A fans perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday-Sunday

No publication

This is the last Off the Dribble published until next Monday December 1. Those who observe Thanksgiving, enjoy your family and friends and safe travel for those of you flying or driving to a distant destination. Please stay with me as we continue to explore the world of basketball the balance of this year and into 2026. 

The change

I was hesitant writing this, even personnel issues that impact athletes cause me difficulty. Allow me to provide you an example, in the NFL a rookie Chiefs tackle was “missing” for an extended period this season. The Chiefs announced, “He was dealing with a family matter at home in California.” That was enough for me but not for others including some in the media. Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers being investigated is a far different matter for me. Although I still don’t have all the information I had no qualms about covering the story. With that said let’s proceed to the Lakers and the Buss brothers. By now you are aware both Joey and Jesse Buss have been fired as scouts by the team.

Rest assured once the team was sold to new owners changes would be made, were the brothers dumped for no reason? I don’t have the answer the only statement I can make is the same all over corporate America, new owners desire to have their hires in place. The Laker organization was a dinosaur in a sense, the last family only NBA franchise remaining. All the others have owners who made their fortune the old fashion way and it had nothing to do with basketball. The Buss brothers have been replaced by two individuals who worked for the Los Angeles Dodgers, did I mention the new Laker owner is the majority owner of the Dodgers. It’s bad in a sense however I have no method to prove it but believe the Buss brothers share of the sale provided adequate compensation for them. I look forward to the changes forthcoming for the Los Angeles Lakers.

He's got his own opinion…but so do I 

Where is he, the guy I read who made the statement, “I’m not impressed with Cooper Flagg?” The writer was not a member of media I guess he was an NBA fan. I thought for a moment, the Dallas Mavs Flagg is 18 years old, he should be in his freshman year of college yet he’s battling grizzly NBA veterans. These are the numbers the last 4 games for this 18-year old, 19.8 ppg, 7 rebounds, 3.8 assts, 1.8 steals and 54.2% shooting. I am reminded of an earlier column written prior to the season, I don’t remember it word for word but this I retained. “Don’t expect Flagg to come in an dominate, he will shoot the ball when called on, snatch a rebound or dish out a nifty assist.”

It appears with the hype surrounding this fan may be thinking the “second coming” Magic Johnson or Larry Bird. Both athletes had significant impacts on the Lakers and Celtics upon joining their respective teams. In the autumn of 1979, the Lakers were already performing well, having recorded 47 wins and 35 losses in the previous season. With the addition of Magic Johnson, their record improved to 60 wins and 22 losses, culminating in an NBA championship. Similarly, the Celtics benefited from the arrival of Larry Bird, increasing their win count from 29 to 61 and reducing their losses from 53 to 21. Comparing eras remains a challenge, as the NBA of the 1980s differs substantially from the league in 2025. Ultimately, this analysis serves as a reflection for fans; those who are currently unconvinced by Flagg’s performance may find themselves expressing similar sentiments later in the season.

It's just a number

You’ve heard the statement “father time remains undefeated.” It’s certainly understandable, as players age no matter the sport they are unable to continue to play at a high level of skill. Think about this a minute or two consider how many athletes you’ve witnessed become slower and slower as their ability to continue play at a high skill level begins to wane. The slowing down of the game applies to everyone except LeBron James or at least it seems that appears to be the case. December 30, LeBron will turn 41 years of age, despite being elderly he’s not the oldest player to ever appear in an NBA game. That accomplishment belongs to at least two other players.

Vince Carter a.k.a. Vincesanity was 43-years old prior to his retirement but the majority of his high wire act had disappeared over time. Robert ‘Chief’ Parrish retired at 44 years of age; those are but two who managed to continue play after the age of 40. There is no doubt LeBron James is special, special due to his immense talent and special in managing his career outside of basketball. He’s become the NBA’s all-time scoring leader breaking the record held by Kareem Abdul Jabbar. That is one record that will remain unbreakable, no one plays this length of time. It is not particularly important if you are a fan of LeBron or not you’ve got to give him props. By the time this is read LeBron will have returned to the Lakers lineup, however. The 2025-26 season has got to be his last in any teams jersey.

The dunk will ruin college basketball

This from August 2025: The above headline is a statement made by several folks in the middle ‘60’s, they managed to make enough noise a change to the game was made. For those too young or unfamiliar with the events from 1967 through 1976 college basketball players were prohibited from dunking the basketball. Didn’t matter if it were warming up or during the game a team would be accessed technical fouls. The official explanation was the possibility of injury occurring if teams were allowed to dunk. This next statement I can offer no proof just what I believe was the basis. The ban was the result of UCLA’s Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul Jabbar) dominating basketball and this became an effective method of stopping him or at least curtailing his dominance. We are near the dawn of another college basketball season and there are issues to manage. As long as human beings are involved in something there will be issues.

Many of us continue to struggle with the Transfer Portal plus Name, Image and Likeness, it’s my belief the NCAA is directly and sometimes indirectly involved in how these series of changes developed. Am I claiming both are perfect…of course not, as with any issue as they come to the forefront they must be administered. I’ve read fan letters complaining about the amount of NIL money a particular player is receiving, that is a dangerous area for me. I would never place myself in a position to determine the financial reward of someone unless I had direct knowledge and a connection. As for the Transfer Portal I believe it should be addressed in this manner, unless there is an injury issue only two transfers should be allowed. There are instances (including Mizzou) a player might have played at 3 schools by their junior year. I realize this exercise will not satisfy many reading this and it shouldn’t. As I often attempt to explain in instances such as this it’s my opinion if you agree okay…if you don’t that’s okay too.

A fans perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday-Sunday

Meanwhile…

It’s official now, Los Angeles Clipper Chris Paul will retire at the end of the season. It certainly is not shocking news, he’s 40 years old and will turn 41 before the playoff season is complete. Paul is the last pure point guard remaining in the NBA, the others might be listed in that position but its in name only. All the others are combo guards looking to score as much as distribute the ball, of course that is the change in the NBA of the present day. In any event Paul is not playing much at this point but we should cherish the opportunity to see CP3 or the Point God in action. 

We are guessing Mark Cuban speaks with the voice of a man in charge. Reports have circulated the Dallas Mavericks are exploring trade possibilities for center/power forward Anthony Davis, Cuban is reported to say, “It ain’t happening” so we must guess at least for this present season AD will remain a member of the Mavs. There remain a number of upset Mavs fans for a variety of reasons, trading AD after acquiring him for Luka Doncic might be one step too far too far for these fans. Despite inserting Cooper Flagg in the lineup the Mavs are not a good team.

Who is the best freshman this college season so far? I’ve seen Cameron Boozer of Duke and North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson in action so far, as for the others I’ve yet to see them play. Who are the other contenders, Arkansas has two freshman, Darius Acuff Jr. and Meleek Thomas. We can add the names of Mikel Brown Jr. Louisville and Koa Peet who plays at Arizona plus Tennessee’s Nate Ament. Although he is currently injured Kansas basketball has Darryn Peterson and BYU with AJ Dybantsa, either of these two could go 1-2 in the 2026 NBA draft.   

Saturday afternoon I had an opportunity to see Arafan Diane Iowa Prep in action versus Dynamic Prep. NFL fans might remember Marcus Spears Sr., his son Marcus Spears Jr. plays for Dynamic Prep. Spears Jr. is a 6-foot 7 180 pound forward. As for Iowa Prep 7-foot 1 290 pound Arafan Diane was profiled earlier, he’s committed to play for Kelvin Sampson at Houston. As for Spears Jr. he is yet to commit although he’s received offers from several high profile programs. Dynamic Prep won the game and I can say I was more impressed with the game of Spears Jr. over Diane.

