Basketball from a fans perspective

Say what

Laker guard Austin Reaves is having a career year, despite that fact his name continues to circulate in NBA circles. He is not being discussed for his play rather it’s a barrage of trade rumors, it seems almost daily Reaves name and several other Lakers are listed in a proposed trade. This is my problem, I don’t want him swapped unless it’s for a superstar type player.

I realize these are simply rumors however several of the names mentioned certainly have not fit the criteria I believe is significant. Allow me to provide you at least two names I’ve read who are okay under certain conditions. Two of the names included are Zach LaVine and Giannis Antetokounmpo, which certainly appeal to me with some exceptions. In the NBA, the salaries must be a condition of a trade, in order to acquire Antetokounmpo one writer had the Lakers trading Reaves along with Jaxon Hayes, Rui Hachimura plus Dorian-Finney Smith. As it stands currently they would trade three starters plus a valuable reserve for Antetokounmpo…that’s far too much for me.

Of course I’m not Rod Pelinka so I certainly have no ability to void such a trade. Unless a move was made ahead of time the Lakers would lose their center a position Antetokounmpo talented as he is does not play. Reaves is no superstar however for someone who was undrafted he’s proven quite a talent. In closing someone wrote “He benefits from playing with LeBron and now Luka.” My response is why not, should a player not attempt to avail themselves of the talent surrounding them.   

Retirement

This narrative focuses on two noteworthy players, although others are mentioned in similar circumstances. Junior Bridgeman, who recently passed away, was an exceptional NBA player during his career. Bridgeman may have been an even more accomplished businessman. Playing from 1975 to 1987, he spent most of his career with the Bucks but also had stints with the Clippers before returning to the Bucks to conclude his career. During his playing days, NBA salaries were significantly lower than they are today; it has been noted that Bridgeman earned about $3 million during his career but never more than $300,000 in any single season.

Nevertheless, through successful business ventures, Bridgeman at the time of his death had parlayed his NBA earnings into $1.4 billion became a billionaire, he even acquired 10% of the Bucks, the team he was a member. Carlos Boozer, another former NBA player, spent most of his career with the Utah Jazz after playing at Duke. Similar to Bridgeman, Boozer wisely invested his earnings, amassing a net worth of approximately $60 million. Other prominent athletes, such as Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal, LeBron James, and Michael Jordan, have also made investments securing their financial future beyond their playing careers. While LeBron remains an exception by continuing his career, it is important to note that most athletes retire by the age of 35 or 36. This leaves a considerable amount of life to live, particularly if provisions for post-playing days have not been made.

Politics

There is a line drawn in the sand and through the headline for a specific reason. Throughout the years of publication of Words eye view now re-titled Off the Dribble I have attempted to refrain from covering politics 99% of the time. This is the 1% because the politics have moved into the basketball world. I am unsure of the timing why this issue was raised Saturday evening while Duke was battling Houston but here goes. Secretary of State Marco Rubio sent out a tweet indicating visas of Sudanese would be immediately revoked.

There would be no future visas issued for those individuals from South Sudan until deportees are accepted. You are asking the question, “How is basketball impacted by a US government action?” Duke has a potential NBA lottery pick on its team 7 foot 2 250 pound Khaman Maluach. It doesn’t matter if he remains in school or heads for the NBA as a resident of South Sudan he’s got visa issues. The NBA Suns have 7 foot 3 220 pound Bol Bol on their roster, he too is from South Sudan and would also be in danger of being deported. I singled out these two however I’m quite sure there are others on college rosters or in the NBA from South Sudan. How is this move going to impact Maluach, Bol and others in the future only Rubio can answer.

Steve Ballmer

I saw highlights of a Clippers game the other evening from the Intuit Dome, I thought to myself this is how it’s handled. Two teams belong in their own arenas, the Lakers and Clippers sharing Crypto.com all these years was likely inconvenient for all parties. It was reported that the Clippers ranked behind the Lakers, NHL Kings and other events held in the arena at the time they planned their schedule. Consider this fact, at the time the Nets moved into the city I never read anything indicating a shared agreement with MSG and the Knicks. It was probably never approached in that manner because Nets owners at the time wanted their own building. 

Back to Los Angeles the shared arrangement was the choice of former Clipper owner Donald Sterling. The Clippers had played in a number of sites throughout the Los Angeles Metro. Once Crypto.com (then Staples Center) was under construction a decision was made to move downtown. At the time Doc Rivers was coaching the Clippers the most egregious detail was building maintenance covering the Laker retired jerseys at the coaches request. I applaud owner Steve Ballmer for having the vision and the financial clout to have a landmark arena constructed in Inglewood. When I first mentioned this to an acquaintance several years ago he said; “There’s no place in Los Angeles to build an arena” boy was he wrong.

The portal and more….

I am unsure of the number last year, this recently completed college season has seen 1,729 players announce their intention to transfer to another school. In some instances rosters of teams have been literally gutted with transfers. “Okay Houston, we’ve had a problem here” were the words uttered by Apollo 13 astronaut Jack Swigert. We do have a problem however it has nothing to do with Houston or landing on the moon, it’s more an earthbound issue with college basketball.

Do you realize in the transfer portal there are several teams that have lost more than half of their rosters? Losing players to graduation or eligibility issues is commonplace, losing your roster because of transfers is a far different matter. Who is prepared to address this issue? Is the NCAA organized enough to issue guidelines on how the transfer portal should work? It seems it was implemented without much guidance regarding how it was to be put into practice. This list is compiled from 247Sports.com, I decided to stop with the top 8 schools who apparently have lost players to the portal, check the schools and number of players each lost:

Virginia-11

Miami-10

Iowa-10

Maryland-9

UCF-8

South Carolina-8

Florida State-8

Indiana-7

Basketball from a fans perspective

The decision

Today through next Sunday, Off the Dribble will continue publishing according to the regular schedule. Starting next Monday, the new publication dates will be Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. Please note that this schedule is subject to change, so keep an eye open for updates. Thank you for continuing to follow this blog, if you enjoy it I’d appreciate you pointing it out to friends and acquaintances. As a help to your friends the link is included for you to send them:  

https://larry-laker.blogspot.com/

No requirement

I will not elaborate on either game as both were witnessed by a world-wide television audience. In addition there were more than 68,000 fans and media gathered inside San Antonio’s Alamodome. The Florida Gators and Houston Cougars can indeed be dubbed "The Comeback Kings" based on their performances. Both teams exhibited remarkable resilience, exemplifying the phrase, "They snatched victory from the jaws of defeat." Predicting the winner of tonight's championship battle is difficult based on what occurred Saturday afternoon and evening. Prior to the actual game tonight, we should anticipate an exciting and well-executed NCAA Championship finale. I do however have one complaint, I am reading critical remarks regarding Cooper Flagg missing “the shot.”

