Basketball from a fans perspective

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Stuff I don’t understand

A bunch of things exist we have no comprehension or understanding of the purpose, ESPN’s laid one on me. I could simply ignore it but the question is what’s the intention? For years it seems the worldwide leader has included +/- in their NBA box scores. Allow a further explanation, I knew ahead of time the Spurs lost the game against the Clippers. I decided to check Wemby’s numbers and was amazed that he recorded 9 blocked shots in the game and then it occurred.

At the end of his total was -21, what the heck was that about was my first thought, this is the ESPN explanation. “+/- denotes team’s net points while the player is on the court.” What am I missing here, Gary Payton II scored two points in the Warriors victory over the Wizards for the game his +/- was +4. I am going to ask a few co-workers who like me might be confused by ESPN’s method of assessing a players contribution to the game. On the other hand I could check a few other sites or simply ignore that portion of ESPN’s box.  

Too soon?

Duke’s Cooper Flagg is but 17-years old, you remember he reclassified and technically should be in his senior year of high school. As for the game the 6 foot 9 shooting guard/forward played his first official game Monday night against Maine. The Blue Devils beat Maine 96-62 thanks in part to the game Flagg played, he wasn’t his team’s high scorer preferring to defer his game to teammates. Check this out as he filled the box, 18 points on 6-15 shooting which included 7 rebounds 5 assists and 3 steals.

This effort represented the first regular season game for Flagg, in addition with such a lopsided win I’m unsure the strength of Maine. I declared him “ready for the NBA” however Keenan warned me this is far to early to make that type of declaration. Sometimes I witness play by a prospect and tend to believe “he’s on his way to an outstanding career.” Is Flagg ready for the NBA after all he’s only played a single college game but it appears he’s ready for play at the next level. Check ESPN, Fox Sports and the ACC if you desire to see him in action prior to the NBA.

Nobody knew

This is written November 4, 2024, however this bit of news is just now coming to the forefront. Boston Celtic forward Jayson Tatum says, “I was disappointed the Lakers didn’t draft me.” I was so confused for a minute I had to re-check the 2017 NBA draft history because I just didn’t remember. There it was, smacked me right in the face. The Lakers had the second pick in 2017, they chose Lonzo Ball, the next pick belonged to the Celtics who chose Tatum.

Can I say the Lakers swung and missed on this pick, no doubt Ball possessed talent but this news certainly causes me to ponder “What if.” Of course Ball was exchanged in a trade that brought AD to the Lakers. In 2020 the Lakers won it all in the bubble thanks in part to AD, last season the Celtics won the championship but this is the disparity. Tatum has an opportunity to win several more for the Celtics. Ball’s NBA career is on a thread, if he returned to the Lakers a championship might be possible but not likely. Much as this Laker fan hates to admit it the Celtics clearly won in 2017 and just might continue to win into the future for a time.

You know my saying don’t you…

Without checking I’m unsure who first said it, “I’m from Missouri, you’ve got to Show Me.” I just finished reading a Laker fan website article on Christian Wood. As you are aware surgery has prevented him from playing early season games, it appears his time is a late October early November appearance. I certainly don’t wish to appear negative but I was disappointed by what he exhibited on the court last season. The prior season the 6 foot 8 214 pound Wood had been a sparkplug for the Mavs in the playoffs, in his first for the Lakers I was not impressed by what I saw.

This season there is a different mindset, Wood says he intends to play with a vengeance. Was I expecting too much, perhaps the rotation pattern of the departed Ham didn’t allow Wood to play at his peak. In any event it appears JJ Redick is excited with the prospect of Wood returning to the lineup. Reddick indicates Wood’s game adds a different flavor to the mix. In any event I sure hope the coach is correct because the numbers in Dallas led me to believe the Lakers had signed a stud. What I saw this past season stud might have been changed to dud. In closing I would say to Wood, come one guy prove me wrong.

It's okay you can laugh

While researching I came across this jewel, someone produced the First Team All Name team for college basketball 2024-25. I checked the roster of Rhode Island to make sure no one was playing a joke on me. In addition we are months ahead of April 1 so they must be true, with that said here goes:

Always Wright-guard Rhode Island

Po Boigh King-guard NC Central

Gob Gob-guard Kansas City

Supreme Cook-forward Oregon

Kai Yu-center Liberty

Tennessee Rainwater-guard/forward Utah Tech 

Basketball from a fans perspective

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It begins tonight

Are you ready, college basketball begins tonight with a slate of games scheduled throughout the nation. Duke, Kentucky, Kansas, Florida and Alabama are just a few of the schools beginning play. The early portion of the season those above and others generally play a light schedule. Up till now the opposition has been scrimmages against other roster members, now they face real opposition beginning now. Later Kansas will be matched against North Carolina and Duke, Kentucky will also play North Carolina and afterwards it’s Purdue. These games and others will be played before conference play begins business-like in January.

Attention-grabbing 

I’ve mentioned this previously, research has allowed me to stumble onto stories on more than one occasion. What you are about to read is one of those instances. I have no idea how good (or bad) Cal basketball will be for the upcoming season. Despite my statement they likely have a roster containing a few athletes with renown family members. Some reading this might remember Peja Stojakovic, he was a sharpshooting forward for the Kings who spent the bulk of his career during the team’s most successful years to date. Peja has a son on the Cal team, Andrej who is a 6 foot 7 205 pound guard.

I’m sure Cal fans hope Andrej shoots the rock like his dad. Moving on from there also on the roster is Hugh Vandeweghe a 6 foot 7 215 pound forward, his family connection is Uncle Kiki. Kiki first played at UCLA before beginning his NBA career play for several teams. Stephon Marbury II is a 6 foot 1 170 pound point guard, his father Stephon Sr. after playing at Georgia Tech was a member of quite a few NBA teams. The father left the NBA in 2010 and journeyed to China where he became a legendary player in the Chinese Basketball Association. There are likely other basketball programs with similar connections, I thought this story might be noteworthy for some.

He's got goals

During my work career I’ve always been encouraged to set goals. The purpose I believe is to establish a plan which over time will lead to success. In the instance you are about to read it is goal setting however it certainly is a slight bit different. The Warriors Draymond Green has been an integral part of the success of the team over time. Green has long been a source of technical fouls, these have often led to a victory by the opposition.