NBA TV

I have noticed changes to NBA TV this season and have not yet encountered the format to which I was accustomed. New faces some of which I am unfamiliar with plus other changes leave me in difficulty. With new (NBC & Peacock plus Prime Video) and returning broadcast partners (ESPN/ABC), it appears the NBA has revised its programming. This represents the current lineup for the network which features ‘The Association: Post Up,’ which provides an assessment of the evening's NBA action and is rebroadcast the following morning.

‘NBA Playback’ offers rebroadcasts of previous games in the morning and afternoon, reflecting previous formats. Additionally, 'The Association’ and ‘NBA Shot Clock: Best Games of the Week Condensed’ have been introduced. ‘The Starting Lineup,’ featuring basketball analysis from veteran media member Frank Isola and former NBA player Brian Scalabrine, is also part of the schedule. Local game feeds are incorporated as well. While these updates bring variety, I am uncertain whether this version of NBA TV fully meets my expectations; it seems to be lacking an element present in prior seasons.

The best since Shaq

I have never followed the career of Deandre Ayton until now, sure I knew of him but I didn’t know him. I probably have seen fewer than 10 games during his time in the NBA. We begin this brief look in 2018, Ayton was made the first pick by the Suns, in September 2023 he was traded to the Blazers. July 6, 2025, Ayton signed a contract with the Lakers and that is where we begin the story. This number one pick was reported to be highly talented but unfocused at times, the question becoming a Laker could he fulfill the promise many saw for him?

Ayton would sign a 2-year contract and thus would begin the road to prove his competence the Lakers believed was possible. The season is young, in addition Ayton must prove his ability over the course of the balance of the season, in addition there is playoff basketball to consider. So far although its early the Lakers might have found the best center since Shaquille O’Neal patrolled the paint. I know what you are saying, “Didn’t Anthony Davis play the post for them?” That would be the case although he voiced his objection on more than one occasion. Other than AD maybe the two-headed centers utilized in the 2020 championship season, we saw Dwight Howard and JaVale McGee occupy the center position. Below are Ayton’s highest scoring games in Purple and Gold to date. This from Ayton; “I think LeBron will make me a better defensive player,” I love that statement. Below represents Ayton’s best games from this early season.

29 points, 10 rebounds, 3 block   74% field goal 

22 points, 10 rebounds, 2 block   69% field goal

22 points, 15 rebounds, 1 block   59% field goal

20 points, 16 rebounds, 1 block   91% field goal

20 points, 14 rebounds, 1 block   77% field goal

20 points, 10 rebounds, 1 block   69% field goal

17 points, 10 rebounds, 1 block   73% field goal 

A fans perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday-Sunday

Soft versus Easy

This is going to be short and not a great deal of detail. A debate exists among fans and college basketball coaches as well. This will allow you an explanation of the headline, Kansas basketball has a national maybe worldwide view among fans. This early season after playing 5 games Kansas has won only 3 of them…they have 2 losses against North Carolina and on Tuesday night Duke. Both North Carolina and Duke are listed on everyone’s list of Top 25 teams. Contrast their record with the team across State Line Road the University of Missouri. After playing 6 the Tigers have a sparkling record won-loss record having won all however the record could be misleading.

The wins are legitimate however the competition might be in question. Of the games won by Missouri the only game that might be considered tough is against Big 10 Minnesota but that win occurred on Missouri’s home court. There are two schools of thought on constructing a non-conference schedule and we’ll explore both. One scenario says this; “You schedule several tough opponents, although your overall won-loss record might not be sparkling you have prepared your team to face its conference schedule.” That’s one perspective; another argument is that regularly playing against decent, but not top-tier, opponents helps a team get used to winning. As we end this exercise allow me to state this fact, I hope you have an answer to this dilemma, I certainly don’t. I can state this fact, there are clearly benefits in both instances of scheduling, there are additional factors missing from this simple approach to conference play.

“The elephant in the room”

Several reading the headline might be somewhat confused, from AI Overview, “The elephant in the room” is an idiom for an obvious, significant problem or controversial issue that everyone is aware of but deliberately avoids discussing.” Well I’m about to burst a bubble, the one that proclaimed the Los Angeles Clippers potential NBA champions prior to the season start. The Clippers made a number of moves in the off season which could lead them to the promised land of a championship. A collection of veteran players would make the roster the oldest average age in the NBA. As this is written Monday morning the team has won but 4 games while losing 9. If the playoffs would begin on Tuesday they would be headed for an off season vacation, what’s transpired to date?

Kawhi Leonard is missing once again, Lawrence Frank president of basketball operations. “It wasn’t just an ankle sprain, Kawhi also had a significant sprain in his foot as well. When he sprained his ankle, it kind of triggered a mechanism in his foot.” Exactly what is Frank saying, will he return next week…in two weeks or is there any timetable? It’s not Leonard alone, 40-year old Chris Paul has not been able to gain playing time. Bradley Beal is now out for the season with a hip fracture, finally we arrive with center Brook Lopez. Thus far the numbers for Lopez are down across the board although it should be noted he is playing reserve minutes versus starting with the Bucks. There are positives, James Harden along with John Collins and Ivica Zubac are producing consistent numbers. Based on this start even with a return of Leonard this Clippers team could earn a playoff berth, an NBA championship is another story. To compound the issue the Clippers will be unable to acquire future help in the NBA draft over the next several years as they are still suffering from the effects of the SGA-Paul George trade.

basketballnetwork.com   

There are several

Voices of reason is my reference for them, they are those who cover college basketball without all the hyperbole of you know who. There first name that comes to mind is that of Jay Bilas of ESPN, he played basketball for Duke and later moved into the role of journalist. I have always found him to be insightful and informative whenever he discusses the college or NBA game for that matter. Unlike Bilas this ESPN journalist does just that, he can be found writing about the college game on ESPN.com’s college basketball page he is Myron Medcalf, in addition to a podcast he is interviewed on local sports talk radio with his analysis of the game.

 This is not just an ESPN thing, CBS has a number of columnist I read and on occasion listen to them on the radio, they are Garry Parrish, Matt Norlander and Kyle Boone. From a television perspective CBS also has analyst Clark Kellogg, himself a former basketball player. Health issues has kept ESPN’s Dick Vitale mostly sidelined the last two seasons, Dickey V. is always insightful and enthusiastic about the college game. I love his nicknames for certain aspects of the game, “Diaper Dandy” his term for a freshman player and “PTP” i.e., prime time player. Finally in closing his description of a team’s Big Man is “Aircraft Carrier. Vitale is 86 years old but he’s got company, Bill Raffertery who’s been a color analyst for several networks, he can be seen and heard primarily covering games for CBS, Rafferty is 82 years old. Those are but a few analyst and journalist who cover the college game exceptionally well in my opinion.

Dominos

Mark Cuban sold his majority share in the Dallas Mavericks in November 2023, Patrick Dumont would become the team’s NBA governor. Nico Harrison president of basketball operations and general manager would report directly to Dumont. That was then, in February 2025 Harrison contacted the Los Angeles Lakers general manager Rod Pelinka. He said essentially, “How’d you like to add Luka Doncic to your team?” The trade was made and all hell broke loose in Dallas as fans demanded Harrison be fired and later came the NBA draft. In June, the Mavs with the top pick chose Duke’s Cooper Flagg and this move appeared to placate fans for a time.

The 2025-26 season starts and the Mavs begin the season poorly despite the fact of Flagg being placed in the lineup. On November 11 Harrison was relieved of his duties as general manager. “The team’s poor performance early in the season, combined with the aftermath of the Luka Doncic trade was the basis of Harrison’s termination.” Mark Cuban who relieved himself of majority ownership of the Mavs over a year ago has returned. This is the portion of the story we cannot make an intelligent judgement until more detail is available. With Cuban in place will he be responsible for returning the team to the level of play owners and fans expect. Just like a stack of dominos, the departure of Cuban back in 2023 may have been the first domino to fall.

