of Knick fans could be heard cheering for their team. It seemed at points they actually outcheered the much larger Sixer gathering in the building. This is written prior to Game 6 in Philly and I’m unsure if you notice a change, apparently the Knicks gathering should be much smaller. The owner of the Sixers purchased 2,000 tickets for the game to ensure Knick fans will be seen but not heard, as I said by the headline it certainly sounds like desperate measures. With such a short distance (100+ miles) between the two cities a number of Knick fans must have made the drive or taken a train to Philly.

The Trent Tucker rule

I have no intention to test your NBA knowledge, let’s just say I couldn’t remember the answer regarding the Trent Tucker rule. Have you ever wondered about the game clock utilized by the NBA? The clock has a 10th of a second on its face, an NBA game is never over until the clock reads 0.00. The rule came into existence due to frustration by coach Phil Jackson back in the day.

Note the following explanation; “The Trent Tucker rule states that you must have at least 0.4 seconds remaining on the clock to catch-and-shoot.” Did I say frustration, “The rule was passed after the 1989-90 season and named after New York Knicks player Trent Tucker after he made a game-winning shot with 0.1 seconds left on the game clock. The rule was born out of a game between the Knicks and the Chicago Bulls on January 15, 1990, at Madison Square Garden.” Jackson and the Bulls later appealed to league headquarters and the rule would be implemented by the NBA.

Everyone is in the same conference…almost  

You might remember I wrote the Big XII might consider a name change becoming a 16-team conference July 1. After conducting a bit of research that particular conference is not unique, several schools have moved so the Big XII is not the only one gaining additional members. I did a quick check and discovered there are others close to the number of the Big XII, note the conference and behind it are it’s affiliated schools, check the numbers out:

Big 10-15

AAC-15

Coastal Athletic-14

Atlantic 10-15

SEC-14

With the overabundance of moves most conferences contain a minimum of 10 schools, naturally there are exceptions. These moves have caused the demise of the Pac-12 Conference, I don’t know if this to be a fact however it appears the conference is or soon will go out of business. Schools are into spring sports however they conclude no later than May 30. With that the Pac-12 will officially close the shop July 1, 2024, all its former members are now affiliated with other conferences throughout the nation.

The Porter’s

Michael Porter Jr. has continued to play outstanding basketball for the NBA Nuggets. He displays a talent we believed he was at Mizzou but injury. A devastating injury sidelined him for his freshman year, in the spring he declared for the NBA Draft. MPJ has several brothers, they might be close to as talented as he is however they have gone a whole other direction. By now you are aware younger brother Jontay has been permanently banned from the NBA due to gambling interests…but wait there is more. Another brother Coban was involved in a drunk driving fatal crash last year. Recently Coban was sentenced to 6 years in prison. And now one more Porter, Jevon was arrested and charged with a DWI recently. Despite the serious circumstances Jontay, Coban and Jevon remain brothers to Porter Jr. I would expect him to support them as any sibling would.  

His legacy

Nagging injuries plus the toil of NBA play have left Kawhi Leonard an above average player. Once upon a time while a member of the Spurs and later Raptors a belief was held by many he might be discussed in the same breath as many giants of the game. He will never earn that honor as injuries have impacted his career to a large extent, they have kept him from being named among the greatest all time. That view is but a distant memory as Kawhi continues his play for the Clippers. Through his time with the Spurs, Raptors and Clippers he’s never come close to playing 82 games. Kawhi played 74 games in the 2016-17 season for the Spurs that’s been it, the following year it was only 9 games. In 2021-22, while a member of the Clippers Kawhi missed the season entirely due to an ACL injury and surgery.

If we check his body of work at a time he’s not dealt with injury or illness it is quite impressive but it’s the other thing. That other thing is an assortment of injuries which have kept him off the court for extended periods of time. The question is asked no matter the professional sport, “How valuable a player are you to your team when your appearance in a jersey is limited?” 15 or so years from now a youngster having never seen him play will read about Kawhi Leonard and question his value to a team. Those of us able to witness his play can only say, “You should have seen him play when he was fully healthy before injuries impacted his career.”