The NBA doesn’t actually track them however ESPN claims Green has received double-digit techs in each of the last 10 seasons. After your reading check this portion out, “I’m gonna have less than 10 technical fouls this year,” Green said. “I might even make a decision to keep it even less than eight, but I’ve got to make a conscious decision and I don’t even know if I want to keep it at eight. But I’m definitely going to have less than 10."  That's it, his explanation. 

There is no need

You might remember a Top 10 NBA draft pick purchasing a home or a vehicle for his family be it mom or mom and dad. That’s done after signing that first check that says, “welcome you have arrived.” That scenario might play out for a number of 2025 NBA draft picks but not Cooper Flagg. The Duke freshman has been conducting business prior to him being possibly the number one draft choice in 2025. As you are aware Name, Image and Likeness has changed the college landscape significantly.

In late summer you read Flagg signed a shoe and apparel deal with New Balance. Although the company is not on the level of Nike, Air Jordan or Adidas having Cooper endorse their apparel should raise their name in the marketplace. In late October Gatorade made the announcement, they signed Flagg to their brand. In both instances the dollar amount of these agreements is not mentioned, despite the fact we have no idea of the financial arrangement of either they are likely significant. Although he’s certainly not at the level of Patrick Mahomes we could see the number of commercials and guess the amount of money Flagg could potentially earn in the future with a good management team.

JJ Redick’s team

The Lakers opening night roster certainly appears to have JJ Redicks fingerprints all over it. Three roster members will work under 2-way contracts which entails spending time with the South Bay Lakers but could spend up to 50 games with the parent club. Just who are these newbies, first note neither of the three were drafted by the Lakers. A name mentioned much earlier is Christian Koloko who is now cleared to play and is ramping it up with the South Bay Lakers, hopefully at some point in the not too distant future that approval to play should occur. 

Next is French pro player Armel Traore a 6 foot 9 215 pound forward, he went undrafted in 2024. Colin Castleton was waived and a two-way contract was extended to Quincy Olivari a 6 foot 3 point guard. Olivari played at Xavier but like Traore went undrafted in 2024. I can only believe Redick and the coaching staff saw something in these three to believe they had value. This can be affirmed by waiving Castleton despite his 6 foot 10 250 pound size. In spite of my apparent excitement with the beginning of the NBA season I remain in a holding pattern. As I often say, “I’m from Missouri you’ve got to Show Me” which says I expect improved play from the Lakers.

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Are they better

The Lakers had an “uneven” win against the Raptors on the road Friday evening, the score 131-125. As this is written it became victory number 4, what about last season? The Lakers have 4 wins and 2 losses, last season they were 3 wins and 3 losses so are they better? That depends on the opposition, after game 6 last season it was a short losing streak before they were able to win another game. I’m really unsure if this years team is better than last season, the two keys LeBron James and AD are one year older.

The key difference I see thus far the coach has maintained the same lineup. If you remember last season former coach Darvin Ham’s starting lineup was always in change. Jarred Vanderbilt continues to remain on the sidelines, it does the Lakers no great favors if their best defender is unable to play. Vanderbilt continues to remain on the day to day list. Christian Wood is recovering from arthroscopic surgery on his left knee, he is out until late December or early January. The other Christian (Koloko) is working out for the South Bay Lakers, how soon he will be ready for action is unclear as this is written. As a team the Lakers are shooting the 3 better than last season, so concludes this short report.

Bits n Pieces of Information

Nicholas Randall is a 6 foot 7 inch 225 pound forward, he hails from St. Louis although he's at Compass Prep in Chandler Arizona for school. This Class of 2025 prospect verbally committed to Mizzou on Monday which is quite interesting from this perspective. Mizzou’s former coach Cuonzo Martin grew up in the St. Louis area, one of the basis for his hire was the ability to recruit the St. Louis metro. For unexplained reasons Mizzou has never recruited well in St. Louis, which is ripe with high school talent, maybe a change might be forthcoming with the Randall commitment. 

Did you know Duke freshman Cooper Flagg has a twin brother, Ace is a 6 foot 7 180 pound guard. Although they share DNA Ace is not on the same basketball and skill level of Cooper. Ace journeyed to Montverde Academy with his brother but is unranked by prospect sites. In addition he didn’t reclassify as his brother so he is a Class of 2025 prospect. Ace has decided to commit to a school and in this instance he will be returning home. Home for the Flaggs is Newport Maine and Ace indicates he intends to enroll at the University of Maine located in Orono less than 50 miles from his front door in Newport.

This is different, once the NBA season began I noticed a change in the box score. Two websites, espn.com/nba and cbssports.com/nba have changed their box score. In both instances their box scores reflect “positionless” basketball. The names are in the box score as they normally would be however there is no position listed for the player. As an example the Kings box score from the Tuesday game against the Jazz, I cannot determine whether De’Aaron Fox played center or shooting guard. On the Jazz side did Jordan Clarkson play the point or shooting guard? I realize players sometimes play more than one position during a game however I don’t like this change.

The shot clock 

The 24-second shot clock was formally adopted by the NBA in the spring of 1954. Keep in mind the NBA back then contained a smaller number of teams, the NBA championship was concluded in April 1954. The clock would not It come into use until the 1954-55 NBA season, of course this change drastically affected the game. No longer could teams simply stall or hold the ball as would sometimes occur. The instance that stands out possibly occurred in a November 22, 1950, game.

The Fort Wayne Pistons defeated the Minneapolis Lakers 19-18. Yes, that was the final score, it was said the Pistons fearful of the great George Mikan held the ball for minutes without taking a shot. For the entirety of the game the Pistons had a meager 13 shot attempts. Adoption of the clock speeded up the game and accelerated scoring in the NBA. And now we arrive at the 70 year anniversary of the shot clock, and understand this, a shot clock has been adopted in college and at most high schools although there are some exceptions.  

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He’s headed to BYU

The Utah school long associated with the Mountain West and West Coast Conference is now a Big 12 member. The change appears to have affected football and basketball recruiting. Of course it could be coaching which has brought about a change as well. Most familiar with high school prospects are familiar with the name AJ Dybansta, he is considered by all sites number one for 2025. Dybansta attends Utah Prep in Hurricane some 300 road miles south of Salt Lake City.

It turns out a publication I was unfamiliar with has made an interesting observation. Calvin Barrett in lawlessrepublic.com wrote “AJ Dybansta is 100% projected to commit to BYU.” This 6 foot 9 210 pound forward was born and grew up in Brockton MA, his first stop was Prolific Prep in Napa California prior to enrolling at Utah Prep. There you have it, according to Barrett, Dybansta will announce his commitment to attend BYU. Besides the coaching staff at BYU one Calvin Barrett will have his fingers crossed hoping his prediction comes to fruition.