A fans perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday-Sunday

Stuff you learn while surfing (the net)

Arafan Diane is recognized for his impressive physical stature, standing at 7 feet 1 inch with a 7-foot 4-inch wingspan and weighing 290 pounds, making him comparable in size to notable centers such as Shaquille O’Neal. Diane has established himself as a high-volume rebounder for Iowa United Prep, located in Norwalk, Iowa, and maintains an 80% scoring rate near the basket. Norwalk, part of the greater Des Moines metropolitan area, serves as a point of reference for his current location. Diane is originally from Guinea, West Africa, he played for a time in Canada prior to Iowa United Prep.

It has been reported that Bryce James may be transferring from Arizona. As the youngest son of LeBron James, Bryce appears to be experiencing challenges similar to those faced by his older brother Bronny. This is represented by increased competition as he attempts to advance his play at a higher level of competition. In addition there might be heightened expectations due to his family background. However, these reports remain unconfirmed, as James has not yet made his debut for Arizona. Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.

Recent discussions regarding NBA expansion have been limited, with little information emerging about efforts in Las Vegas or Seattle. We have heard news regarding the implementation of NBA Europe. Consequently, the possibility of team relocation appears more likely than the establishment of new franchises at this time. Two teams that have subject to relocations rumors are the Memphis Grizzlies an New Orleans Pelicans. Despite the rumors Pelicans owner Gayle Benson has publicly refuted claims that the team is for sale. Further updates on these developments will be provided as additional information becomes available.  

Babatunde Oladotun is ranked number 8 in ESPN’s Top 100, has made his college commitment known. Currently he is in his senior year attending James Hubert Blake High School in Silver Springs, Maryland, Oladotun chose to stay close to home by selecting the University of Maryland for his college basketball choice. He opted for Maryland over other offers from Georgetown, Arkansas plus Kentucky and others. Oladotun stands 6-feet 10 and weighs 195 pounds, on the court he plays as a small forward.

20 and 10

The headline above relates to a Shaq statement and how it relates to Deandre Ayton of the Los Angeles Lakers. Several weeks ago the Inside the NBA crew held a discussion on the Lakers prospects, Shaq made this statement all that is required of Ayton is “20 and 10.” Tuesday night Ayton accomplished the task in front of him once again with 20 points and 14 rebounds in the Lakers 140-126 win over the Jazz. In this game Ayton shot nearly 79% from the floor and the game included this bit of trivia. Post game Ayton informed us, “I was telling him (LeBron) a fun fact: He threw me an alley-oop and I told him, that’s my second alley-opp from you. The first one was when I was in the 8th grade at your camp.” 

LeBron was one of the other Lakers who contributed to the victory in his first game of the season. He registered a modest 11 points and 12 rebounds as he eased himself back into play in this effort. The main offensive effort of the Lakers came from Luka Doncic with (37 pts, 10 assts & 4 steals) plus 26 points from his backcourt partner Austin Reaves, in addition Jake LaRavia emerged from the bench scoring 16 points. Ayton made an additional statement which may have set the tone for the future. The Laker center claimed the game against the Thunder was “A wake up call for us.” Just in case you may have forgotten the Thunder registered a 121-92 beat-down over the Lakers. I’m unsure what the future holds for the Lakers but Ayton could have provided us a clue.

Calm down, it’s only a game

Speaking from my perspective, I once held the belief that a basketball player who committed to a university would stay there throughout their eligibility. That notion, however, has vanished just like the dinosaurs—it's now extinct. For years, the trend of "one and done" has dominated college basketball. Schools recruit top-tier McDonald's All-American prospects fully aware these athletes are likely only staying for their freshman season. There was even an unconfirmed claim from a former coach that some "one and done" players skipped attending spring semester classes, knowing they were headed for the NBA. If you look at mock draft sites, you'll notice that the first 10–15 spots often go to freshmen, with a handful of sophomores or juniors mixed in—a testament to the saying, "youth will be served."

I've had to adjust to the reality that many athletes today prioritize the NBA over their education. The recent introduction of Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) agreements has changed things even more. Football and basketball players no longer have to survive on ramen noodles due to financial hardships, especially since employment restrictions previously left them with few options. That's all different now—reportedly, Cooper Flagg, who played for Duke and is now with the Dallas Mavericks, earned around $28 million during his freshman year. If athletes are receiving such compensation for playing sports, doesn't that essentially make them professional? In simple terms, yes; however, the line separating amateurism and professionalism has become increasingly blurred. Technically these changes stem from issues off the court and, like you, I've come to accept them, albeit reluctantly.

A fans perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday-Sunday

The Spurs conundrum

Reading the headline you might conclude this is a reference to the strained calf of the San Antonio Spurs Victor Wembanyma. That is a serious matter but eventually it will be resolved, after a few weeks rest and conditioning he should be able to return to the court. The conundrum I am referencing is the “overload” at the guard position. Back to last season, D’Aaron Fox wanted out of Sacramento, he didn’t want to return to Texas of course that’s what occurred. In February 2025, the Spurs made a trade acquiring Fox. This was done despite the fact they had drafted Stephon Castle who would be named NBA Rookie of the Year. In the June NBA draft the Spurs selected Dylan Harper, technically they now have three point guards, Fox, Castle and Harper.

All three players are quite young, unlike some teams that might have a seasoned veteran ahead of a rookie. Fox is 27, Castle is only 21, and the youthful Harper is just 19. You can probably see the issue: Spurs coach Mitch Johnson might try one of these point guards at shooting guard, but that could create problems down the line and delay development. For example, the Lakers once drafted point guard Norm Nixon, who performed well, much later the Lakers had an opportunity to draft Magic Johnson. For a while, both Nixon and Johnson played together successfully, but ultimately, Magic had to take charge, as history shows. This situation suggests that, for the Spurs’ continued progress, a trade may eventually be necessary—although it's difficult to say who that might involve.

They have no clue

It’s funny to me, those who claim knowledge on a subject and haven’t a clue. They wish to provide you their opinion of a subject without actually providing any proof. One of those is an issue I’ve read about in various circles for the last 10 years are so…”Nobody is watching NBA basketball on television.” Since we are fully into the 2025-26 NBA season I thought it appropriate to lay some numbers on you. The guy next door to you proclaims loudly, “Nobody is watching the NBA anymore, they quit when Michael Jordan retired.” The truth is I’ve heard that and similar stories how the NBA has been flushed down the toilet. I try to refrain from discussions on money however there are times I find it necessary, this is one of those times. As for the claim “Nobody is watching the NBA,” ask them this question?

Why is there a $76 billion 11-year contract in place as you are reading this? Longtime broadcast partner TNT was outbid for the broadcast rights, I am unsure if it was Prime or Peacock streaming but they are now a family member. Holdover ESPN remains however games return to the NBC broadcast network for the first time since 2002 NBA Finals. Ask your neighbor if the NBA is  such a losing proposition why was there a fight to acquire broadcast rights whenever the contract expires? In addition if the game is losing viewers why are advertisers so willing to offer huge sums of money to acquire the rights to these games? No company spends sums of money without holding a belief they will receive revenue in return. The NBA is full of human beings, it’s not bullet proof. Mistakes will occur at times, that fails to take into account the fact the game remains a viable revenue source. From AI Overview, “There is no single "ad rate a minute" for an NBA game, as costs vary widely based on factors like the network, the game's importance, and time of year. However, national NBA broadcasts generated about $1.52 billion in ad revenue for the 2025-26 season, and this spend is projected to increase.”

The spotlight was smaller

Last season the spotlight shone intently on Duke’s Cooper Flagg, it’s shine was lesser on Flagg’s former teammate Kon Knuepple. Flagg was reported to be the top pick in the 2025 NBA draft which turned out to be correct. What was unexpected, the fact that Knueppel a 6-foot 6 inch small forward would be the 4th pick in the first round of the draft. Knueppel arrived at Durham was rated a 5-star prospect by 247Sports and Rivals, On3 and ESPN ranked him a 4-star prospect. Its possible Knueppel might have had an easier transition to the college game with so much focus on Flagg.