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

It's strictly word salad

I held a discussion with a friend recently, the term “Power 5 Conference” was uttered by me. His immediate response, “What’s that,” I began an explanation as I believe existed. The college landscape has done a flip-flop over the last 5-6 years, as for Power 5 this was my understanding. Schools associated with the Pac-12, Big XII, ACC, SEC and the Big 10 are considered in the category of Power 5. What about this, what occurs when a school from a non-Power 5 conference moves? For years, the University of Houston and Cincinnati were considered mid-major schools based on conference affiliation. This past summer both joined the Big XII and are now considered Power 5 schools. Confusing, this is another example, years ago SMU belonged to the defunct Southwest Conference (1914-1996).  

The SWC was not referred to by the term Power 5 although it could have with Texas, Texas Tech and others as conference members. Once the conference dissolved schools began scattering to various other conferences and this occurred. With the recent “earthquake of movement” schools such as SMU a mid-major now is a member of the ACC along with Duke, North Carolina a Power 5. So now you see the word salad in full effect, Houston, SMU and Cincinnati once mid-majors are no longer that. How interesting this view, your play becomes upgraded once a school becomes affiliated with a Power 5 conference. With all the movement the focus was on these two schools, there are certainly others. Based on the conference affiliation UConn has always been considered a mid-major school despite winning more than a few NCAA Championships.  

Check the history

Reading my blog Marcus is aware I’ve been displeased with Darvin Ham’s coaching. He mentioned “Lakers coaching history” so I decided to do a deep dive, my effort only goes back to 2005. I informed him my view of Frank Vogel and the fact he was head coach when they won it all in 2020. You can say all you desire about that bubble championship but they won period. Vogel’s third year with the Lakers a 33-49 record caused management to fire him and hire Ham. I cannot go back in time for an explanation however Luke Walton and Byron Scott both former players couldn’t do it.

Walton was 98-148 in three years as head coach, Scott was even worst finishing with a 38-126 record in two seasons, prior to Scott there was Mike D’Antoni also with a losing record. We must travel back in time to the hire of Mike Brown (current Kings coach), he completed his time with the Lakers finishing with a 42-29 record. Prior to him was the veteran coach Phil Jackson so I believe we could safely conclude a key fact. I’m unsure looking back if it was poor timing, poor personnel, poor coaching or something else, the Laker front office has done an average to poor job in the past hiring a head coach. As for Ham he’s got a winning record however there is a disconnect somewhere between the team and the coach. It is highly unlikely Ham returns to the Lakers in the 2024-25 NBA season based on how their playoff run ended.

Interesting

This is for discussion purposes only, I have no issues with ESPN staff writer Jeff Borzello. He published his Way-Too-Early Top 25 list and it’s quite interesting, he places 5 Big XII schools on his list. Before delving into the list someone in charge must change the name, we have a 16-team conference now. A name change should be under consideration. Back to the subject at hand, Borzello has conference champion Houston at the top followed by Kansas in second place.

Iowa State at three along with Baylor at number 5, Texas A&M at 18 plus Cincinnati listed at 22. Even more interesting he’s got Texas at 17, July 1 the school moves into the SEC. If this plays out it would make the Big 16 (sp) Conference the strongest and most competitive in the nation. Do you see the potential “land mines” in front of Kansas? I happen to believe and maybe this is proof if these teams continue there is no way for any school to dominate conference play as Kansas once did. Without checking they won 10 or 11 in a row at a point in time.

The 2024 (International) NBA draft

If we check most NBA mock draft sites they list a substantial number of international players. All those listed might not be drafted but it makes for a question we’ve discussed quite often in the past. The most recent cbssports.com draft poll places Zaccharie Risacher at the top of their poll, Alex Sarr is right behind him in the number two slot. If the draft follows this line that would place two international players for the first time ever at the top. Why is basketball more popular over American football or baseball? In Asia baseball is common in Japan and South Korea.