An early look

Sometimes we fail to realize how difficult a jump it is from college or Euro basketball to the NBA, it’s early but a quick look at the top two draft picks in 2024. Zaccharie Risacher was the top pick chosen by the Hawks and Alex Sarr was the second pick by the Wizards. As you might remember both prospects hail from France, in addition should we guess the success of Victor Wembanyama might have been an influence. In any event both 19-year old’s have begun their NBA careers somewhat slowly, Risacher is scoring at a 9.2 ppg clip while Sarr is 8.0.

Talent certainly exists at a different level and as mentioned the adjustment to the NBA. We could use the teammate of Sarr as the example Bilal Coulibaly, last season the guard scored at a 9.1 ppg clip for the Wizards. This season through four games he’s doubled his scoring output (18.8), there could be factors not evident impacting Coulibaly. A portion has got to be adjustment, will he continue at this pace…check back at the end of the season. As for the two rookies profiled Risacher and Sarr unless there are serious concerns about their development we’ll see how each progresses through the season. Even that might not be a true barometer if we look at Coulibaly rookie’s season versus early year two.

The coach or the school

When it comes to college recruitment there is always a question, whether it is the coach or the school. In the instance of UConn it could be both, Dan Hurley and his team are hot commodities these days. Hurley and UConn are coming off back to back NCAA championships so that certainly aids the cause. The latest pledge comes from Jacob Furphy a 6 foot 6 inch wing from Australia if the country and name sound familiar it should.

He's got an older brother Johnny who played his freshman year at Kansas and is now a rookie on the Pacers. Jacob becomes the 4th commit for UConn for 2025 and now they have the number 2 recruiting class in the nation according to 247Sports. Furphy’s played for the NBA Global Academy and also with the Australian Youth National Team. This from 247Sports, “While he’s not the most physically gifted or athletic, Furphy uses his acumen and skillset to impact the game as a shooter, facilitator, rebounder and initiator on the court.” So it appears the coach is more comfortable at UConn over the Lakers.

“Make it rain”

There have been NBA players in the past and up to the present with the ability to shoot proficiently. It doesn’t matter whether they are starters or reserve players, it’s been said they “make it rain” as shot after shot finds the bottom of the basket. Buddy Hield is one of those players able to rain down shots since his days at the University of Oklahoma. Tuesday night with Steph Curry sidelined due to injury Hield was inserted into the lineup and did what he always does…score buckets. Hield recorded 28 points on 50% shooting from the floor and a sizzling 63.6% from three and 100% from the line.

Hield’s played for a number of NBA teams but in this instance it’s his value as a shooter that’s made him a prized player over his career. During the summer Hield was traded to the Warriors in a six team trade and was expected to perform in the same manner he exhibited on Tuesday. There have been a few players over the NBA’s history with a game similar to Hield. Hield was a starter in this game however generally he comes off the bench and shoots…and shoots…and shoots. Hield is unlikely to gain admittance to the Hall of Fame however anytime a discussion on lights out shooters in the NBA is held, we must include the name Buddy Hield.

He’s in the Hall of Fame

During a discussion at work I told Charley “I bet you didn’t realize the Kansas City Kings had an opportunity to acquire Moses Malone.” Yes, that Moses Malone, the one who led the Sixers to the 1983 NBA championship, that Moses Malone who was later honored by his selection to the Naismith Hall of Fame. Thanks to researching this issue I came across this fact, it was the 1976 ABA-NBA expansion. The best ABA players were placed in a pool and NBA teams had an opportunity to choose the best based on their won-loss record. In that draft the Bulls chose center Artis Gilmore (in the Naismith Hall) with their initial pick

Next up the Blazers would chose power forward Maurice Lucas. The Kansas City Kings, with the third pick chose 29-year guard Ron Boone, the Pistons chose Marvin Barnes. Then it occurred, the Blazers at five would select the 21-year old Malone. I have no method to prove my point but believe capital might have been the deciding factor. Although we are talking 1976 dollars the salary demanded by a young Malone was likely much higher than Boone would have commanded. Malone was only two years into his career which later resulted in an NBA championship, NBA Finals MVP and later Hall of Fame selection. I’m conducting revision history with this take, the Kings might have remained in Kansas City if ownership hadn’t been so stingy.

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The coach or the school

When it comes to college recruiting there is always a question, is it the coach or the school. In the instance of UConn it could be both, Dan Hurley and his team are hot commodities these days. Hurley and UConn are coming off back to back NCAA championships so that certainly aids the cause. The latest pledge comes from Jacob Furphy a 6 foot 6 inch wing from Australia if the country and name sound familiar it should.

Jacob’s got an older brother Johnny who played his freshman year at Kansas and is now a rookie on the Pacers. He becomes the 4th commit for UConn for 2025 and now they have the number 2 recruiting class in the nation according to 247Sports. Furphy’s played for the NBA Global Academy and also with the Australian Youth National Team. This from 247Sports, “While he’s not the most physically gifted or athletic, Furphy uses his acumen and skillset to impact the game as a shooter, facilitator, rebounder and initiator on the court.” So it appears the coach is more comfortable at UConn over the Lakers.

“Make it rain”

There have been NBA players in the past and up to the present with the ability to shoot proficiently. It doesn’t matter whether they are starters or reserve players, it’s been said they “make it rain” as shot after shot finds the bottom of the basket. Buddy Hield is one of those players able to rain down shots since his days at the University of Oklahoma. Tuesday night with Steph Curry sidelined due to injury Hield was inserted into the lineup and did what he always does…score buckets. Hield recorded 28 points on 50% shooting from the floor and a sizzling 63.6% from three and 100% from the line.

Hield’s played for a number of NBA teams but in this instance it’s his value as a shooter that’s made him a prized player over his career. During the summer Hield was traded to the Warriors in a six team trade and was expected to perform in the same manner he exhibited on Tuesday. There have been a few players over the NBA’s history with a game similar to Hield. Hield was a starter in this game however generally he comes off the bench and shoots…and shoots…and shoots. Hield is unlikely to gain admittance to the Hall of Fame however anytime a discussion on lights out shooters in the NBA is held, we must include the name Buddy Hield.