As we moved closer to the 2025 draft Knueppel’s stock began a slow rise toward the top. Drafted by the Charlotte Hornets Knueppel’s been inserted into the starting lineup as his former teammate Flagg with the Mavs. Early in the season a number of names have been mentioned as candidates for NBA Rookie of the Year. Of course Flagg has been mentioned but so has former Baylor guard VJ Edgecombe of the Sixers along with Hornets center Ryan Kalkbrenner and surprise…Kon Knueppel. If we look strictly at the point per game total Knueppel is slightly ahead of Flagg as this is written. Of course this is early in the NBA season and there is no guarantee Knueppel will finish the season ahead of Flagg but it is interesting, nevertheless.

I hope

Although Off the Dribble contains a great deal of opinion my hope is it makes sense, I’m going to take you on a ride from a recent letter from I believe is an NBA fan. Laker Deandre Ayton’s outstanding game against his former Blazers team was covered by ESPN and it solicited this response. “Ayton doesn’t have elite foot speed as some post players” which left me totally baffled. His letter sent me to a dictionary, what is its definition of the word? Merriam-Webster provides us several definitions, the one of focus is “superior in quality, rank, skill, etc. an elite performer…an elite athlete…an athlete with elite skills.” Okay I hope you see the direction I’m headed and my confusion.

I could state Nikola Jokic the 6-foot 11 center for the Nuggets is considered the best post player in the NBA today. The Joker as he’s nicknamed does a bunch of stuff very good, one of those things missing from his game in my view is elite foot speed, of course that’s my opinion. I read a description of Ayton’s game against the Blazers from a variety of sources, nowhere did I read Ayton being compared to any of the NBA’s past greats and certainly not Jokic. I am going to conclude the letter writer was considering a portion of Ayton’s past history dealing with his focus on the game. That has been an issue, as for other areas of his game I don’t believe foot speed was ever an issue of concern. Fantasy NBA is not part of my activities however I thought I would check it out for 2025-26. They list Tier-1 through Tier-5 for their centers, Ayton is listed as a Tier 5 center which again based on his past is no issue for me.  I could say to the letter writer, please prove proof over your opinion after all I have one as well.  

A fans perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday-Sunday  

The Lakers have a problem

This is not what you might believe it to be, allow an explanation. In the Los Angeles Lakers game against the New Orleans Pelicans center Deandre Ayton had a monstrous game, 20 points along with 15 rebounds on 90% shooting from the floor. His game total helped propel the Lakers to the 118-102 victory over the Pelicans but wait there is more. The problem, it’s two fold, there are members of Laker Nation (and others) who claim, “Ayton should have similar games every night.” Then there are Laker Nation members who declare, “All we need from Ayton is 20 and 10, that’s what Shaq said and he should know.”

This is what I believe, Ayton’s should adopt both game plans i.e., score when called on but allow shooters Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves to run the offense effectively. The Lakers are yet to play a complete schedule, there are several tough games ahead in their schedule but I’ve seen an improvement in post play already. We discovered the reason why Jaxson Hayes was in a reserve role, he’s got NBA talent however its short of the play we’ve witnessed thus far from Ayton. Can Deandre Ayton lead the Lakers to the promise of an NBA championship that question remains unanswered at least for now. His skill level is certainly above that of Hayes so we shall see what unfolds for the balance of the season.

It was back to back as the Lakers continued travel facing the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday evening. The final score read Lakers 119 Bucks 95, the truth I didn’t know what to expect the outcome to be despite the fact the Bucks had also played the prior night. The Bucks held two early leads before double digits, after the teams reach that point it was all Lakers. They went over the top, threw them in various manners, turnovers and missed shots by the Bucks I looked up and discovered the Lakers had a 20 point lead and from there it was Luka and the boys placing a beat down on them. Luka led the way with 41 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists, he was assisted by Austin Reaves with his 28 points and 8 assists. Deandre Ayton registered his second double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds. This was one of those rare occasions when my wife sat and watched a portion of the game with me. She said “This (the Lakers) is a new team,” probably use to seeing Kobe, LeBron and company in Purple and Gold. I informed her there had been change since she last saw a Laker game. I pointed to the fact JJ Redick is new as well (although) he’s in his second year.

Moving ahead

You might remember the story regarding NBA Europe don’t you? Well just in case you don’t remember or didn’t read it a brief refresher. The NBA indicating it was looking toward the continent to expand the game. This would not be the Bulls playing a team from Paris or Berlin the Euro NBA teams would compete against one another, this was to be accomplished with a FIBA blessing. This week we learned NBA Europe might begin sooner than we expected, the indication it might be as soon as October 2027. This is from basketballnetwork.com:

According to Joe Vardon from The Athletic, Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne are expected to join the NBA Europe project. ALBA Berlin, which competed in the EuroLeague for the past 24 years up until this season, are also expected to receive a spot in NBA Europe, per Vardon. Vardon also adds that, even though Paris Basketball compete in the EuroLeague, the NBA is seeking a partnership with Qatari authorities, who own soccer powerhouse Paris Saint-Germain. According to BasketNews sources, Galatasaray Istanbul are expected to be the only NBA Europe team from Türkiye.

A portion from Basketballnetwork.com

Our northern neighbor

Why am I not worried about this development? I saw a publication and may have mentioned it previously. Someone pointed to the fact the 5 best basketball players in the NBA all were born outside the U.S. The nearest player to these shores on the list was SGA from Toronto Canada. I have difficulty including him in a list for a single reason, hometown for SGA is in the same time zone of New York City. Our northern neighbors speak the language in the same manner we do, they drive Fords and Chevys just like us. I suppose there are other similarities to mention however before I proceed allow me to personally thank our neighbor. Thank you for sending James A. Naismith our direction, if not for him we’d be playing football from the fall into spring. Okay I realize there is spring football but I hope you get my point. Best Canadian NBA player, hands down that is SGA I don’t believe that will cause an argument from any citizen of Canada or the U.S. for that matter. How about a little trivia, the first Canadian to play in the NBA was a guy by the name of Hank Biasatti.

You might find this interesting Biasatti was born in Italy but grew up in Windsor Ontario Canada located across the river (and border) from Detroit Michigan. Interesting in that he played but 6 games for the defunct Toronto Huskies of the BAA which preceded the NBA. His bio indicates he preferred to play baseball over basketball, which is interesting. From those early days we arrive at the name Ernie Vandeweghe, he was born in Montreal but his family moved to Long Island New York while Vandeweghe was a teen. He would attend Colgate (1945-1949) and in 1949 be drafted by the Knicks in the 3rd round. His NBA career lasted until 1956 playing shooting guard and small forward. Some folks even in Canada believe the Raptors or the Vancouver Grizzlies were the first NBA teams of the nation, not so. The honor belongs to the Toronto Huskies who begin play in inaugural season of the BAA (1946) and actually played the league’s first game. The team compiled a 22-38 record in their first season but ceased play in the summer of 1947. So there you have it a thumbnail sketch of Canada and its connection to the NBA, thank you Canada.

What to expect

I always expect an adjustment period for NBA rookies, doesn’t matter how high their profile might be. The most recent example for me is Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs. I was sold on Wemby early especially after seeing the two games his French Metropolitans 92 team played against G-League Team Ignite. His first year with the Spurs Wemby was voted NBA Rookie of the Year but it was more than simply winning an award. To borrow a term, Wemby seem to have the right stuff. Fast forward to fall 2025 and despite reading comments from some naysayers I see the same ingredient present in Cooper Flagg of the Dallas Mavericks.