I discovered baseball is played in Australia however unlike Japan and South Korea its only 15-years old. There might be other nations but those named are the one’s responsible for maybe 85 to 95% of Asian baseball. Europe is a mystery to me, I’m unsure how many Euro nations play baseball. I’m sure it must exist but must be on a much smaller scale than other major ports. On the African continent if baseball exists it’s on a really small scale, I’ve never read or heard of it being played. Football (soccer) is king on the African continent however basketball in numbers is ever increasing. The NFL is popular world-wide but what about leagues and teams? You are aware the NFL has exported select games to the European continent for a time. The NFL operated a “feeder” league in Europe from 1989 through 2007 but is no longer in operation. That’s about it regarding baseball and football on foreign shores, for basketball it’s an entirely different matter but why? Basketball coaches have journeyed throughout the world holding clinics.

These coaches and American players have planted a seed which has continued to nurture. One key to basketball success is limited space…there is no 100 yard or 91.44-meter field similar to what is required in football. We could make the same statement regarding baseball, large acreage is required for baseball. A basketball court be it outside or in an arena provides a much smaller area to compete successfully. Talent will continue to arrive on these shores from all over and it can only aid the continued development of the NBA.

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

I hesitated

There is always a reluctance on my part to mention ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith’s name. This has to do with providing him space on my blog which is not due him. There are occasions I cannot sit back without covering him and this is one of those occasions. I didn’t see the incident involving Westbrook and another player only heard it described. The outcome “upset” Smith to the point he claimed he’d call the NBA office. According to him he wanted to know why Westbrook wasn’t suspended for the punch etc., put a period at this point and allow me to state this belief.

I have no method to document if a telephone call was placed to NBA League headquarters…I am one of those who find it difficult to believe several of the stories Smith passes about. Am I saying he’s lying, let’s just say he might be embellishing the truth a bit. See I've heard and read too many accounts of his that sound strangely fictional, like the Big House Gaines story. You remember the legendary coach of Winston-Salem State University whom Smith claims was persuaded by this friend of his for a tryout. Smith asserted he sunk a remarkable number of 3-point baskets enough that Gaines "decided to award him a basketball scholarship on the spot." Later an injury would force Smith from the game permanently with a 1.0 ppg average.

They are gone…at least one of them    

I can see no evidence pointing towards Darvin Ham returning as head coach, it was more than the Nuggets closing out this series 108-106. The Game 5 could have seen the Lakers in the lead or at least in a 2-2 tie. Instead of looking back I’m going to look forward, catch me later in the week this critique might be completely different. As this is written despite the play LeBron James demonstrates it seems he is as much of a distraction as his coach. I would be concerned if he didn’t return next season however I wouldn’t be upset. The Lakers play season long has been inconsistent to my eyes, that points directly to Ham and LeBron. One chief area of concern for me is the center position, AD had an outstanding season in my opinion.

Although his size present that of a post player I remain unconvinced regarding that. They should move Jaxon Hayes or Christian Wood into the 5 slot and determine if they have more skill than simply that of a reserve. Point guard is another area of concern, I’m unsure what occurs for D’Lo however I don’t believe Trae Young is the answer. A trade or acquisition of Young fails to improve play in my view. Some of the changes mentioned are pure speculation on my part, the new coach must implement these changes once LeBron retires or returns to the Cavs. If I waited until Saturday this assessment of the Lakers would be far different on Wednesday after the Monday elimination. This was clean on my part I must state this at the end. You read no profanity…no hair on fire nor any dire outlook for the future. This I hope appears to be a commonsense approach about re-tooling this Laker team.

Everyone can’t be them

Some folks are more demonstrative than others and that’s okay. While most folks are more laid back then these next two…well let’s discuss them. The two that standout for me are Mark Cuban owner of the Mavs and Steve Ballmer with the Clippers. Television cameras will always catch them at points during telecast rooting enthusiastically for their teams. Cuban first came to our attention in January 2000, history indicates he purchased the majority share in the Mavs in that year. This part is certainly of interest, “In the 20 years before Cuban purchased the team they won only 40% of their games, in the 10 years following they won 69% of their games.”