He’s in the Hall of Fame

During a discussion at work I told Charley “I bet you didn’t realize the Kansas City Kings had an opportunity to acquire Moses Malone.” Yes, that Moses Malone, the one who led the Sixers to the 1983 NBA championship, that Moses Malone who was later honored by his selection to the Naismith Hall of Fame. Thanks to researching this issue I came across this fact, it was the 1976 ABA-NBA expansion. The best ABA players were placed in a pool and NBA teams had an opportunity to choose the best based on their won-loss record. In that draft the Bulls chose center Artis Gilmore (in the Naismith Hall) with initial pick

Next up the Blazers would chose power forward Maurice Lucas. The Kansas City Kings, with the third pick chose 29-year guard Ron Boone, the Pistons chose Marvin Barnes. Then it occurred, the Blazers at five would select the 21-year old Malone. I have no method to prove my point but believe capital might have been the deciding factor. Although we are talking 1976 dollars the salary demanded by a young Malone was likely much higher than Boone would have commanded. Malone was only two years into his career which later resulted in an NBA championship, NBA Finals MVP and later Hall of Fame selection. I’m conducting revision history with this take, the Kings might have remained in Kansas City if ownership hadn’t been so stingy.

Bits n Pieces of Information

Nicholas Randall is a 6 foot 7 inch 225 pound forward, he hails from St. Louis although he’s at Compass Prep in Chandler Arizona. This Class of 2025 prospect verbally committed to Mizzou on Monday which is quite interesting from this perspective. Mizzou’s former coach Cuonzo Martin grew up in the St. Louis area, one of the basis for his hire was the ability to recruit the St. Louis metro. For unexplained reasons Mizzou has never recruited well in St. Louis, which is ripe with high school talent, maybe a change might be forthcoming with the Randall commitment. 

On Wednesday you might have read “A medical issue for Big Men.” somewhat connected to that account is this Laker Big Man story. The Lakers received positive news on Tuesday, you remember the story regarding Christian Koloko? The 7 foot 1 235 pound Koloko originally drafted and signed by the Raptors has a 7 and ½ inch wingspan, he’s been medically cleared by the NBA to play. Naturally, his conditioning is not up to par so expect to see him in the South Bay lineup getting his game up to speed. My best guess we’ll see Koloko in the Laker lineup sooner rather than later although Jaxson Hayes has provided a degree of depth at the post giving Anthony Davis relief.

Did you know Duke freshman Cooper Flagg has a twin brother, Ace is a 6 foot 7 180 pound guard. Although they share DNA Ace is not on the same basketball and skill level of Cooper. Ace journeyed to Montverde Academy with his brother but is unranked by prospect sites. In addition he didn’t reclassify as his brother so he is a Class of 2025 prospect. Ace has decided to commit to a school and in this instance he will be returning home. Home for the Flaggs is Newport Maine and Ace indicates he intends to enroll at the University of Maine located in Orono less than 50 miles from his front door in Newport.

This is different, once the NBA season began I noticed a change in the box score. Two websites, espn.com/nba and cbssports.com/nba have changed their box score. In both instances their box scores reflect “positionless” basketball. The names are in the box score as they normally would be however there is no position listed for the player. As an example the Kings box score from the Tuesday game against the Jazz, I cannot determine whether De’Aaron Fox played center or shooting guard. On the Jazz side did Jordan Clarkson play the point or shooting guard? I realize players sometimes play more than one position during a game however I don’t like this change.

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Tigers vs Tigers

The Black & Gold Tigers of Mizzou played the Blue Tigers of nearby Lincoln University. The outcome of the game was never in doubt as the Tigers from Columbia beat the Tigers of Jefferson City a Division II program. This exhibition game kicked off the 2024-25 season for coach Dennis Gates and his “new” team. There’s an influx of freshman one site considered this the 5th or 6th best recruited class in the nation. In addition the coaching staff worked the transfer portal extensively acquiring most of the talent desired.

This was accomplished in an attempt to avoid the disaster the team suffered last season. As for this game the final score read 90-45 as the teams faced each other in Mizzou Arena. Transfer Mark Mitchell, holdover Caleb Grill who played only 9 games due to injury led the way to the victory. Although the minutes were limited practically all the high profile freshman managed to play a few minutes in the game. Hopefully, this helps Mizzou prepare to face Penny Hardaway’s Memphis Tigers on November 4 on the road followed by Howard University on November 8.

On the hot seat

I didn’t realize Doc Rivers has experienced few losing seasons as an NBA coach. Once with the Magic, twice with the Celtics, none with the Clippers and none with the Sixers. There is the losing season when he took over as head coach of the Bucks in January 2024. The Bucks earned a playoff berth due to the win-loss record prior to Rivers hire, they finished with 17 wins and 19 losses. The Bucks were then eliminated in the First Round of the playoffs. If you are a Doc Rivers fan you can cease reading at this point and there is a valid reason. I don’t hate Rivers I don’t even dislike him…this I have long believed, he’s overrated as an NBA head coach.

His coaching resume has seen him in charge of several good teams, the problem with the exception of 2008 they come up short. Of course that Celtic team of Garnett, Allen and Pierce was primed to win an NBA championship. What about the other stops, I don’t remember the Magic it was too long ago. The Magic were middle of the road in wins they earned a playoff berth in 3 of the 5 years he was in Orlando. The bottom dropped out in year 5, after getting off to 1-10 start Rivers was fired in 2003. In any event a sports website devoted a story regarding NBA coaches on the hot seat, naturally JJ Redick of the Lakers was mentioned but so was Rivers. I’m not rooting against Rivers to succeed I’d sure like him to prove me wrong about his coaching ability.

A medical issue for Big Men

Paul Mokeski played in the NBA from 1979 till 1991 for several teams, this account is prompted by a statement he made recently regarding Big Men and their health issues. He tied this in with a comment on the Spurs Victor Wembanyama. The 7 foot Mokeski claims (with no medical backup) said Big Men suffer heart related issues at a greater proportion than smaller athletes. Mokeski claims, “The human body is not made to be so tall” mentioning Wilt Chamberlain, Moses Malone and Darryl Dawkins all who died of heart related issues. At the same time Mokeski mentioned that Wemby is doing yoga and stretching something Mokeski claims he never did.

I have no medical background in order to discuss the issue with a degree of knowledge. This I do know, as a person ages, health issues become more prevalent even for the well-conditioned athlete. From what I’ve read over the years Mokeski is correct the names he mentioned plus others I omitted died from heart issues. The key statement is what he said regarding the human body. Genetics control the issue of height, weight and other stuff. The world has witnessed Big Men (7 feet and taller) since the dawn of time. Have they all suffered heart related issues as they aged…that’s an unknown and certainly there is no method to come to a conclusion?