The box score for Flagg read in 36 minutes of action he shot 42% from the floor and 75% from three for a total of 27 points. From the free-throw line it was 100%, in addition Flagg pulled down 7 rebounds had 4 rebounds and 3 block shots along with 2 steals and only 1 turnover. If that appears a defense for Flagg that would indeed be the case, despite his All-American status his missed shot at the end was not the reason Duke failed to advance. I thought about how bad Flagg must have felt missing what could have been a game winner. I was reminded of this Michael Jordan quote: “I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times, I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over again in my life, and that is why I succeed.”

Laker victory

Games on NBA TV are blacked out in the Kansas City market, I did not see this game. What you are about to read is strictly the box score. The final read Lakers 126 Thunder 99 a shocker to me and I am sure fans of both teams. The Lakers shot a blazing 54.8% from the floor and an equal 55% from the three line. The smaller Laker lineup outrebounded the Thunder 43 to 34, what else occurred? SGA played his usual steady game for the Thunder but it appeared it must have been the Lakers 5 against SGA alone. LeBron had a “pedestrian” 19 point game but dished out 7 assists to teammates.

Luka led in scoring 30 points along with 6 assists and 7 rebounds followed by Austin Reaves 20 points. The bench contributed to the blowout victory with Dorian Finney-Smith’s 14 points and Gabe Vincents 12. From checking the box score it seems the Thunder appeared to be outplayed in this game from start to finish. As the season closes out the Lakers play the Thunder again on Tuesday followed by Luka’s return to Dallas on Wednesday and Friday will see cauldron them return home to face the Houston Rockets. These are tough games as the Lakers attempt to hang onto the 3rd slot in the Western Conference playoff race. They are certainly preparation for the caldron the Lakers will soon face. 

Meanwhile…

For the 4th time in the 64 year history the Associated Press Player of the Year has named a freshman, the honor goes to Cooper Flagg of Duke. He received 41 of the 641 votes cast, Johni Broome of Auburn finished second in the voting. We should enjoy the 6 foot 9 205 pound Flagg while he’s at Duke, I have a feeling he will not be a student very much longer. The shook for me is he decides to remain in school deferring the $$$ and the opportunity to play in the NBA now. What do you think, do you agree with me he’s on a path to shake Adam Silver’s hand June 26. The draft this year will be a two night event but for our purposes its only the one date of our focus.

I hope no one believes the transfer portal is perfect, it needs some refinement. Check out the moves of AJ Storrs, he is experienced a season below expectations which places him on the move once again. The 202-23 season saw him playing for St. John’s, the following season it would be Wisconsin. Of course I just mentioned he is leaving Kansas for a yet to be determined location. This follows a pattern of 4 high schools in 4 years for Storrs, who’s prepared to address this issue, the NCAA is partially responsible for the portal. 

On Friday Maryland center Derik Queen declared for the June NBA Draft, this was not surprising. Although I’ve only seen highlights of him in action the 6 foot 10 246 pound center’s name has been listed all season long on the three mock draft sites I generally utilize. Queen is listed as the number 12 pick on nbadraft.net, on tankathon.com it’s 10 and nbadraftroom.com places Queen in 9th place. These mock sites are certainly no guarantee of anyone’s draft position but as you can gather in all likelihood he will likely be a lottery choice. One more thing, Queen continues the trend of one and done athletes at the top of the NBA Draft each season.

I wanted to briefly revisit the B.J. Armstrong statement detailed in yesterday’s Off the Dribble. The former NBA claimed, “Half the teams in the NBA are tanking,” I question it once again, there are 30 franchises in the Association. According to Armstrong 15 of them are losing games on purpose. 1. Provide us proof of your statement and 2. What is the benefit for teams failing to earn a lottery position in losing. As with anyone he’s entitled to his own opinion but to make such an inflammatory statement and not back it up with any proof…well.

Basketball from a fans perspective

What is wrong with him (and others)?

Former NBA player B.J. Armstrong is the latest player that has fallen out of bed and bumped his head. This from NBA on ClutchPoints, “The league has changed. Half of the teams are tanking. So let me know…should I be impressed or should I…I respect what the Thunder have done, I respect the players. However, here’s the era where it is what it is.” I could buy the argument there are some teams unnamed who are tanking, half the league is a strong statement. Hey B.J., if that’s the case what is the purpose for them to play (other than being paid). I will entertain your take if you provide me one iota of proof of your statement.

Best NBA prospect ever?

I was only able to read the headline of the Washington Post story, as I am not a subscriber, so I must speculate on what they have written. In any event, the two writers claim that Cooper Flagg is the best NBA prospect that Duke has ever produced. I could only read the headline to the Washington Post story, I’m not a subscriber so I’ve got to guess what they may have written. In any event two writers profess Cooper Flagg is the best NBA prospect Duke’s ever produced. While I acknowledge his potential, determining if he is truly the best ever will require thorough research. Although I would place myself in the group that sees his potential the best ever will take some research on my part. To begin this quest to uncover Duke’s greatest NBA prospect, I recall Grant Hill, who played at Duke from 1990-1994 and is enshrined in both the Naismith and College Basketball Hall of Fame. 

Where do I begin this pursuit to uncover the best Duke NBA prospect ever? I reflected on a recent account of Grant Hill, he played at Duke from 1990-1994 and is enshrined in the Naismith and College Basketball Hall of Fame. Hill was selected third overall in the first round of the 1994 draft. Another notable player, Christian Laettner, played from 1988-1992 and was the sole collegiate athlete on the 1992 Dream Team. Laettner was also the third overall pick in the first round of the 1992 draft. Elton Brand played at Duke from 1997-1999, entered the NBA as the first overall pick in the first round of the 1999 draft. More recently, Zion Williamson, after playing his freshman season, was made the top pick in the 2019 draft. With these examples in mind, one might question whether the excitement surrounding Flagg is justified, or if it is influenced by today’s social media presence. This is unlike Hill, Laettner, and Brand, who played in an era with minimal social media impact, different metrics may have been used to gauge their potential.

I was curious

Although the game was at home I was curious how the Warriors would adapt to a back to back. They had beaten my Lakers on Thursday night in Los Angeles and they would face the Nuggets in this one. In the first quarter the Nuggets were “cooking,” they raced out to a 12-point lead…Warrior tired legs from the prior night? Well that lead didn’t last, the half-time score found the Warriors in front 66-60, you are asking what occurred? Interesting in that the Nuggets outshot the Warriors from the floor 54.1% to 48.9% and they outrebounded the Warriors by a slight margin.

For the second night in a row the Warriors managed an impressive 42.1% from the three line which contributed to the win. Who is Brandin Podziemski, he followed his impressive shooting against the Lakers with 26 against the Nuggets. Jimmy Butler rebounded from his less than stellar game the prior night with 19 points. As per usual Steph Curry led the Warriors with 36 points on 54% shooting. The Joker led the Nuggets with 33 points, 12 rebounds and 9 assists, Michael Porter Jr. contributed 23 points. Besides these names plus Braun and Gordon the Nuggets received little help from their reserves. Despite the fact the Warriors had heavy legs they managed to prevail in the end, final score 118 Nuggets 104.