Unlike Wemby its possible Flagg might not be named Rookie of the Year but that award is not as important to me as others. As an example there are players honored in that matter and no longer in the NBA after a brief time, I’m not talking injury I am saying their game was later found lacking. As for Flagg I am real patient considering the fact he reclassified and should be in the first semester of his college freshman season yet he’s in the NBA. I wrote this awhile back and continue to believe it, Flagg is not going to wow anyone with his game in a sense. He will simply do those things that will allow the Mavs to become a better team. Maybe in two or three years I will discover I’m wrong, perhaps Flagg cannot play successfully at the NBA level…I doubt it though.

A fans perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday-Sunday  

“It’s more than shooting the ball!”

I have a friend who played competitive basketball at the college level. Every time I mention the high point total of a player he always reminds me, “It’s more than shooting the ball!” He’s correct the only issue there is no reliable method for me or anyone for that matter to convey how good a game Steph, Wemby or Luka had without mentioning point totals. I cannot convey the number of great defensive plays they made, I can detail rebounds and assists but even that fails to convey the whole story so I am going to stop and talk points scored.

Friday night Steph Curry’s Golden State Warriors fought off Wemby and his San Antonio Spurs, the final score 109-108. Steph scored 49 points including the basket which sealed the win. As for Wemby and crew it was a different story as they came up short. Wemby scored 26 points pulled down 12 rebounds along with 3 blocked shots. Surprise Luka was not the leading scorer for the Los Angeles Lakers in their victory over the New Orleans Pelicans 118-104. It was Austin Reaves with 31 points and 7 assists but Deandre Ayton’s game must also be mentioned. The Laker Big Man scored 20 points along with 16 rebounds and 2 steals and 1 blocked shot, his best outing as a Laker. Not a point total but just the fact the Detroit Pistons have surprised me, they should be considered an Eastern Conference contender.

Sometimes history is kind

Many reading this will remember I wrote of my interest in the American Basketball Association. Interest to the point I am a member of a social media website, from time to time I encounter stories to share with you the reader. Most often I want any account to be as accurate as possible and that is the case here. The ABA went out of business in 1976 when four not all of its teams were absorbed into the NBA. Those teams added to the NBA were the San Antonio Spurs, Denver Nuggets, New Jersey Nets and Indiana Pacers. The beneficiary of this move were the remaining ABA owners and players, Dr. J., Moses Malone and others would go on to have sterling careers in the NBA. It’s my belief and I have no method to prove it the ABA is out of business by 1980 if not sooner, the owners were hemorrhaging money by this time.

Capital sustaining the league was scarce and would become even lesser as the years continued. That first season (1967) the ABA contained 11 teams, by the final season the league was down to 9 teams. That might not appear much attrition, however, take into consideration the number of moves during its existence. The Pittsburgh Pipers, Minnesota Muskies, New Orleans Buccaneers, Dallas Chaparrals, Houston Mavericks, Anaheim Amigos and Oakland Oaks no longer existed or had moved to other cities by 1976. The Chaparrals would relocate to San Antonio and were renamed the Spurs. As you can see a great deal of instability occurred in the 9 years of the existence of the ABA. It continues to be my belief (without offering a shred of proof) there was no true merger. The NBA “took in the ABA teams” they believed might be the most profitable, after all doesn’t money impact all moves? It’s my conviction that history might be more considerate to the ABA than what actually existed.

College basketball notes

Although Missouri and Kansas are no longer rivals after Missouri’s move to the SEC, animosity remains. The most recent example, recruiting talent. Depending on which scouting source utilized one placed Missouri at the top for the Class of 2026, another had Kansas in that position. While fans of both programs are arguing back and forth Michigan State moved ahead of both. Ethan Taylor 5-star center from metro Kansas City bypassed both schools announcing he was headed to Michigan State, this allowed Michigan State to move to the top position eclipsing both Missouri and Kansas.  247Sports moved Kansas into the number two position followed by Purdue and Missouri, Oklahoma State rounds out their top five.

Duke continues its recruiting at a high level under coach Jon Scheyer. They landed 5-star prospect Cameron Williams, he attends St. Mary’s High School in Phoenix, 247Sports list the 6-foot 11 Williams as the number 4 prospect in the Class of 2026. Consider this recruiting story, Duke was able to secure Williams commitment over the competition which included Texas, Arizona, Purdue and SMU. Duke was ranked number 23 but that was published prior to adding Williams to the latest count. He joins 4-star Bryson Howard a 6-foot 5 small forward from Frisco, Texas, and 4-star center Maxime Meyer 7-foot 1 from Bradenton, Florida.

I located an interesting account on a dot.com site highlights the fact that Larry Bird was reportedly enthusiastic about the prospect of attending the University of Kentucky. However, Bird appeared to have more interest in the Wildcats than they reciprocated; then-head coach Joe B. Hall indicated that Bird was "too slow a foot for their program." Subsequently, Bird spent a year at Indiana University before transferring to Indiana State and later joining the Boston Celtics. At the time, Joe B. Hall could not have anticipated that Larry Bird would eventually become known as "Larry Legend." Can we simply state Kentucky swung and missed on this one.

Bryce James, the son of a well-known basketball figure we might be familiar with is not expected to be a one-and-done athlete at Arizona. Head coach Tommy Lloyd has stated that James may be redshirted this season. As of this writing, the Arizona Wildcats have concluded three games, and James has yet to make his first appearance. Naturally, Lloyd provided no basis for Bryce not seeing any action as this is written. As for the differences between the brothers Bryce stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 195 pounds, is taller than his brother Bronny, though he is approximately 15 pounds lighter. Should Bryce be redshirted, it prompts consideration of whether a similar approach might have benefited Bronny, acknowledging that their circumstances differ.

A fans perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday-Sunday  

It begins anew  

The basketball season is now underway at both the collegiate and NBA levels. High school basketball is scheduled to start in December. In light of these developments, I have decided to introduce an additional publishing day. Starting next week, only Tuesday and Thursday will remain as non-publishing days, with the new revised schedule taking effect a Sunday edition  will be available. Adding an additional day it is my hope to provide as much additional content as I am able. Thanks to your loyalty to this blog and I look forward to continue publishing Off the Dribble.  

What if….

Michael Ray Richardson died on Tuesday of prostate cancer at the age of 70. He arrived in the NBA from the University of Montana in 1978 the 4th pick in the first round by the Knicks. Sugar as he was nicknamed was ‘Magic Johnson’ prior to the arrival of Earvin Jr., his ability to dish the ball to teammates was….well magic. He would play for three NBA teams, the Knicks and the Warriors briefly before ending his NBA career in 1986 with the Nets. Richardson was one of the first players in the league banned for life due to drug usage. He’d been tested positive for cocaine three times in three years, as a result commissioner David Stern issued a lifetime ban. Unable to play in the NBA Richardson would first play for a team in the United States Basketball League and later one in the Continental Basketball Association prior to heading for Europe to continue to play basketball.

In Europe he continued play successfully for a number of clubs. Prior to his retirement the NBA would allow him to return however Richardson preferred to remain in Europe for the balance of his basketball career. After retirement he would move into the coaching ranks however none of the jobs were in the NBA. Although Richardson never played again at home he did return, living in Lawton Oklahoma he and Nets teammate Otis Birdsong would put on youth basketball clinics for a time. “Richardson was the subject of the TNT Network 2000 film Whatever Happened to Michael Ray?, narrated by Chris Rock.” Sometimes athletes make statements that last a lifetime, former NFL Jets coach Herman Edwards; “You play to win the game, you play to win the game…hello.” Richardson had one as well, while a member of a Knicks team not particularly good when question said: “The ship be sinking.” As for the headline What if…Richardson was a 4 time NBA All Star player plus 2 time NBA All Defensive First Team, just a tiny portion of an outstanding NBA career impacted by drugs curtailing his career?

A portion from Wikipedia

Mizzou Class of 2026

Dennis Gates and staff are doing their darndest to raise the level of play for the Mizzou Tigers. Until they are able to compete effectively in the SEC they will remain an afterthought in the eyes of all excepting students, alumni and fans. Gates has used the transfer portal and high school prospects to build his program. During the summer of 2025 most recruiting sites placed Mizzou as the top recruiting school for the Class of 2026. The college basketball season has now begun and we are into the early signing period which lasts from this writing until November 19.