They had their man

Despite the fast start the Lakers continue to search for a Big Man. It’s quite interesting to me because they had him and decided to go in another direction. It was a different front office regime in place at the time. In any event the Lakers (yes those guys) drafted Ivica Zubac in 2013 in the second round with the 32nd pick. That provides you with evidence that the 7 foot 240 pound center was raw, he’d played in Europe but this was the NBA. In any event the Lakers decided to trade Zubac along with Michael Beasley to the Clippers for Mike Muscala.

I’m including Muscala’s name because the Lakers missed this trade. Fast forward to the present its been mentioned over and over, the key Kawhi Leonard would be missing for a time. Someone believed (and wrote) James Harden wouldn’t be enough to keep the Clippers afloat while waiting on Kawhi’s return. The Clippers don’t appear to run plays for Zubac however he’s always available if needed. Zubac filled the box score against the Warriors supporting the 112-104 victory, 23 points and 18 rebounds along with 6 assists. It’s really too bad the Lakers continue to search for a Big Man when they had him all along…they just were unwilling to wait.

This is the before

Walt “Clyde” Frazier is known to scores of fans for his MSG analyst broadcast role over his brilliant Knicks basketball career. Fans of today might be well acquainted with his garish style of dress over his other life. He’s been enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame and voted to the 50th and 75th anniversary NBA team.  This provides evidence to many reading this Frazier is more than clothing and extensive vocabulary describing play on the court. His journey began in Atlanta Georgia and David Tobias Howard HS (now middle school). Frazier was an all-around athlete playing quarterback for the football team and catcher on the baseball team in addition to basketball.

Frazier says he was offered scholarships in football but turned them down, he says “There were no black quarterbacks, so I played basketball.” The time was 1963 and Frazier would accept a scholarship to play basketball at Southern Illinois University. He was named a Division II All American in 1964 and 1965. In 1966 poor grades sidelined him and that’s when a change occurred, he was given the task of tracking teams defense. Seeing how defense was played would become cemented in his mind and his forte once he reached the NBA. The NIT Tournament fails to hold the prominence today it did in 1967. Southern Illinois had moved up to Division I, in addition they won the NIT that year and Frazier was named MVP of the tournament. Later that year the Knicks made Frazier the 5th pick in the first round, as they say the balance of the story is NBA history.

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Who are these guys?

The Lakers took care of business Saturday night beating the Kings 131-127, the game was an old fashion shootout with the Lakers scoring 44 points in the 4th quarter. The Kings matched the Lakers 52.2% with their 51.1 but it was the three (and rebounds) that may have been the chief reason for the win. Remember JJ Redick claiming he wasn’t worried about the Lakers poor shooting from three? He claimed they were taking good shots but just missing. That was not the case against the Kings as the Lakers shot a sizzling 41.2% from three.

As a card-carrying member of Laker Nation I’m asking the question most of you are asking…who are these guys? Can they continue to play at this level throughout the season, only time will tell. LeBron led the way with his umpteenth triple-double (32 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists), AD was right behind him in points with 31. This was AD’s third consecutive game with 30+ points. Reaves chipped in with 6 assist while Russell totaled 5. There are no Bronny headlines as most are aware he is on his way to the G-League after their road trip. This planned move will allow Bronny adequate playing time and adjustment to play at this level. He is far too raw to be tossed into the cauldron of fire of the NBA.

Take my money…please!

The battle regarding ownership of the Wolves continues, owner Glen Taylor has taken his team off the market. The Wolves had been placed on the market and an agreement was supposed to have been arranged between Taylor, A-Rod and Lore. Later Taylor claimed the partners had voided the sale due to non-payment of a portion due. The parties have been fighting for several months now, the latest report. The partners claim they have $904 million in the bank which they are prepared to pay Taylor although he claims he doesn’t want it.

How will this impasse be resolved, that is unclear at this point however I did uncover a piece of information I was unaware. At least 23 of the 30 Board of Governors must vote in favor of the sale for it to become official. The assumption is Taylor would receive the funds promised to him as a condition of the sale. We are only privy to a portion of the series of occurrences but this is really a strange one. This is in the realm of “how the heck did this occur?” It’s a case of (A-Rod & Lore) saying “take my money please,” the other guy (Taylor) is saying “thanks but I don’t want it. You didn’t fulfill our original agreement.” I will continue to follow this bizarre effort to purchase the Wolves and keep you apprised.

Bits n Pieces of Information

This is a question rather than bits n pieces of information sharing, on the other hand maybe some of you already have the answer, I don’t. Celtic fans please tell me how come the correct pronunciation phonetically is “Keltic” yet the name of Boston’s NBA team is pronounced “Sel-tick.” This is a question inquiring minds want to know why.  

I was checking the Lakers roster for a members stats, there it was. Christian Koloko 7 foot and 230 pounds, an ESPN headline proclaimed he wouldn’t play in the Friday game against the Suns. We read Koloko had to be medically cleared but that was weeks ago now. Him not playing is not going to make a difference whether the team is able to compete effectively but why is it taking so long to clear him. I read a trio of doctors are required to say yes or no. A doctor representing the Lakers, the NBA and Players Association must clear him to play. 

Kansas City…home of the nation’s sports architects

Recently you read of the decision by Oklahoma City interests to hire Mancia architects of Kansas City design the replacement arena for the Paycom Center present home of the Thunder. Mancia is just one of quite a number sports architect firms headquartered in my hometown of Kansas City. I must advise you this is actually an update to a similar post made last year but much more extensive.

The investigation which follows surprised even me although I was aware of a portion. I didn’t realize it before beginning this I would discover more than half (17) of the 30 NBA franchises arenas were designed outright or co-designed by Kansas City based firms. In addition there are others not connected to an NBA franchise which were conceived here, they are the T-Mobile Arena Las Vegas, T-Mobile Center Kansas City, Mizzou Arena Columbia Missouri and possibly others not listed, below is the list:

State Farm-Atlanta

Capital One-Washington D.C.