World Basketball Association

Basketball was invented by James A. Naismith, a Canadian who was living and teaching in the United States. It is regarded as an original invention, unlike many sports that are derivatives of others. The National Basketball Association (NBA) has retained its title despite the increasing inclusion of international players. This growth in global participation can be largely attributed to initiatives led by David Stern, who promoted basketball worldwide during his tenure as commissioner.

The international expansion of basketball occurred through various direct and indirect methods. American players who did not enter the NBA often played in Europe, along with former NBA veterans. Additionally, NBA players visited Europe and China to conduct workshops. The growth of FIBA and basketball’s inclusion in Olympic events also contributed to its global presence. NBA teams have played exhibition and regular-season games in Europe, Mexico, and China, facilitating the creation of NBA Africa and NBA China. The National Basketball League in Australia has also grown significantly. These developments explain why top NBA draft picks for two consecutive seasons have come from France.

Meanwhile….

Ja Morant has once again faced disciplinary action, receiving fines from the NBA for conduct twice this week for making finger-gun gestures. Despite his exceptional talent on the court, issues seem to frequently arise around him. Fans are puzzled by his recent behavior, which suggests an adoption of a "gangsta" attitude. It is crucial for Morant to amend his demeanor, as failure to do so could jeopardize his position in the NBA. The league may be compelled to take further action if these issues persist, which would be unfortunate given his potential and contribution to the sport.

Who won last night's games between Auburn or Florida? And what about Houston versus Duke? Auburn and Houston have never won an NCAA Championship, whereas Duke and Florida have. Duke's most recent victory was in 2015, when they defeated Wisconsin under Coach K's leadership. Florida secured back-to-back championships in 2006 and 2007 under Billy Donovan who is now the head coach of the Chicago Bulls. The four teams are evenly matched, making the outcome unpredictable. To compete for the championship on Monday, each team must secure a win tonight.

Basketball from a fans perspective

A decision

As I indicated earlier the college basketball season will end on Monday April 7. There will be a lesser number of college news stories to report, based on that fact Off the Dribble will began publishing three days a week. I am undecided on which day of the week, however, as we arrive closer to the date the schedule will be published. As always I thank you for being a loyal reader of this blog, I hope you will continue to be a reader of this effort to provide you basketball content from a fan’s perspective. 

They forgot

Luka Doncic blamed himself for the Warriors' 123-116 win over the Lakers, but it was a team effort. The Lakers struggled to catch up throughout the game. Their shooting was consistent except from beyond the three-point line, where the Warriors excelled, leading to the final score disparity. Steph Curry delivered his usual performance with 37 points, and Brandin Podziemski, with his 28 points, also increased the possibility of a Warrior victory.   the decisive I was a tiny bit surprised, Jimmy Butler did not meet expectations I expected on Thursday, scoring only 11 points.

Jonathan Kuminga contributed from the Warriors' bench with 18 points and 9 rebounds. Rui compensated for Luka’s scoring, adding 24 points, and both LeBron (33 points) and Reaves (31 points) contributed to the Lakers' total. The Lakers’ reserves were largely ineffective due to the Warriors' defensive efforts. Despite my personal preference for the home team to win it didn’t occur, the Warriors demonstrated their superiority on Thursday evening. Another area that stood out for me the reserves, the visitors were clearly better. Since I am a “glass half-full guy versus one who sees a half empty glass this would be my response. You can do all you can as an individual, there comes a time there are others who must step up and resume normal.

Poor Kansas 

Wow, how the mighty have fallen! Friday morning news with this notice, there are only 3 scholarship players remaining at Kansas. 6 players announced their intention to enter the transfer portal, now some could return however for the first time Bill Self and Kansas fans must face this reality. The college basketball landscape has changed, as mentioned yesterday they must improvise, adapt and overcome. Some reading this will believe I am hatin’ on Kansas basketball that is not the case.

It’s my belief that several fans of Jayhawk Nation have failed to adapt to what might be the new normal for the program. I continue to write over and over the college basketball landscape has changed but I see little proof most believe that fact. As for who believes this to be the case, Bill Self plus his staff. Who refuses to believe and remains in the past is Jayhawk Nation, the team from Lawrence Kansas can no longer dominate the Big XII as they once did. Not only has NIL and the transfer portal come into existence so have new competitive conference schools. The league is now Houston (winners of the last two conference championships), Arizona and others who are quite noteworthy.

This is a problem…really

Cooper Flagg was lamenting the fact he’s forced to wear Nike because of Duke’s affiliation with the company, he’s got a shoe and apparel contract with New Balance. Well it might be a problem for Flagg but at an earlier time a comparable situation occurred and this involved Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley. Nike was a fledgling company in 1984 nothing close to the monolithic conglomerate they have since become, Converse was Bugatti priced back then.

Sidebar here, Nike purchased Converse in 2003, the two competitors are now one company. As for Michael Jordan while playing at North Carolina wore Converse shoes and apparel. However that was not the main problem that would occur much later in MJ’s career. The 1984 Olympic Dream Team’s supplier for shoes and apparel was Reebok, MJ and Charles Barkley who were Nike sponsored covered their jersey’s in order to not reveal the logo of a competitor, I’m unsure how they handled their shoe issue. This suggestion for Flagg is really a non-issue, he’s got at most two games to wear Nike, just ignore the swoosh on the shoe and apparel he wears, if he decides to head for the heads NBA in the fall that will become a non-issue.

Lakers mock draft

This is written in the belief this outcome could occur, on the other hand the Lakers might trade for a post player or gain one through free agency. Of course we are discussing a veteran, if that doesn’t transpire then we must look toward the draft and who would that be? Before beginning this exercise allow me to state the pick must be a second round because the Lakers have no first round pick. Who are these potential post players:

Dawson Garcia 6 foot 11 234 Minnesota

Maxime Raynaud 7 foot 1 245 Stanford

Tomislav Ivisic 7 foot 1 255 Illinois

Daniel Wolf 7 feet 250 Michigan

Ryan Kalkbrenner 7 foot 1 270 Creighton

Khaman Maluach 7 foot 2 250 Duke

Hansen Yang 7 foot 1 249 China   

The last name on the list Yang is a long shot, he might be considered a work in progress although it’s reported his footwork is good. There are 6 names listed here, now comes the disclaimer. There is a distinct possibility one or more of the names listed might be drafted ahead of the Lakers pick. In addition as usual, none of those named are seniors, they might declare for the draft change their mind and return to school, that is also a possibility. The issue for me I don’t wish to see another Ivica Zubac either passed over in the draft or chosen and later traded.

Basketball from a fans perspective

A bit of trivia

There is another NBA record that will likely remain with just these two players. In the history of the NBA (1946) only two players in the league history have been Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player in the same season. The first name might be more familiar than the other but they are Wilt Chamberlain with the Philadelphia Warriors and Wes Unseld of the Baltimore Bullets, interesting in that both were centers. Chamberlain was first to accomplish the feat gaining the honor in 1960, years later in 1969 Unseld was able to gain the honor as well: No block shot totals exist for the pair, the NBA did not begin to track them until the 1973-74 season. 