Mizzou would be ranked by several sites as having the top recruiting class for 2026 but ahead of the signing period what does the promise of the future hold for Mizzou? 5-star prospect guard Jason Crowe Jr. is ranked the number 5 prospect in ESPN’s Top 100. Ranked number 14 is 5-star prospect and power forward Toni Bryant. Rounding out the list thus far is Aiden Chronister a 4-star prospect and number 83 on ESPN’s list. As I have attempted to point out in the past on more than one occasion this list details little. There are prospects who immediately adapt to the level up play in college basketball. As for others they are slow to adjust and in some instances they never play at the skill level expected although that’s certainly not the hope for Gates. NOTE: This was written ahead of signings, all three have signed on the dotted line.

His next move

Golden State guard Steph Curry is on the downhill side of his brilliant NBA career. Despite that fact there is always one more move and this one is a little unusual at least I believe it is. In a manner similar to a large number of NBA players generally the signing is with Nike and that would be Curry. Curry drafted in 2009 left Nike in 2013 signing with Under Armour as his adopted shoe, large number of three’s have been sunk by Curry in his Under Armour shoe however the 2025-26 season would be the last. No…Curry is not retiring at least as far as I can determine.

Starting next season he will play in his own shoe, the Curry Brand which appears to be similar to the Michael Jordan move of the past. MJ’s Air Jordan’s are a separate division of Nike, apparently that will occur for Curry too. I have seen no photos of the Curry shoe although I’m assured sneakerheads have seen them and are ready to buy the new shoe just as soon as it hits the market. In any event I am sure Curry made large sums of $$$ for Under Armour during the time he wore them. Check out the shoes he’s wearing this season, according to sources he is now permitted to wear any shoe until his brand goes on the market next season.

A fans perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday

A beat down of epic proportions

I was certainly concerned, the Los Angeles Lakers would be facing the Thunder in Oklahoma City. It turns out my concern was legitimate, the defending NBA champion Thunder won the game 121-92. I am sure in their history the Lakers have lost a game badly however in recent memory it was nowhere close to Wednesday evening. The Lakers scored the first basket, 2-0 in their favor however that was about it. It seemed every shot the Lakers took missed or was contested, not only that, there was a Thunder defender in the face of the Laker shooter.

Luka Doncic led the way for the Lakers with 19 points but it was 7 for 20 from the floor, what is interesting the Thunder were outshot from three but that’s about it. Thunder shooters found the basket shooting a sizzling 50% from the floor while the Lakers shot a measly 40%, the 20 TO’s the Lakers suffered certainly didn’t aid the cause at all. Help is on the way, Gabe Vincent is healing and should be ready soon, rookie forward Adou Thiero who’s been sidelined due to surgery should also be ready to play. LeBron James is reported to be working out with the G-League South Bay Lakers so we should also see him soon as well. So despite the beat down there are positives for Laker Nation to look toward and this game must be placed in the rear view mirror.

Is he a center or power forward

The “he” in this instance refers to the San Antonio Spurs Victor Wembanyama. If you check ESPN’s website they list the 7-foot 5 Wemby as a forward, other sources record him as a power forward/center. It really makes sense to list Wemby at two positions, there’s never been a pure center in the NBA able to master a basketball at his skill level. Despite his triple double (31-15-10) the Spurs lost to the Golden State Warriors 125-120 Wednesday evening. Back to Wemby, one day he might equal a feat accomplished by only four other players in NBA history, i.e., a quadruple-double, points, rebounds, assists, blocked shots or steals. The four players who have achieved this rare accomplishment are Nate Thurmond, David Robinson, Alvin Robertson, and Hakeem Olajuwon.

It is important to note that the NBA did not begin recording blocked shots or steals until the 1973-74 season. While there is no available evidence to confirm it, it is plausible that Wilt Chamberlain also attained this distinction on multiple occasions. The NBA began the tracking process in the 16th and last season Chamberlain played. As for Kareem Abdul Jabbar, it’s possible he could have recorded a quadrable double too. Abdul Jabbar was in his 5 th year before tracking began. As for Victor Wembanyama, it is reasonable to project that, barring injury or early retirement, he will be regarded as one of the greatest players in NBA history. This assessment is based on his reputation as a dedicated student of the game, despite his youth. Moreover, his specific position on the court is of secondary importance, provided that he continues to demonstrate a high level of skill in his respective role.  

The Clippers  

I’ve written several columns on the Los Angeles Clippers, their history and personnel since their arrival in Southern California. As was pointed out after locating from Buffalo to San Diego (1978) they move again to Los Angeles in 1984 where they presently remain. Part of the issue as I see it, ownership under Donald Sterling was key to the Clippers generally being non-productive. Shortly prior to Sterling being forced out a change in play on the court began. After Steve Ballmer took over he promoted the team in grand style although they continued to play good but not great basketball. A number of outstanding players have worn Clipper jerseys over the years however the record indicates they were never able to rise to the level expected. There have been some good ones over the time of the Clippers time in Los Angeles.

Last year Ballmer opened his palace, the Intuit Dome. “The Palace” is my name for the arena Ballmer had constructed at his expense, did I mention Paul George and Kawhi Leonard along with Chris Paul and Blake Griffin? Those are but a few of the talented players discussed earlier for a variety of reasons unable to raise the Clippers to the level of championship contenders. We could use the old idiom, “Always a brides maid, never a bride” to describe basketball in Los Angeles for the Clippers. I was recently surprised to discover that a co-worker indicated he is a Clipper fan. If you live in and around Southern California that statement probably means little, this fan and I live in Kansas City Missouri. During our conversation, my co-worker indicated he’s got a buddy (also in Kansas City) who is a Clippers fan. Here with our NBA drought I’ve seen all manner of jerseys over the years…I’ve yet to see anyone wearing or admitting they were a fan of the Clippers that is until last week. NOTE: As this report was completed came word guard Bradley Beal would undergo surgery on his left hip, he would miss the season.

Jay Bilas and his Top 68

ESPN’s Jay Bilas provided us his Top 68 college teams for the 2025-26 season. Bilas places Purdue at number 1, Houston at 2, defending champion Florida number 3, UConn at 4 and Duke is listed at 5. In my part of the country Kansas is number 18 however ahead of them in the ratings of Bilas are Houston, Texas Tech, Iowa State, BYU and Arizona. Despite the fact they have retooled the program Kansas is likely to finish in the middle of the pack of the Big 12 i.e., in six place. As for Mizzou he places the Tigers at 35, Florida already mentioned is ahead of them. In addition, Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, Ole Miss, Auburn, Vanderbilt, Texas A&M and Texas.

Based on the Bilas projection Mizzou should finish even further down the line than Kansas in the SEC. It’s my belief Mizzou will end the season a couple of notches ahead of the Bilas projection…why? Mizzou has an intriguing prospect in Shawn Phillips Jr., the 7 foot 245 pound post player. In the school’s exhibition game against Kansas State Phillips Jr. scored 14 points and snatched 10 rebounds. In Mizzou’s regular season first game against Howard University it was 16 points and 11 rebounds, it appears Phillips Jr. is a double-double man. This is the portion of his story most interesting, spending 3 years at Arizona State he was a backup never starting a game. Dennis Gates recruited Phillips Jr. from the portal, hopefully this will prove to be a slam dunk asset.

A fans perspective 

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday

The hot seat became even hotter

My original plan was to report on Nico Harrison and the issues he was facing with the Dallas Mavericks. As most are aware Harrison was general manager of the team, notice I said WAS! I had to make drastic changes in the account I originally intended to write, we must delve into the past for detail. Harrison called Rod Pelinka of the Lakers and said, “How would you like to have Luka Doncic a member of your team.” Of course that’s what occurred, there were minor parts of the trade but it became Anthony Davis in exchange for Doncic February 2.