No skybox for Cuban he is usually seated behind one of the backboards nearest the Mavs bench or seated immediately behind it. Although he’s sold his majority share of the team Cuban remains the face of the Dallas Mavericks. You might have heard the term “self-made man” to someone building his financial empire, that certainly applies to Mark Cuban in my view. Next up is Clippers owner Ballmer, unlike the Mavs Cuban, Ballmer’s name was known by a segment of the population prior to his purchase of the Clippers. His long association as a key member of Microsoft was the reason a portion of the public was familiar with his name. After the Donald Sterling saga broke in May of 2014 the NBA was exploring a new owner for the Clippers. There were two groups bidding for the franchise one with television magnate Oprah Winfrey and Ballmer. Winfrey indicated when the dollar amount exceeded $2 billion her group dropped out conceding the sale to Ballmer.

Since 2014 the owner’s worked diligently to improve the team through free agency, coaching and other areas. The most ambitious project Ballmer’s taken on is construction of the Intuit Dome scheduled to open in the fall of 2024. The $2 billion state of the art arena was built with 0 taxpayer funds, Ballmer is underwriting all costs associated with the Intuit Dome. Similar to the Mavs owner Ballmer can usually be spotted seated on the floor behind one of the backboards. There you have it, a brief look at Mark Cuban and Steve Ballmer NBA owners, they certainly are not the only high-profile owners however they might be the most visible. The visibility is mostly due to the manner they impact their respective teams and also where they choose to sit during their teams games and the other stuff.

3-Peat

In this part of the nation fans are discussing a 3-peat for the NFL Chiefs, there’s even been talk of a football dynasty. I am extremely cautious anytime someone desires to hold those types of conversations. There are far too many variables possible which might prevent a team from winning it all. In Storrs we are hearing and reading similar comments regarding the Huskies, if anyone can accomplish this feat Dan Hurley would be the one. I’ve long believed he’s one of the best college basketball coaches there is but back to the question.

It appears UConn might lose its starting 5 so what occurs then regarding a 3-peat? It might begin with adding Liam McNeeley a 5-star prospect in the Class of 2024. The 6-foot 7 185-pound wing played at Montverde Academy in Florida, that’s proof he’s played high quality basketball. The roster is not gutted completely, there are returnees and in addition there’s the transfer portal. Allow me to close with this thought, I feel comfortable stating Hurley will get the most from his roster no matter who’s there. Those who hate the coach should grow accustomed to mentioning his name anytime we are discussing Big Time college basketball.

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

Elimination

Sunday evening saw the Suns eliminated from the 2024 playoff race, they lost their game 122-116. The Wolves managed to sweep them 4-0 which is impressive for several reasons. We return briefly to June 24, 2023, and the trade…you know the one. The Suns acquired veteran Bradley Beal from the Wizards, he would aid them in winning an NBA Championship with his shooting prowess. This from last October Devin Booker, “I don’t know how teams are gonna guard us.” His comment was followed up with these words by teammate Kevin Durant who said; “You can’t guard all of us at once.” Adding Beal to the roster in a trade certainly provided the Suns a great deal of firepower and belief in the team’s future.

Technically speaking both Booker and Durant were correct, the Suns roster contained quite a number of outstanding shooters. They had Kevin Durant at the power forward, Booker at the point and Beal at shooting guard. In addition there was Eric Gordon and Grayson Allen in the mix, the Suns would finish the regular season with a 49-33 record good enough to finish second in the Pacific Division. Once the playoffs began and they were matched against the Wolves we discover there may have been a missing piece…a defensive commitment. There may have been other issues I overlooked but until someone tells me different that’s my belief. As an example the Bucks are without Giannis and maybe Dame Time, if they lose their series it is understandable, they are missing valuable contributors, I cannot make a similar statement regarding the Suns loss.

It was major league to them

I’ve mentioned this in the past, in 1947 up through 1960 the NBA claimed it was a major league although if we checked out the location of its franchises they reflected a minor league. The NBA always believed it was major league however unlike the NFL or baseball its teams played in smaller cities. This is no criticism of the towns it’s just a clear fact the NBA began operations in smaller towns and cities. How about us taking a check of just a few of these towns that once had NBA teams?