Chamberlain 37.6 points, 27.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists

Unseld 13.8 points, 18.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists

What happened was

The American Basketball Association was born in 1967 with 11 teams throughout the nation. Of course you are aware expansion by the NBA in 1976 took in the 4 most profitable teams. The Pacers, Spurs, Nets and Nuggets moved into the older league while other teams were dissolved. What happened was…what if there had been no ABA because the “other” league was still operating. The American Basketball League began play in 1961 consisted of 8 teams with the Kansas City Steers being one of the leagues franchises. The ABL was quite innovated with its approach to the game, it was this league and not the ABA that first utilized a 3-point basket. In addition instead of a 24-second clock the ABL utilized a 30-second clock, they had an 18-foot wide free throw lane while the NBA was at 12 feet. Later the NBA would also widen its lane to 16 feet. How did the ABL come into existence you ask?

In the early days of the NBA they couldn’t draw fans so the Harlem Globetrotters would often play first and then the NBA game. This arrangement worked successfully for both however this is where it becomes messy. The late Abe Saperstein owner of the Trotters believed there was a deal in place. Saperstein was promised an NBA franchise in Los Angeles, of course that would not be as Bob Short then owner of the Lakers was allowed to move his team from Minneapolis to Los Angeles. Saperstein believing he’d was betrayed began his own league to compete with the NBA. ABL ownership was under financed which forced the league to cease operations after one full season and ½ of the following. The Kansas City Steers lost the first championship series to the Cleveland Pipers 3 games to 2. The 1962-63 season, which closed in December saw the Steers crowned ABL Champions. Once the league went out of business a number of coaches and players found their way to NBA jobs. This is the brief history of the even briefer American Basketball League.

Meanwhile….

This quote comes from the 1986 movie Heartbreak Ridge with Clint Eastwood in the lead role. Gunnery Sergeant Thomas Highway (Eastwood) informed his recon team when he first took over, “We’re paid to improvise, overcome, adapt.” That’s should be adopted by college basketball coaches today, this is not your father’s Big XII Conference. What is interesting to me the greatest number of complaints regarding the portal and Name, Imagine & Likeness have come from coaches who’s teams for a variety of reasons failed to succeed. A coach recruits that portal player believing he fits the coaches system, it’s soon determined that is not the case. It’s the same case, recruiting a high school youngster and later discovering he can’t fit your system. The college basketball landscape has changed, coaches must improvise, overcome and adapt.

He's got a vivacious wardrobe, allow an explanation. There are several generations of Knicks fans who primarily recognize Walt 'Clyde' Frazier for his distinctive suits and his role as a commentator on the MSG Network. Known by the nickname Clyde, he was instrumental in the Knicks’ two NBA Championship victories. He has been inducted into both the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the College Basketball Hall of Fame, highlighting his exceptional college and NBA career with the Knicks. Following his retirement, Clyde transitioned seamlessly into a role as a color analyst for the Knicks, where he has become a fixture alongside play-by-play announcer Mike Breen. Regarding his attire, it is best described as unique and unparalleled, with a sense of style that is exclusively his own.

The battle is now officially over, Marc Lore and his business partner Alex Rodriguez are assuming ownership of the Wolves and WNBA Lynx. The sale of these franchises had been held up like forever by Glen Taylor owner, he claimed Lore and Rodriguez had failed to make a payment which the partners denied. Back and forth they went in court until an arbitrator was appointed to settle the dispute. The arbitrator sided with Lore and Rodriguez in February and Taylor is no longer challenging the sale. It is also being reported the two business partners added others to the ownership group. So maybe the longest running sale for an NBA franchise in history has finally concluded.

Dylan Harper of Rutgers has declared for the June draft which is not a true surprise. It had been rumored since the beginning of the college season he was likely to be a one and done freshman. The 6 foot 6 inch 215 pound Harper was a McDonald’s All American prior to his single season at Rutgers. As for the NBA Draft depending on which site was utilized Harper was projected as high as the number 2 pick and as low as the number 4. Harper is one of the son’s of former NBA player Ron Harper who played for the Cavs, Bulls and Lakers.

Have you noticed

This occurs with many team sports, there are several that struggle to achieve success. The challenge could be related to the roster, the management, or ownership. It is important to note that maintaining a top position in team sports is extremely difficult. Because this is a basketball blog that will be our focus here, specially the NBA. The follow history will detail a few teams who consistently faced challenges. Our study begins with the Washington Wizards, they ended the 2017-18 season with 43 wins and 39 losses. Since then, have experienced seven consecutive losing seasons. They are not alone in their futility, we have the Sacrament Kings to explore.

They have shown improvement as this is written they are hovering around .500, for two consecutive seasons the Kings had winning records even earning a playoff berth last season. Prior to that they were beyond a doubt the worst team in the NBA, from the 2006-07 season until 2023-24, they experienced 16 consecutive losing seasons. The last team we’ll look at is the Detroit Pistons, they are currently improving however from the 2008-09 season onward, they only had two winning seasons (2015-16 and 2018-19). It is evident that three key elements are necessary for success on the basketball court: a talented roster, a good coach, and a cooperative front office working towards creating a winning team.

Basketball from a fans perspective

He was present for the historic event

Tom Meschery is a name from the NBA’s history that few may recall. Meschery, now 86 years old, had a notable 10-year career in the league, spending six of those years with the Warriors. In 1967, the team retired his number 14 jersey, which currently hangs in the rafters at the Chase Center. Additionally, Meschery was part of the Warriors lineup on the night Wilt Chamberlain scored his famous 100-point game. In today's era of social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook, some question the authenticity of Chamberlain's scoring feat, likening it to phenomena like Bigfoot, crop circles, and UFOs, skeptics often ask, "Where's the video?"

This historic game took place March 2nd,1962 when the NBA was a major league in name only. Television coverage back then was limited, with only a weekly game broadcast, far less extensive than today. We have weekly double-headers on TNT and ESPN in addition to a Saturday or Sunday game. There is NBA League Pass the complete 82 games for cable and satellite customers if they desire. At that time, there were only nine teams in the NBA compared to the 30 of today. The league occasionally held home games at alternative venues. The match against the Knicks on the night of Chamberlain's record-breaking performance was held in Hershey, Pennsylvania, approximately 100 miles east of Philadelphia. Fewer than 5,000 spectators attended the game; yet, along with Meschery, others may have witnessed the historic event. In the game Chamberlain made 36 field goals and, despite his reputation for poor free-throw shooting, remarkably succeeded in making 28 of 32 attempts.