Moving ahead to the June 2025 draft the Mavs won the lottery securing the top pick, everyone and I do mean everyone was aware the Mavs would choose wunderkind Cooper Flagg of Duke. Why was Harrison fired, we only need look at the record of each team. The Lakers missing LeBron James since the season start, they were missing Luka as well for a number of games. Despite that fact they have raced out to an 8 win 3 loss record, the Mavs have 3 wins and 8 losses despite Cooper Flagg in the lineup. The Mavs slow start record caused many of the fans to become upset with Harrison once again. Apparently on Tuesday morning the easiest move for team ownership was to remove Harrison as general manager of the team. It was clear to all, trading a 26-year old superstar was not the fix required for the Mavs.

Block shot leaders 

In order to block shots one must always be alert to the opportunity, in addition a player must have a desire to keep the opponent from scoring. The NBA early leader in blocked shots in this season so far is San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama, I know you are saying that should be expected. The guy is nearly 10 feet tall, well that’s an exaggeration of his height however he is a legitimate 7-feet 5 inches in length. As this is written Wemby is the league leader with 3.78 blocks per game, that’s a dip below the 3.83 he registered last season of course he missed nearly half the season due to injury.

As for the shot blockers of the past they exceed Wemby’s single season numbers, Mark Eaton of the Jazz led the NBA in 1984-85 with 5.56 blocks and second to him was Manute Bol with 4.96 in 1985-86. Wemby is light years ahead of both in the offensive department. Nearest to Wemby is Elmore Smith who played for the Lakers in 1973-74, he blocked 4.85 shots per game. Smith, although not an offensive juggernaut was certainly outstanding compared to Eaton and Bol. This is certainly no intent on my part to indicate Wemby is on are even near the level of Celtic legend Bill Russell. Video was posted on a social media platform detailing four occasions opposition players refusing to shot the ball with Wemby in the vicinity.

A rich history

This brief study is based on the recent passing of the legendary Lenny Wilkens. It was reported he arrived at Providence University than began his lifelong career in the NBA. The university located in Providence Rhode Island has a rich basketball history dating back to the 1926-27 season, 99-years ago. Presently the Friars are coached by former Mizzou player Kim English. A rich coaching history exists at Providence, some of the names mentioned might be unfamiliar to you but they had much to do with the winning ways of this New England school.

One of those names was the late Joe Mullaney who coached the team from 1955-1969 prior to leaving for the professional ranks in the NBA and ABA. Dave Gavitt, who was the first commissioner of the Big East Conference also coached at Providence for a time. Of course Rick Barnes and Rick Pitino are names some might be more familiar with, both remain active coaches at Tennessee and St. John’s. The list of basketball talent who played at Providence is immense and several of the names are familiar to you. Billy Donovan current Bulls coach played for the Friars, so did Jimmy Walker and Marshon Brooks and the infamous Jim ‘Bad News’ Barnes. This exercise provides just a small look at the rich basketball history of this Rhode Island school. In closing I root for the school because of the head coaches connection to my home state of Missouri.

Meanwhile….   

Who is Nick Smith Jr. might be the question? For starters he was the 27th pick in the first round of the 2023 NBA draft by the Hornets. During this period he divided his time between the G-League Swarm and the parent club. He’s only 6-foot 2 and 185 pounds however Smith Jr. is a shooting guard. He was waived by the Hornets September 25, 2025, 4 days later he signed a two-way contract with the Lakers. Contracts of that nature entail spending time with a G-league affiliate however that might be a question to consider. As mentioned earlier Smith Jr. came off the Lakers bench scoring 25 points, which certainly aided the Lakers win. We don’t know at this point if his contract will be converted perhaps the Lakers are adopting a wait and see on his further development. On the other hand his slow NBA development could be attributed to his former team.  

I read a story on ESPN’s NBA page Monday regarding its view of the Top 100 college prospects in the 2026 NBA draft. A couple of notes, of the Top 10 named only two have observed their 19th birthday, that would be (number 5) Caleb Wilson 6-foot 10 freshman at North Carolina, he’s a power forward/center. Joining him is (number 6) Mikel Brown, a 6-foot 5 freshman point guard at Louisville. The other 8 players named all are 18 years of age and only a single prospect is in his sophomore year of college, that would be (number 9) Jayden Quaintance 6-foot 10 Kentucky center. What does this exercise prove, if this holds true for the June draft, once again youth will be served and the draft remains top heavy with freshman athletes.

A fans perspective 

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday

Breaking news

He was a giant of the game although Lenny Wilkens stood only 6-foot 1. Early Sunday evening came word this legend of the NBA had died at the age of 88. Wilkens from Boys HS in Brooklyn New York matriculated at Providence, in 1960 he was made a first round draft choice of the St. Louis Hawks. He would later play for the Seattle Sonics and Cavs and conclude his playing career with the Blazers. It would be his time as an NBA coach most are familiar with his name, he led 7 different NBA teams at times concluding his coaching career with the Knicks. Wilkens was enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame twice, once as a player and second as a coach, he was also inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame. Wilkens was a member of the 50th and 75th Anniversary NBA team, this is but a brief look at one of the giants of NBA basketball, R.I.P. Lenny Wilkens.

A stinker of a game

My headline might be a bit misleading, on the other hand if you are a Hawks fan you are pleased with the results Saturday night. After all the Lakers had gotten off to a swift start despite not having LeBron and Luka in and out of the lineup. The Lakers had registered 6 wins since the start of the season, in addition they were on a 5-game winning streak. Headed into the game Saturday evening I had no idea what to expect of this road game against the Hawks. I gained an immediate answer learning the Lakers had left their A-game on the west coast.

On the other hand the home team Hawks were missing a number of key players but it certainly didn’t turn out in that manner. Luka Doncic was the only Laker to play to the expected level, he led the way with 22 points and 11 assists. Most of the other Lakers failed to perform at the usual pace. Mouhamed Gueye led the way for the Hawks with 21 points on 66% shooting from the floor with 80% from three. Gueye was ably assisted by Zaccharie Risacher, Asa Newell and Vit Krejci. This was the first game of the road trip for the Lakers, tonight they face the Hornets and following that game on Wednesday is the Thunder and the trip concludes with games against the Pelicans and Bucks. In any event its possible LeBron James will begin play at a point during this road trip.

Flag(g) Day

Cooper Flagg’s early season performance has been a mixed bag. On the positive side, he’s averaging 14.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, and nearly 3 assists per game, while impressively shooting 100% from the free throw line. His lowest scoring game so far was a 2-point outing against the Thunder, and his highest was 22 points against the Raptors. However, Flagg’s overall shooting percentages show room for improvement—he’s making just 39.4% of his shots from the field and only 29% from three-point range. That said, these numbers are within expectations, and his scoring average may not significantly increase this season.

There is hope that his shooting accuracy, both from the field and beyond the arc, will improve as the season progresses. In a light-hearted comparison, one site noted the Lakers’ better record with Luka Doncic versus Flagg with the Mavs—an unfair comparison between an established NBA All-Pro and an 18-year-old rookie. It’s worth mentioning that Flagg, who reclassified to play at this level, would otherwise be a college freshman now. After games, Flagg is often seen signing autographs, reflecting on his experience by saying (paraphrased), “That used to be me once.”

Kansas-North Carolina

Two of the most storied college basketball teams in the nation met this past Friday. The North Carolina Tarheels played host to the Kansas Jayhawks, the television cameras caught two former coaches in the stands. Larry Brown played at North Carolina from 1960-1963 and his pro career lasted from 1967-1972. After his playing days Brown took on the role of head coach, one of the schools was Kansas where he coached them from 1983-1988 winning the 1988 NCAA championship. Roy Williams was a Carolina assistant when he headed west to coach at Kansas, from 1988-2003 he headed the program.