The first town on our list is a little curious, Sheboygan is located only 60 miles or so from the City of Milwaukee, even back then surly Milwaukee certainly had a greater number of citizens, perhaps it was more to the story why Sheboygan over the larger city. The team then known by a no longer in use derogatory term of native Americans played in three leagues, founded in 1933 the team folded in 1951 as an NBA franchise. Check this out in 2022 Sheboygan had a population of 49,773, in the 30’s and 40’s the population would have been considerably smaller. This team presently resides in Sacramento, there founding was in Rochester (NY) and in 1923 and at the time they were nicknamed the Seagrams. The team eventually moved to the NBL in 1945 and at the time of the merger in 1948 they became a member of the NBA.

Next up a brief profile of the team nicknamed the Tri-Cities Blackhawks. Imagine this, an NBA team representing three towns which were Moline and Rock Island Illinois and Davenport Iowa. Finally we close with the Anderson Packers, the city is located northwest of Indianapolis. The team founded in 1946 went out of business in 1951. Only a student of basketball history is aware of this information. Imagine this picture, little Johnny living in Moline Illinois follows the NBA passionately. He’s got no idea his city was once home to the NBA.

What I meant was….

This is for those of you who might still have questions why the Caitlan Clark-Pearl Moore explanation was published on Sunday. Once again it was not an attempt on my part to belittle the outstanding season of Caitlan Clark while at Iowa. The intent was to inform all reading the story Clark holds the NCAA record and not the all-time highest point total for women. In addition it was to shine a light toward Pearl Moore who by all accounts had largely been ignored during the magnificent scoring run of Clark.

The all-time record had been established much earlier and 99% of the basketball world (including me) unaware of the history. Similar to you I thought basketball records began and ended with the NCAA exclusively which is only partially correct. March 16 Moore observed her 67 birthday, in addition it also should be noteworthy she was enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame in the 2021 class. If there is any finger pointing it should be aimed at the media, they are solely responsible for the wave of Clark frenzy that swept the nation. With all the information at hand no media member bothered to research this issue.

Arrogance by some 

Don’t slay the messenger Kansas fans, just check it out for yourself. In the past I’ve seen basketball players leave a school during the transfer portal or simply change their mind. In the majority of instances I read a few letters of disappointment but that’s as far as it went, there was no requirement on the writers part to attack someone for changing their mind. It appears many of those who follow Kansas basketball have a different mindset, allow me to cite a recent example. Kansas commit and 4-star prospect number 30 in the nation Labaron Philon requested a release from the school. To provide you a brief look at his background this 6-4 177-pound point guard attends Link Academy in Branson Missouri although he’s from Mobile Alabama.

Following my usual habit of reading a story, I read letters to assess others view of the subject. Most of the Kansas faithful were none too pleased with the decision Philon made. "Good, another high school kid who cannot make a decision or commitment. Would have not played much and transferred because he wouldn't be willing to put work in. I look forward to his 4 schools over next 4 years." How about this one; "Wants a degree without taking the course." It was almost unbelievable, the vast majority of the letter writers disparaging Philon for changing his mind. Why is it necessary to hate on this young man because he decided Kansas was not a good fit? Don't believe me, that's okay you can read many of these letters for yourself if you care. Prior to publication Philon made his decision known, he will return home and play for the University of  Alabama. 

3-Peat

In this part of the nation fans are discussing a 3-peat for the NFL Chiefs, there's even been talk of a football dynasty. I am extremely cautious anytime someone desires to hold these types of conversations. There are far too many variables possible which might prevent a team from winning it all. In Storrs we are hearing and reading similar comments regarding the UConn Huskies, if anyone can accomplish this feat Dan Hurley would be the man. I've long believed he's one of the best college basketball coaches there is but back to the question. 

It appears UConn might lose its starting 5 so what occurs then regarding a 3-peat? It might begin with adding Liam McNeeley a 5-star prospect in the Class of 2024. the 6-foot 7 185 pound wing played at Montverde Academy in Florida, that's proof he's played basketball at a high skill level. The roster is not gutted completely, there are returnees and in addition there's the transfer portal. Allow me to close with this thought, I feel comfortable stating Hurley will bet the most from his roster no matter who's there. Those who hate the coach should grow accustomed to hearing his name anytime we are discussing Big Time college basketball.  

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