The lasting evidence of this achievement is a photograph of Chamberlain holding a placard with the number 100 written on it. A radio broadcast of the final quarter was later discovered and is now preserved at the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. After retiring from professional basketball, Meschery embarked on a career as a high school English and creative writing teacher, he’s also a poet. His daughter would become an educator too, the story goes the subject of the Chamberlain game was discussed and her middle school students didn’t believe it occurred. With her father’s assistance she had this video shot and presented to her class. Some might still refuse to believe Meschery, the choice is strictly yours.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Efg-AxeQv4

The look ahead

For the most part college basketball, which impacts the NBA Draft is over except the NCAA Tournament with 4 remaining schools. It’s April and there could be changes between now and the June draft however let’s take a brief look. All three mock drafts I routinely follow continue to place Duke’s Cooper Flagg at the top, at this point a change would only be forthcoming should he decide to return to school in the fall. What about my Lakers, later you will read my critique of Big Men possibilities but for now these are the thoughts of others. As an example nbadraftroom.com points the Lakers with the 53rd pick toward Sion James the 6 foot 6 inch Duke guard, tankathon.com indicates the pick will be a Big Man.

The tankathon choice with the 54th pick will be Illinois’s Tomislav Ivisic, 7 foot 1 and 255 pounds. Finally we arrive at nbadraftnet.com list and here is a complete deviation, this site implies the Lakers have the 51st and 53rd pick. At 51 they place Johann Grunloh 6 foot 11 from Germany and with 53 it’s Dink Pate a 6 foot 8 guard from the G-League. What do I think in advance of the draft is easy. For sure the Lakers need a Big Man, will that become Ivisic or Grunloh or maybe one of the others mentioned below? Truth of the matter I could foresee any of the names these sites selected as being a worthy addition provided they transition to NBA play. I will check again in May and perhaps a week ahead of the June 25th draft for additional updates.

The true picture 

We’ve read and heard a great deal of complaints regarding NIL, the portal and college players in general over the past two years. While a portion of the criticisms are certainly valid we tend to ignore the coaches whenever these issues are the topic of conversation. That particular area is overlooked for unexplained reasons however it should be. Several college coaches have been fired because the teams failed to meet the expectations of the administration of that particular school, what about the others? Several coaches were able to lead their teams into the NCAA Tournament…what about their fate?

To date there have been 9 college coaches changing jobs over the last 10 days, they have done this despite their teams tournament play in some instances winning in the tournament. They made the move because an opportunity presented itself to earn more income or the school’s prestige was perceived as superior they decided to depart. There is another issue here, what about the players they recruited, probably the vast majority of those players will be left with a decision. “Do I stay here or should I look for another school too?” I hope no one misunderstands my intent here, I am not stating they shouldn’t make an effort to better themselves that is not the case. My belief always is to see the big picture, if there is a problem with college basketball it includes the coaches as well.

Is he the problem

There is no disagreement that Ja Morant is a confirmed talent. Despite his skills, controversy seems to follow the mercurial guard. Most recently, during a game this week, he gestured toward the Warrior bench with his finger as if it were a gun while heading to the Grizzly bench during a timeout. Morant has been suspended twice by the NBA for gun-related issues. He was once suspended for 25 games for possessing a gun in a nightclub. In another incident, a friend recorded and posted a video of him with a gun in a vehicle on social media.

Earlier this year, his father Tee Morant was ejected from a game for berating officials. A little background on Ja’s father reveals that he played semi-professional basketball and considered playing overseas. Tee decided to stay home when Jamie became pregnant with Ja. Tee pursued a career as a barber and began training his son at an early age for a future in basketball. The issue of Morant and firearms affects people differently. Following news that the NBA would launch an investigation, some letter writers expressed concerns that the NBA was being “too soft.” What is your view of the incident?

Basketball from a fans perspective

Defense is always a winner

I’m guilty, I get caught up in individual point totals of players. What occurs when the shot’s not falling or the opposition is defensing you effectively? That’s what occurred Monday night as the Lakers faced the Rockets at home, the Lakers prevailed 104-98. The Lakers from the floor were 39.3% shooting from the floor, in addition to defense they were saved by precise shooting from reserves Gabe Vincent and Dorian Finney-Smith, each totaled 20 points.

The Rockets were not blistering from the floor however 41.6% is certainly much better than the shot making of the Lakers. The Laker win prevented the Rockets (49-27) from clinching a playoff berth and help them maintain their cushion over the Warriors and Clippers. Next up for the Lakers will be a game on Wednesday as they will face those hot Warriors at Crypto.com Arena. After playing sparkling defense during the win streak until Monday evening I could say it’s suffered to a degree. The Lakers managed to turn it up a notch, LeBron had a key block of an Alperen Sengun shot as time was winding down in the game.

He’s moved up

Although I cannot be completely certain, I believe my statement to be accurate. At the beginning of the college basketball season, Cooper Flagg's name was prominently featured at the top of all 2015 NBA Mock Draft sites. Initially absent from these lists was the name Khaman Maluach, a 7-foot-2, 250-pound freshman also from Duke. While I am unsure of the exact date, it is apparent that his performance has significantly improved, leading one site to list him as a lottery pick. The other two mock drafts project him as a guaranteed first-round draft pick which is quite interesting.

Having observed Maluach in numerous games, it is clear he is not primarily an offensive player, although he can score when required. His expertise lies in defense, where he excels in blocking shots and rebounding. His intimidating presence often causes opponents to miss shots they would typically make. Originally from South Sudan, Maluach now resides in Kawempe, Uganda. He brings to mind the late Dikembe Mutombo during his time at Georgetown University, who also had a limited offensive game that became even more focused on defense in the NBA. While I am not asserting that Maluach is the second coming of Mutombo, he appears to possess similar defensive capabilities.

It’s not for everyone

Everyone cannot coach, allow me to repeat myself…everyone cannot coach. It doesn’t matter if we are discussing the NBA, NFL, tennis or chess, the job is difficult. I told this story previously, my company hired a trainer who’d once been a track & field coach. He told us the story of this sprinter who was a natural, no training required just blazing speed. Frank informed us he began a training routine for the youngster and to Frank’s disappointment the time for 100 meters actually went downward.

Depending on your age some of you might remember the late Chuck Daley, he was head basketball coach for those Bad Boy Piston championship teams. Daley had a longtime assistant who was hired by another NBA team. This assistant lasted but two years on the job before he was fired. Whether it’s true or not a member of the media made this statement, “I don’t understand how _________ could sit so long next to Daley and learn so little.” Surely there was more to the story but you get the point, a coach or manager receives too much credit for a winning team and too much blame for a loser. That statement is not always correct however it sometimes can ring true. How did we arrive here, JJ Redick was hired by the Lakers with 0 head coaching experience. It was said at the time the Lakers are taking a chance hiring someone of his type. The Lakers have made changes since last season, the biggest of course the acquisition of Luka Doncic but this is the question. The Lakers were playing better basketball over last season without him in the lineup, what’s the difference?