TD Garden-Boston

Ball Arena-Denver

United Center-Chicago

Fiserv Forum-Milwaukee

Gainbridge Fieldhouse-Indianapolis

Little Caesars-Detroit

Toyota Center-Houston

Kia Center-Orlando

Frost Bank-San Antonio

Chase Center-San Francisco

FedEx Forum-Memphis

Footprint Arena-Phoenix

Spectrum Center-Charlotte

Moda Center-Portland

Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse-Cleveland

Basketball from a fans perspective

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Not how you start, it’s how you end

Former SportsCenter anchor Dan Patrick would use the term “En Fuego” describing a hot shooting individual. The term could be said of the Suns on Friday night at Crypto.com Arena. It seemed every shot Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and company took found its way to the bottom of the basket. On the other hand my Lakers had good opportunities but were missing shots or turned the ball over. The Lakers were down 38-23 at the end of the first quarter, they managed to erase a portion of the deficit, the Suns led at the half 61-52. As the headline reads it’s not how you start, it’s how you end. Hopefully in the future this pattern of slow Laker starts will not be repeated.

For the game the Suns shot a sizzling 51.2% and 45.9% from three, as for the Lakers it was a 53.3% and 51.9% which got them back in the ballgame. JJ Redick’s offense moves AD into the leading role and once again he came to the forefront. 35 points and 8 rebounds along with 2 blocked shots, he was assisted by Austin Reaves and his 26 points and 8 assists. That other guy…LeBron James scored 21 points and he tied the assist total of Reaves with 8. The final score read Lakers 123 Suns 116, my memory is fuzzy, I cannot remember the last time a Laker team began the season 2-0. This fast start by AD in his first two games exceeds a number of greats who played for Laker teams of the past. In closing there appears to be a change, LeBron is okay with the team’s offense not coming through him. It is time to develop others on this Laker squad for the future.

“The future so bright…..”

Come on you know the rest of the title don’t you, of course you do? Okay a little help here, the 1980 pop tune by Timbuk 3, it goes “The Future’s bright I gotta wear shades.” Johnathan Kuminga of the Warriors could also be singing that tune or at least he should be if he can carry a tune. After being drafted by the Warriors with the first pick in the first round of the 2021 draft his first two seasons were spent in a reserve role. He was infused into the lineup at a point last season and demonstrated to coach Kerr that’s where he belonged. As for his background he was born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kuminga first took up the game in his homeland.

In 2016 he journeyed to the U.S. to begin play first at Huntington Prep in West Virginia. Later it was two other high schools before he made the decision to sign with NBA G-League Team Elite. December 18 Kuminga made his regular season debut and it’s been good news for the Warriors. Kuminga had a breakout year based on the numbers he exhibited. The 6 foot 7 225 pound Kuminga plays both forward positions and well. Across the board all the numbers registered are good, the only area in my view requiring work is shooting free throws, it’s not terrible but 74% could be raised 3-5 points. All in all Warriors management is grinning from ear to ear with the prospect of developing Kuminga as they prepare for a post-Steph Warriors team.

Heart over Height 

NBA teams have finalized their season opening rosters, in the case of one Grizzlies player it becomes Heart over Height. The player I speak of in this instance is Yuki Kawamura, he was signed to an Exhibit 10 contract. In case you might be unfamiliar I found this from Yahoo Sports, “An Exhibit 10 contract is a one-year, minimum salary agreement that isn’t guaranteed. It can also include an optional bonus of up to $75,000.”   

A little further background for you on Kawamura, he’s a 5 foot 8 160 pound point guard. He’s played professionally for four years in Japan and is now trying to earn a roster position in the NBA. Due to his strong play during the recent exhibition season the Grizzlies decided in favor of Kawamura and signed him to a two-way contract, a two-way contract guarantees he cannot be poached by other teams. He will likely spend some time with the G-League affiliate but could play up to 50 regular season games for the Grizzlies. When he appears on the parent team’s roster Kawamura at 5 feet 8 inches will become the shortest player in the NBA.

Bits n Pieces of information

You remember the Pac-12 don’t you…the conference once thought dead. It turns out the Pac-12 was actually on life support as moves were made to schools to replace the departed. What you are about to read is speculation only, not a single team has decided to cast its fate with the new Pac-12. The University of Memphis was mentioned however they turned the Pac-12 down, don’t go to sleep here the Tigers might change their minds at some point in the not too distant future. Also mentioned as possible additions are Tulane along with the University of South Florida and there is a possibility Texas State might be added. Naturally, any move of this type a school must be satisfied with “what’s in this for me?”

I remain convinced there are basketball programs that recruit on their own. Sure the coach is important but the name of the school ranks slightly beneath that of the coach. This is certainly no predictor of talent nor if these two are headed for Duke. Some reading this might remember former NBA veteran Theo Ratliff, he’s the father of twin sons. Adonis (6-10, 190 pounds) and Darius (6-11, 205 pounds) are seniors at Archbishop Stepinac in White Plains NY. For those unfamiliar with the name White Plains is described as an inner suburb of New York City. Most interesting for me, the twins just might wind up at different schools.

I am curious now that we have teams playing in separate buildings, for years the Clippers complained about scheduling. Of course this was caused by the Lakers and Clippers sharing Crypto.com Arena. Could the arrangement of the schedule be based on first come first serve? Briefly stated it’s my understanding that the Lakers were first to sign a lease agreement and then the NHL Kings. The Clippers signed a lease for Staples as the arena was known but this was months after the others. That is likely the basis for instances when the Clippers played an afternoon game and the Lakers the nightcap. The Clippers are playing in their own arena (Intuit Dome) would the NBA schedule the teams to play at or near the same time?      

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday

A change

This morning begins a new chapter…a Saturday edition of Off the Dribble. With the advent of basketball beginning again there is additional news and notes to cover and it becomes difficult publishing 4 days. A Saturday edition should allow coverage, thus Tuesday and Thursday’s will be the only non-publishing dates. Hopefully this new schedule will meet with your approval and enjoyment. Once again I wish to thank you for continuing to read this blog morning, afternoon or evening. 

Bits n Pieces of information

Las Vegas in the NBA continues to be a topic of conversation. One more person has been added to the mix wanting to become owner of the franchise once expansion talks becomes serious. Shaq has been mentioned so has LeBron James and now there is one more name. The majority owner of the baseball Red Sox John Henry and Fenway Park Sports group are shifting their efforts from purchasing the Celtics to vying for the NBA Las Vegas expansion team. As for the partnership according to what I read LeBron would be part of the Henry group, this is developing news so don’t expect any immediate movement.