When Dean Smith retired the connection to Carolina led Williams back to coach the Tarheels, this was from 2003-2021. His Tarheel team won the NCAA championship in 2005, 2009 and 2017. As you can see Brown and Smith have deep connections to both schools. It isn’t clear which team had their support.  As for the game it was a night and day, the first half it was mostly Kansas and their outstanding freshman Darryn Peterson. The second half of the game the Tarheels blitzed the Jayhawks, the final score read number 25 North Carolina 87 and number 19 Kansas 74. Because it was two highly touted teams it was the best I’ve witnessed in this early college season.

Meanwhile…

The outcome of the exhibition game was not as important to Mizzou Nation as the revamped team. New faces would be in place for Mizzou, fans of the program most to see the new roster in action as much as the match against Kansas State which turned out to be a Mizzou win 100 to 91 over Kansas State. This Mizzou squad might average out taller than a number of NBA teams. They are comprised of  6-foot 11 Luke Norweather, 7-foot Shawn Phillips Jr., 6-foot 11 Jevon Porter, 7-foot 5 Trent Burns. The balance of the roster consists of several who are 6-foot 9 and 6-foot 10. One of the past issues of Mizzou basketball was often being outrebounded by the opposition. Rest assured all the height fails to serve a purpose unless they have the heart to win, it appears they might be on that road with this team. There are two definitions for the word colossus, my preference is the second one. “A person or thing of enormous size, importance, or ability.” I hope all three apply in the case of Mizzou basketball.

Remember what I wrote earlier about Duke basketball? No matter if you don’t, let’s just say I was anxious to see Cameron Boozer in action and I got my first opportunity recently. In an exhibition game against Tennessee he displayed his talent and skill before a national television audience. It wasn’t all smooth, his shooting from the floor was a bit off as for the balance of his game that was outstanding. 24 points, 23 rebounds and 9 for 11 from the free throw line plus he dished out 6 assists. The 6-foot 9 234 pound power forward demonstrated for all to see he’s arrived at the college level and is fully prepared to compete for Duke in the always tough ACC.

The Pac-12 might still remain a Power 5 conference although questions might remain. The conference has invited perennial basketball powerhouse Gonzaga, the Zags accepted the invitation and will depart the WCC for the Pac-12 at the end of this season. As for WCC they are not waiting around for qualifiers, they have invited the University of Denver to their conference. This move will occur in July 2026 as the school moves to the WCC. It’s not only Gonzaga joining the Pac-12 they will be accompanied by Boise State too. Power 5 conference schools play high level football, as you might remember reading recently Gonzaga has not fielded a football team since 1941. According to the history the school went on hiatus during World War II, after the war concluded the administration decided for a variety of reasons to not restart the football program. 

 

   

A fans perspective 

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday

Longtime student

For me it was baseball box scores, I discovered them at the youthful age of 10 I believe. I could uncover batting averages, earn one averages for pitchers and assorted other stuff. Much later it was the box score for basketball, throughout my life they have always interested me until recent years. Allow me to clarify, I remain interested it’s just the fact so much more has been added since the days of my youth. I might pose the question does it really aid a person in understanding what occurred in the game? I’m unsure if I have an answer however let’s check out additions to NBA box scores. These are not my definitions, they are AI generated I located on the web.    

USG% stands for usage percentage, which is a basketball statistic that estimates the percentage of a team’s offensive possessions a player uses while they are on the floor. It measures a player’s involvement in the offense by including their shooting attempts, free throw attempts, and turnovers, divided by the team’s total possessions. A player with a high USG% is heavily relied upon by their team’s offense, with star players typically having the highest usage rates.

TS% True Shooting Percentage in basketball measures a player’s scoring efficiency by accounting for field goals, 3-pointers, and free throws in one comprehensive metric.

TOV% stands for turnover, which is when a team loses possession of the ball to the opposing team before a shot is taken. While it can also refer to turnover percentage, an advanced statistic that estimates turnovers per possession, the primary meaning is the loss of the ball itself.  

PER In basketball, PER stands for Player Efficiency Rating, a single-number metric created by John Hollinger to measure a player's overall productivity per minute. It is calculated by adjusting positive and negative statistical contributions for pace and minutes played, with a league average set at 15.00. 

After you’ve studied these basketball terms don’t you feel as if your basketball knowledge has risen exponentially? That was a joke, if you judge them to be useful to you I certainly recommend they be used. On the other hand if you consider they are unneeded you certainly know what to do at this point.

A serious matter

I read the Friday morning news on ESPN’s NBA page, one of the stories I read indicated that former NBA player Damon Jones had pleaded not guilty to his involvement in the gambling scandal impacting the NBA. Jones out on bail is due to return to court on November 24. As you recall Jones plus current player Terry Rozier and Blazer coach Chauncey Billups were the most featured names in this betting/gambling probe. Despite “Nuclear Headlines” from most sources when the story first broke these three (to date) have been the only names connected thus far. At the time we received the news most probably guessed there would be a large number of players named.

To date the three named individuals are the only named connected to the NBA. At the slow pace this is developing its likely we go into 2026 with no more information than we have at present, as I wrote weeks ago this is an embarrassment to the NBA. There is nothing the NBA can accomplish attempting to speed up the process, the legal system moves at its own pace. This is a slowly developing story and there will be a time prior to it being resolved. If, for example, you are one of those who believe there is cheating going on at all levels that outlook will continue to prevail for you. There is no argument that will convince you to consider anything other than your conviction. Conversely, if you take into account the possibility that there could be some cases of misconduct you are also stating there is no large scale corruption.

It’s different

Someone who’s played the game at a high level might disagree…heck some of you who haven’t played might differ. In any event it’s always been my belief guards adapt to new teams different from other positions. Guards especially those who play the point adapt differently from other position players. All that to explain why I don’t wish the Lakers to make a trade for Ja Morant. There are rumors circulating throughout the NBA that the Grizzlies are entertaining an effort to find him a new home. Seeing him first play at Murray State (KY) it was my belief at the time he’s got NBA talent, sure enough I was proven correct.

It’s the other part of his personality I was unable to see. There is no denying the talent portion of Morant it’s the other stuff that leads me to believe he’s not good for a team. Mistakes made in the past are forgivable until one continues to build on them with others. Morant is now 26-years old no longer the baby-faced kid who embraced the NBA in 2019. Excuse the play on words, the ball is clearly in his court…there is no requirement for Morant to do anything other than make a commitment to himself. Doesn’t matter if it’s the Grizzlies or some other NBA team, my hope its not the Lakers. On the other hand I’ve seen a few knuckleheads I’d hope would never wear Purple and Gold did just that. If Morant becomes a Laker I will reluctantly accept him.

A plan   

There was a plan, the stories been told numerous times. Austin Reaves said to NBA scouts and teams, “don’t draft me, I will choose the team I want to play for.” That sounds quite arrogant for an unproven college player but that’s what he said after first playing at Wichita State and later the University of Oklahoma. Indeed he went undrafted in the 2021 NBA draft but he arrived in that first Laker training camp relatively unknown. That was then, this is now…the entire world is familiar with the name Austin Reaves. He actually came to the forefront previously but in this early season has really blossomed.

With LeBron missing first and Luka Doncic later someone had to step up and lead the way for the Lakers, that would be Austin Reaves. After 6 games he is scoring 32 points per game however it’s not only his scoring. Reaves is 91% from the free-throw line while dishing out 9 assists and grabbing nearly 4 rebounds. By the way in 38 minutes he is shooting 50.4% from the field with 36.2% behind the three line. Will he keep up this pace once LeBron returns to the lineup…not likely however he’s proven when called on he can produce. I’ve long been convinced NBA teams don’t require All NBA pros at each position on the court, they require guys willing to step up and provide whatever is needed by their team. If we look closely Austin Reaves is that guy so far this season.