I cannot be certain, Darvin Ham was reported to be a defensive minded coach yet the Lakers are playing better defense under Redick a former NBA shooter. It’s not Redick alone he assembled a capable staff of assistants Nate McMillian, Scott Brooks, both with head coaching experience. In addition there are Bob Beyer, Greg St. Jean and Lindsey Harding the first female assistant for the Lakers all have past coaching experience. Seems as though the Lakers did this in the past, once hiring broadcaster Pat Riley as head coach.

Meanwhile….

Whenever an NBA front office acts in an unusual manner I say, “Oh boy.” That is the case for Taylor Jenkins, the Grizzlies coach was fired with days remaining in the season. In addition to that fact they are a playoff contender, there are circumstances and information those of us outside Memphis are unaware. They have an interim coach Tuomas Lisalo to lead them into the playoffs. Lisalo has experience as a Euro player and coach, he is in his second season with the team and is a native of Helsinki Finland.

CBS Sports decided to point out the Final Four teams are from the Southern United States. Despite what they promoted on their .com site the location of these teams fails to impact anything in my view.     Houston, Duke, Auburn and Florida have proven to be the best remaining college basketball teams. It just so happens the best teams at least this year are from that portion of the nation. We always discuss location, location, in this instance it’s more the best teams over anything else.

Bob Pettit is 92-years old, I’m mentioning his name because somewhere in the history of the NBA his name is missing. He should be known because he was one of the many who led the minor league NBA to a major league. The 6-9 Pettit was an All American from LSU, he was made the second pick in the 1954 draft by the Milwaukee/St. Louis Hawks. Pettit was an NBA Champion in 1958 with the Hawks, he retired in 1965 and was the first NBA player to score 20,000 points during his career. He is enshrined in the Naismith and College Basketball Hall of Fame, there is more on Pettit check it out on other sources.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Best NBA prospects

Who were the most hyped prospects prior to their arrival in the NBA, for this purpose I only returned to 2015 and the following is the why. Prospective NBA players such as Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and others were always touted prior to their arrival in the association. 10 years ago there existed elementary social media nothing compared to the present day. YouTube highlights of athletes existed but nothing close to what exists today, there were fewer opportunities to see these athletes in action.

ESPN, Fox Sports and other venues existed but even those have increased the number of games they broadcast. I will cite an example, after Ja Morant exploded on the scene ESPN ensured several Murray State games would be added to the broadcast schedule. Keep in mind my list contains players that were hyped by the media, this has nothing to do once they arrived in the NBA. Prior to reading the list keep in mind this is preceding their NBA play, in addition these are not in any order just as the names were compiled. Your list might be different from mine and that’s okay:

Victor Wembanyama

Zion Williamson

Cooper Flagg

Luka Doncic

Ben Simmons

Ja Morant

Lonzo Ball

Cade Cunningham

Karl-Anthony Towns

Paolo Banchero

Two swings and two misses

37-year old John Scheyer ain’t won nothing yet, despite that fact his journey to this point is quite fascinating. After his play at Duke he played in the G-League and later it would be Spain and Israel prior to becoming an assistant under Coach K. Once it was announced the legendary coach was retiring who would replace him? We don’t know this to be a fact but Coach K. would have been consulted on who would take over the basketball program. It was announced Scheyer an assistant since 2014 would become head coach but that was not the first belief. Prior to taking over the Duke program there must have been trepidations assuming the role in place of a legend however that didn’t appear to be the case.

Scheyer interviewed for two head coaching jobs one at DePaul and the other at UNLV prior to Coach K’s retirement. Of course neither school hired him, which they might regret to this day although I doubt they would admit it. Both would eventually replace the coaches they believed were better candidate over Scheyer. In his interview Scheyer admitted he was sure UNLV was going to hire him. In his three years at the helm Duke’s won 89 games, 27 in his first year 27 in year two and this recent season 35 games. Scheyer’s first year Duke made the Round of 32, last season it was an Elite Eight finish and to date his team is in the Final Four. I realize swinging and missing applies to baseball but in this instance I’m going to apply it to basketball. DePaul and UNLV accomplished just that…both swung and missed, could Scheyer have changed their fortunes?

In his opinion

A member of the media wrote an article indicating Austin Reaves had become the third best option in the NBA or something along those lines. Then former NBA player Lou Williams claimed, “Reaves is not the third best option in in the NBA, he’s not even the third best in Los Angeles, that would be Norman Powell.” Well opinions are just that however I don’t agree with this former players observation. Check this out, Reaves is nearly 20 points a game while Powell is at 22.4. As for rebounds it’s 4.4 for Reaves while Powell is 3.3 a game, the assists are Reaves with nearly 6 a game while Powell is at 2.2.

As for shooting the basketball Powell is 48.7% and 42.4% from three, Reaves is 45.4% and 36% from three. The one area most difficult for us to assess as fans is a players defensive rating, everything I could locate indicates Reaves and Powell are sometimes a mix bag on defense. So we have numbers to compare the two Los Angeles players and I can only come to one conclusion. Both players have continued to demonstrate value to their respective teams, based on the evidence I was able to uncover I’d have great difficulty pronouncing Powell a better third option over that of Reaves. As I often say, “I’m from Missouri, you’ve got to Show Me.” Based on my findings I believe Lou Williams is entitled to his opinion however based on my findings I’m unsure if he providing any proof of his view to me. 

What is this and is it accurate

If you check an NBA box score on ESPN it contains an interesting bit of information. Placed in front of a players point total is a +/-, what does it imply? Rather than attempt to offer my elementary explanation I thought it best to seek an internet explanation for this. The following is the AI definition; “In NBA box scores, “plus-minus (+/-) is a statistic that measures a player’s impact on the game by tracking the net change in the score when that player is on the court, compared to when they are off.”

Suppose I have a 40 point 15 rebound game yet my team fails to hold the lead to the end, my negative +/- rating is reduced significantly although I may have played an outstanding game. I’m not picking on ESPN alone, this from CBS Sports NBA page. In the recent Sunday game won by the Cavs over the Clippers, this occurred, Jarrett Allen of the Cavs scored 45 points yet had a 0 +/- rating, think I am confused you better bet I am. The Clippers James Harden had a 44 point game and a -17 rating. So what occurs, for me I’ve played little attention to this feature and without a clear understanding I will continue to ignore it.

There is always a question of where 

Jeff Teague, an NBA player from 2009 to 2021, spent most of his career with the Hawks but never played for the Jazz. Despite this, he has expressed negative opinions about the franchise, saying, "He’s (Cooper Flagg) gonna get picked by the Jazz, but I hate it. I hate it." Teague's issue lies with the team's mediocre performance over the years, not Salt Lake City or Utah. If Flagg declares for the draft, he could be selected by the Jazz. Despite the Teague statement other teams might also be in the mix for the top pick. The NBA draft lottery means that the team with the worst record doesn't always get the first pick.