This is no precursor of future success, Laker rookie Dalton Knecht displayed a bit of his potential against the Suns in the last exhibition game. In an OT victory Knecht came off the bench scoring 35 points, seven rebounds along with two steals and two blocked shots. He was 10 for 18 from the floor including 8 of 13 from three, Knecht accomplished this in but 32 minutes. The Knicks have Spike Lee, as for the Lakers its Snoop Dogg. Guess what, Snoop is sold on JJ Redick and this version of the Lakers…we shall wait and see what eventually develops.

Duke might not be number one in the Top 25 pre-season poll however they are in recruiting talent. If you check most recruiting sites all place the Duke Blue Devils in the top slot, will Shelton Henderson be added to the list? Henderson is a 6 foot 6 210 pound forward, he’s rated a 5-star prospect on recruiting sites which should be no surprise. The youngster hails from Bellaire Texas a city located in the Houston metroplex. Committed earlier to Duke is Nikolas Khamenia a 6 foot 8 forward from Studio City California and the Boozer twins sons of former Duke player Carlos. As I always claim these prospects and others is no barometer of future success on the basketball court just information sharing.

ESPN NBA scribe Shams Charania was the first I heard report the news, the Lakers will send Bronny James to the G-League after their 5-game road trip. In this instance we are discussing a depth issue over ability or talent, we could debate this till the cows come home but Bronny has a number of veterans in front of him on the depth chart. He should head for the G-League, gain his bearings and come back ready to compete against NBA talent.

A deal’s been consummated

I was aware an architectural firm would soon be selected for the new arena in Oklahoma City replacing Paycom. The mayor’s office announced that Manica Architects has been chosen to design the arena. Some might have forgotten this bit of information however this is a reminder for all. The Kansas City (MO) metro is home to a number of sports architect groups. In this instance Manica Architects have been selected to design the new Oklahoma City basketball arena.

The site occupied by the former Cox Convention Center will be demolished next year and the arena will be constructed on the property presently owned by the City of Oklahoma City. The arena will be completed in time for the 2028-29 NBA season. Manica has a distinguished history having designed a number of basketball arenas and football stadiums across the nation. As an example we could look at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas and Nissan Stadium under construction in Nashville to name just a few.

Basketball from a fans perspective

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NBA history was made

With about 4 minutes remaining in the 2nd quarter NBA history was made opening night. The Wolves were visiting the Lakers at Crypto.com arena. LeBron James and Bronny James checked into the game at the same time, the first father-son combo to appear in an NBA game. As for the game itself, Laker Nation whether in the arena or part of the television audience witnessed a much different team from last season.

The energy level for the game was high for the greater majority. They missed a large number of three’s however Redick appeared to be unconcerned about the issue. The Lakers could shoot three’s they just didn’t shoot a substantial number last season compared to other NBA teams. Under JJ Redick all that changes now as he wants to place emphasis on that aspect of the game. It’s worth mentioning that 2024 Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert had issues. Matched against Anthony Davis much of the game he could only “watch” as AD alone was a major contributor to the 110-103 Laker victory. 36 points, 16 rebounds along with 4 assists and 2 blocked shots was the effort made by the Laker center. I was reminded back to the spring of 2024, AD thought he should have been given consideration for Defensive Player of the Year. If he continues to play in a similar manner throughout the season it just might occur.

As for the father-son combo Bronny only played 3 minutes as they set a record. In addition to the James family the baseball father son combo of Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr. was in attendance for this historic event. Kenny ‘The Jet’ Smith made an interesting statement which I will paraphrase. “I got to see Bronny James when he was at Sierra Canyon (HS), he was a McDonald’s All American. Let’s say he doesn’t have the health issue at Southern Cal we might be looking at him differently than today.”

Our neighbors

Our northern neighbor Canada has produced a substantial number of NBA talent over time, as for our southern border not so much. In Mexico soccer (football) remains the most popular sport although basketball has made inroads. According to information I uncovered the popularity of the sport has increased, it’s now the number three most popular sport in Mexico. It’s my belief internationally at least fans have gravitated to the NBA seeing a fellow countryman playing the game at a high skill level. By comparison, the number of Mexican NBA players has been quite minor compared to Canada.

There might be just one player to change that and he’s already on the stage, his name is Karim Lopez. You might remember Lopez was covered in the past but to update others a little detail. He’s a 6 foot 8 195 pound shooting guard/small forward, he’s played in Spain until recently. This upcoming season Lopez will begin play for the New Zealand Breakers in the NBL and he’s looking toward the 2026 NBA draft. I took a glance at two mock sites, one indicates Lopez will be a lottery pick while the other implies he would lie one or two picks beyond the lottery. You might ask why I am point towards the 2026 draft rather than 2025, this appears to be the choice of Lopez.

The” new” Palace is open

Prior to Little Caesar Arena opening the Pistons played their games at The Palace of Auburn Hills for years. This arena opened in 1988 and remained the home for Pistons basketball until 2017. The Palace closed and has since been demolished however it’s been replaced, i.e., the name at least. Wednesday night saw the Clippers play their first game in The House that Ballmer built. Clipper owner Steve Ballmer has long desired to remove his team from the shadow of playing in the Lakers building.

The arena is not really owned by the Lakers but it seemed that was the case, the Clippers were lined up behind the Lakers and Kings in the pecking order. In any event the palatial Intuit Dome opened to a roaring number of spectators Wednesday. Words fail to provide the grandeur of this state of the art arena, check out video on YouTube which will provide you the look. Oh, by the way they did play a basketball game, the Clippers played host to the Suns. The inaugural game in the Intuit Dome turned out to be a loser for the home team in OT 116-113.

He's playing at home

Karl-Anthony Towns was born in Edison New Jersey, he grew up in Piscataway and we could say he’s a New York City metro guy. KAT developed his game at St. Joseph HS in Metuchen, New Jersey. From there it was the University of Kentucky where he played for coach Cal for one year. He declared for the NBA draft and was made the first pick in the first round of the 2015 June draft by the Wolves, in 2016 he was named NBA Rookie of the Year.

Since then over the course of a brief career the 28-year old KAT has provide us proof of his talent. Sure he’s suffered injuries during his career but when healthy and on the court the 7 foot 250 pound athlete has proven to be an outstanding talent over and over again. October 2024 the Wolves traded KAT to the Knicks, someone looking at the trade might believe the Wolves might have given up on him…far from it. KAT might be the key piece allowing the Knicks to escape the east and play for an NBA championship, that is the hope for Knick fans especially Spike Lee.