For example, in the 2024 draft, the Wizards had the first pick despite not having the worst record; the Pistons did. Similarly, in the 2023 draft, the Spurs had the first pick, selecting Victor Wembanyama, even though they were tied with the Rockets in the standings. 2022 saw the Magic select Paolo Banchero although they had two more wins than the Pistons. So as you can see it’s the draft lottery which determines which NBA city is likely to become home for Flagg at least during his rookie year. Even that’s not set in stone, for instance the Mavs drafted Trae Young while the Hawks picked Luka Doncic, draft night saw the two change cities through a trade.  

Basketball from a fans perspective

It was a cerebral game

After I witnessed Alabama totally destroy BYU on Thursday 113-88 I didn’t know what to expect facing Duke. Mark Sears was en Fuego in the game sinking 10 3-point baskets. Cooper Flagg had to play his best game against Duke but he didn’t, Bama’s defense on him plus missing shots he scored but 10 points in the first half of the game. I think they might have believed “We gonna out athletic (if there is such a word) you Duke.” Well it didn’t turn out that way as Duke was a winner 85-65, they had a height advantage over Alabama but it was more than that. We witnessed a cerebral game played by Duke over a more athletic Alabama team. Although Flagg’s shot was off (16 pts, 6-16 shooting) he managed to pull down 9 rebounds and dish out 3 assists.

His teammates stepped up big time in leading to the victory over the Crimson Tide. Khaman Maluach scored 14 points and 9 rebounds plus 2 blocked shots, he was an intimidating factor around the basket, there is no method to determine how many Alabama misses occurred because shots were altered. Kon Knueppel led the way scoring 21 points and defending well, the same could be said regarding Tyrese Proctor with 17 points. It seemed to me every sub from Jon Scheyer’s team came into the game fully aware of their area of responsibility. As for Sears of Alabama, it was 6 points on 2-12 from the floor and 1-5 from three. It seemed whenever Alabama would make a run at reducing the lead Duke would score on the other end. Whoever winds up playing Duke should prepare themselves, they are not going to out athletic (that word again) Duke. Sometimes this game must be played cerebrally which teams are sometimes unable to accomplish.

There are bumps in the road

This is the time of the season NBA teams should be playing their best basketball. Unfortunately, that is not the case for the Lakers. By this time of the season every NBA team is dealing with injuries of some sort and the Lakers are no exception. One of the issues I believe we might fail to see, just returning to the lineup fails to say a player is NBA ready. If that appears to be an excuse those of you wishing to make it such that’s okay.

After the heartbreaking loss to the Bulls on a half-court shot the Lakers were able to beat the Grizzlies on Saturday night. This would be the first game for the Grizzlies since head coach Taylor Jenkins was fired. The Lakers got off to a fast start and were able to sustain it for a period of the game. The final score read Lakers 134 Grizzlies 127, as usual the trio of LeBron, Luka and Reaves led the way. It was 25 points 6 rebounds and 8 assists for LeBron, as for Luka he scored 29 points and 9 assists. The leader was guard Austin Reaves with his 31 points 7 rebounds and 8 assists. Have the Lakers returned to the winning formula from a few weeks back, that is certainly yet to be determined. Interesting the Bulls appear to have the Lakers number but have failed to do the same with the balance of the NBA.

Meanwhile….

There have been more than a few really bad basketball movies, the absolute worst is the 1985 comedy Teen Wolf. How about the best all time, recently one was profiled here Hoosiers with Gene Hackman. Also I must include White Men Can’t Jump with Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson. I liked Samuel L. Jackson as Coach Carter, also in my list is Blue Chips starring Nick Nolte with Shaq, Penny and others. Glory Road for the story it told of the 1966 Texas Western team, it starred Josh Lucas. Hurricane Season with Forrest Whittaker. I’ve seen several documentary’s but they were not included for this reason. Each of the movies listed contained real life basketball players or the on court scenes were outstanding nothing like those of an earlier era.  

Is there a requirement for an NBA face, we’ve discussed this issue in the past. With the pending retirement of LeBron James and Steph Curry someone needs to step forward to become the face of the NBA. The issue apparently is reluctance by players such as Ant Man to take on that role. My question for you, can’t the NBA survive without having someone be its so called leader? In Michael Jordan’s day the media was there but nothing like today, in addition we toss in the social media part of the equation and it might become overwhelming for some. I have an opinion, you might not agree with it but that’s okay. There is 0 requirement in my view for any player to become the face of the NBA, the league can survive without one.  

Ethan Taylor is near the end of his junior year at Shawnee Mission NW High School in the Kansas City suburb of Shawnee. He’s been awarded 4-stars by Rivals and is number 28 in the Class of 2026. On3 also awards 4-stars and a number 55 ranking while 247Sports has 4-stars and number 66 on their list. Taylor is a post player who stands 7 foot 1 and 245 pounds. Among the number of schools with scholarship offers are Missouri State, Purdue, Tennessee, Kansas, Oklahoma and University of MO-Kansas City and Mizzou.

With weeks remaining in the NBA season several teams have been eliminated from playoff contention. Quiet, I heard that, you claim some were eliminated on the date the 2024-25 NBA season began. In any event teams no longer in contention for a playoff berth are the Pelicans, Jazz, Wizards and Hornets. There are other teams who are likely to be eliminated as well. With that at least we have the beginnings of the NBA Lottery with those teams just named, others will likely be added over the next two weeks. We can begin the speculation who wins the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Meanwhile….

LaVar Ball may not have originated this but I first heard him say it, “Stay in your lane.” I’ve always interpreted that to say do what you do best, don’t try to move into someone else’s territory. From reading this blog in the past you are aware I have disagreed with comments made by former NBA players Gilbert Arenas and Charles Barkley. Despite my difference with them they do have one thing in common…they played in the NBA the highest level of basketball there is. Do I care what former NBA player Paul Pierce has to say about the NFL, or better yet Shannon Sharpe and his commentary of the NBA. Both played at a high skill level as professionals however neither was in the NFL or NBA. They likely played the sport as youth but …. they and others need to “Stay in your lane.”

Nike clearly is the winner in what might be considered round one in the battle for the hearts and minds of sneakerheads and others. As most of you are aware Cooper Flagg signed a shoe and apparel deal with New Balance last spring. While that’s all good for the Duke guy while at school he must sport Nike shoes and apparel. After Flagg's Thursday 30 point 6 rebound 7 assist and 3 block shot game this is what occurred. The marketing department at Nike sent out a tweet with Flagg’s image and this statement: "Powered by the Swoosh." That’s certainly one technique to capture a shoe and apparel audience.

This news came by way of French sports website Le’Equipe, the .com publication indicated Wemby has undergone surgery for the deep vein thrombosis discovered in his right shoulder in the middle of the NBA season. At the time he was initially diagnosed it was reported he would began taking a blood thinner to reduce the possibility of a clot forming. The earlier diagnosis was all the public was made aware, of course those trained in the medical field might be acquainted with surgery being utilized to resolve the thrombosis. The report indicated Wemby might be prepared to play for the French national team by late summer.

This is a true story

Sometimes your memory returns to another time, that’s what occurred for me after reading an email from a friend. Shopping with my wife once we met a friend of hers and introducing me this is exactly what she said. “This is my husband ___________, he watches every single basketball game on television.” I smiled at her friend but thought a moment, “Why would she introduce me in that manner?” There’s been a great deal of basketball the NBA variety and March Madness over the last past week.

I’ve watched a considerable number of games which sometimes have included double-header college games along with double-header NBA games. A friend sent me an email which simply read: “To much basketball,” well maybe for him but not for me. I just confessed to watching numbers of basketball games this past week, despite what you just read this fact stands alone. I am no machine, I’m incapable of watching every single basketball game on television. I did have a significant issue on at least two occasions this season, Laker games were broadcast near the same time as Mizzou basketball.

NBA Europe

Several of you reading the news might have a clearer understanding than me and that’s okay. I believed something must be said and here is a brief introduction for some. It appears the NBA and FIBA are going into business together in order to form an “NBA Europe.” The late David Stern as commissioner promoted the NBA footprint world-wide, I am unsure if this was the manner he envisioned. This is the construction path, a league of European teams backed by the NBA and FIBA would begin play at a future date. There would be no Lakers playing a team from Paris or the Spurs matched against an opponent in Berlin, my understanding is.

We are in the formation stage of this “marriage” so major portions have certainly not been finalized. On the surface I like it my only concern will this 16-team league drive the existing Euro League teams out of business. That question cannot be answered at the present time, there are far too many moving parts to decide at this stage until it’s a done deal. As I indicated earlier my chief concern is the number of Euro teams at present, if this league gets off the ground how would they be impacted? A friend mentioned the league could be more successful than NFL Europe because basketball is a more familiar game. His observation might be correct, basketball has been played extensively in Europe over NFL football which required an introduction to the game.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Cooper (American) Flagg  

As for the headline above, I stole that from Jay Williams ESPN basketball analyst. Bama guard Mark Sears had an outstanding game in his team’s 113-88 victory over BYU. The 6-1 guard put on a scoring binge for the ages with 34 points and of that number 10 were three point baskets. In the Duke-Arizona game Caleb Love also presented the audience with a dazzling shooting display scoring 35 points for the Wildcats. Unlike Sears there would be no victory for Love as his team lost to Duke 100-93.

As for Flagg he succeeded in scoring a smaller number of points than either Sears or Love (30 points). Despite this fact his game in all aspects was quite cerebral in my view. We saw an 18-year old who should be a high school senior prove why he is the best freshman college player in the nation. In addition to his scoring Flagg contributed 6 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 blocked shots, he also shot 90% from the free-throw line to help seal Duke’s victory. Although there were other winners (Texas Tech & Florida) the players and games profiled are the only ones I saw. Duke will now face Alabama on Saturday evening, I’m unsure if we can expect another shootout similar to the one on Thursday. By now some of you reading this are saying to yourself “He’s gone over the top again, this time it’s Flagg,”

I don’t mind in the least bit if you believe that to be the case. Some of you might be reflecting back to my early observation of Victor Wembanyama, this time it’s a slight bit different. I believed (and still do) Wemby is a generational talent, Flagg is not that however he appears to have all the tools for a successful NBA career. I’ll repeat another statement I made, he’s not going to WOW anyone with his skill set he will just do the things that will lead to success for his team on the basketball court.

Meanwhile

Hopefully this is a Good-win for the Lakers, Jordan Goodwin reserve guard had his contract converted. He’s been operating on a two-way contract however he wouldn’t have been eligible for playoff basketball. It’s clear JJ Redick feels comfortable enough to have Cam Reddish waved in order to sign Goodwin to a regular season contract. Goodwin came on board in the middle of February and in that time has impressed the coach and his staff. In fact during the rash of injuries suffered by the Lakers it was Goodwin who was inserted into the lineup over rookie Dalton Knecht. Although Knecht is surly a better shooter it was the defensive effort which got the notice by the coaching staff.

We talk all the time about the fact HBCU schools no longer produce NBA talent as they once did. We can add junior colleges to the list as well, they have also suffered. They continue to produce quality basketball talent but with the portal transfer fewer and fewer are finding their way to major schools across the nation. The de-emphasis on junior college talent will only continue over the next few years. There are no more Bob McAdoo’s, Tiny Archibald, Jimmy Butler or Dennis Rodman’s exhibiting their talent on junior colleges campuses.     

The lottery pick nobody knows…that’s not quite correct. If you cruise mock draft sites like I do you are familiar with the name Egor Demin. He’s a freshman at BYU but is likely to hear his name announced by the NBA commissioner in June, he’s that good. One mock site indicates he will be a lottery pick while another places him at 15 just outside. The third indicates Demin will be a top 20 pick so as you can see its likely there will be no requirement to stay up late in order to hear the announcement. Demin is 19-years of age and is from Moscow Russia, he’s a 6 foot 9 200 pound shooting guard.

Trivia

I’ve mentioned this previously, I sometimes come across interesting tidbits of information accidently. This is one of those cases, it involves the 1946 Rochester Royals. Later the Royals moved to Cincinnati retaining the name and from there it was Kansas City and a name change to the Kings. Now this is the trivia portion, that edition of the Royals was an NBL team and later moved into the NBA. One of the roster members was Red Holtzman who later as a coach would lead the Knicks to championship glory in 1970 and 1973.

Also on the roster was his teammate Otto Graham, he only played that one year with the Royals. Graham would later become quarterback of the Browns, in 1965 he was enshrined in the National Football League Hall of Fame in Canton Ohio. The player credited with the first recorded instance of breaking a backboard also played for the baseball Dodgers and Cubs but it wasn’t baseball, football or basketball where he became better known. Chuck Conners headed for Hollywood and honed his acting skills in movies and television, his most famous role was the lead in the television series set in the Old West, The Rifleman. So there you have the brief history of the more famous members of the 1946 Royals.

I can’t see that far ahead

Victor Wembanyama is a 7 foot 4 wing who happens to play center, I had to get that statement out front before delving into the body of this discussion. We have continued to hear former NBA players critique Wemby’s game, most of the comments revolve around where he plays over his ability. These grizzly veterans have said over and over “He needs to develop an inside game.” I am not going to argue he shouldn’t however with his height and the fact he shoots nearly 36% from three he’s adapting his game to today’s NBA. If for example Wemby was shooting any lower I’d say he should develop an inside game.

Here’s what I can’t do…see into the future, last season according to figures he was 210-212 pounds. This season the Spurs roster indicates Wemby is 235 pounds, he could continue to gain pounds which will allow him to battle some of the larger post players in the future. Former NBA player Kevin Garnett went on record with this statement, “The NBA is protecting Victor Wembanyama because they see him as the next face of the league: They’re not going to let him get beat up.” I take Garnett’s words as an opinion and not fact unless he can prove it. I have confidence that his medical issue will be cleared up and by next season he’ll be ready to play. In the meantime the NBA community of Garnett and Barkley should become comfortable with seeing a 7 foot 4 wing player on the floor next season.