Basketball from a fans perspective

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Do you remember

A few weeks ago the mayor of Philadelphia called a press conference. Mayor Sherelle Parker announced the Sixers new arena would not be constructed in New Jersey although she didn’t mention the opposition bid. Mayor Parker indicated there was an agreement made between her and the Sixers, therefore the $1.5 billion 76Place arena would be constructed in the city. The mayor further indicated the agreement would be presented to the city council the following week.

So we had a done deal however it quickly unraveled, a representative of merchants in the Chinatown portion of the city came forth and indicated they would contest the decision. Now a second (or is it third) group have surfaced with the intent to fight this effort. A group of Philadelphia clergymen have come forward expressing their concerns regarding the project. Legislation plans are to be presented for action later this month is the latest word. The timeline we presume of the Sixers indicates the new arena should be ready by the start of the 2031-32 NBA season, stay tuned for further developments on this ever changing story.

Who are they

Anthony Davis is one of my favorite Laker players, he’s got skill but there is a glitch. More than once in the past AD has expressed the fact he doesn’t like playing center although he stands 6 foot 10 and 253 pounds. As this is written it appears he will man the post again in the 2024-25 season but what about the future? Could the Lakers choose one or more of the following, I decided to take a look at the projected top Big Men who could appear in the 2025 NBA draft. Most names are probably unfamiliar to us but here goes anyway.

Thanks to nbadraftroom.com these names are considered the top Big Men prospects for 2025. At the top of the list is Rocco Zikarsky, this Australian youngster is 18-years old and plays for the Brisbane Bullets. Zikarsky stands 7 foot 3 and 227 pounds, he played first at the NBA Global Academy in Canberra Australia. If Zikarsky is drafted don’t expect him to arrive and take over but he is a talent. Next up is a name covered previously Khaman Maluach, he’s a freshman at Duke. Maluach stands 7 foot 2 and 235 pounds, he’s from South Sudan and arrives at Duke from the NBA Academy in Africa. 

Up next is Zvonimir Ivisic a 7 foot 3 220 pound center, he hails from Croatia…his talent will be on display at Arkansas this upcoming season. At Kansas will be Flory Bidunga from the Congo, Bidunga is 6 foot 10 and 220 pounds. Bidunga will also be moved slowly adjusting to basketball at the collegiate level. Last on the list of Top 5 post players is Patrick Ngongba II who will also play for Duke. He’s 6 foot 11 and 235 pounds, Ngongba is from Fairfax Virginia. Perhaps one are more of these prospects will have a breakout season and head for the NBA. In addition there might be someone else like Hansen Yang 7-1 Big Man from China or Ryan Kalkbrenner also 7-1 who plays at Creighton.

Dinosaur?

You remember them don’t you…that group of “experts” who made the claim? They said “Zach Edey’s game is a throwback to the early days of basketball, no one plays like that now. Why in the world did the Grizzlies draft him at 9?” The Lakers drafted Dalton Knecht with the 17th pick, my hope was Edey wouldn’t be chosen extremely high therefore the Lakers would have an opportunity to draft him. The guy who returned to school last year because he wasn’t ready apparently is now. Keep in mind the season is just now starting although Edey’s exhibited some rather strong play to date in the exhibition season.

Currently his post-up numbers are higher than The Joker and Embiid, they will go down once the season begins but at this pace his game is NBA ready. One additional area is his hook shot, standing 7 feet 4 and 305 pounds he's almost immovable to dislodge him once he’s established position. Before you go running off searching for his rookie card these final words. I have no intention of misleading you, given time it’s my belief Edey will become a force in the NBA. Is he Kareem, Shaq or Hakeem in the post…nope but he will continue to refine his game. The NBA should wake up and take notice of this budding talent I did from his junior year at Purdue on.

The future

I shared my thoughts regarding the Clippers with a friend and I am now sharing them with you. I told him as much as I hate to admit it the last few years the Clippers playoff outlook was much brighter than my Lakers. As for the future of the Clippers (barring free agent signings or dynamite draft picks) the future is not so bright. There is 33-year old Kawhi Leonard with a history of injury…some have kept him out of the lineup for major portions of the season. The majority of this was written prior to the news Leonard would be sidelined at least through the early portion of the season. Behind him is 35-year old James Harden who remains a talent too but certainly no longer the 2018 NBA MVP James Harden.

After losing veterans Paul George in free agency and trading Russell Westbrook who remains. If I check ESPN’s depth chart they place Terrance Mann in the starting lineup at shooting guard along with Derrick Jones Jr. at the small forward. Both players are serviceable NBA veterans however neither is likely to frighten an opposing team. The balance of the team plus reserve players don’t strike fear in the heart of anyone. If I am in the shoes of Lawrence Frank I am preparing for the 2024-25 season with an eye on pending free agents for 2026 and beyond. Despite what might appear a doom & gloom report the Clippers could shock me and everyone else. They could earn a playoff berth as for championship aspirations that is highly unlikely for the foreseeable future. With that said they should enjoy their first season playing in the Intuit Dome.  

Basketball from a fans perspective

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I realize

A friend of mine indicated that she didn’t have time for the NBA, she said it’s still NFL season. Wait she stated until after the Super Bowl. That’s okay everyone is not like me…my focus is on the NBA and college basketball. I follow the NFL Chiefs and baseball Royals but nowhere close to passion I have for basketball. That’s okay my friend, I certainly don’t expect you to live your life as I do. 

Tomorrow night it will begin for real…the NBA kicks off its season, in another two weeks or so colleges will begin play.I adjust my television schedule based on what night it is or who is playing. As an example a Tuesday evening broadcast will cause me to DVR any programming scheduled that evening. The scenario plays throughout the week and it gets more complicated once colleges begin play. There have been evenings I’ve watched a 6:00 p.m. Central Time college game and an 8:00 or p.m. NBA game. Once again I don’t expect anyone to have the fervor I have for basketball at all levels. For my friend, it’s okay if it’s the NFL for you until after the Super Bowl.

Breakout game

The headline might be a slight exaggeration on my part, Bronny James did have his best game as a Laker. Sure the game was played against mostly subs for the Warriors and it was the last exhibition game prior to Wednesday. Since this was a game played in California Pacific time versus my Midwest sleepy time I have only the box score as a guide. Bronny’s shooting was good, 17 points however only 41.2% from the floor and 20% from three. In 35 minutes of action Bronny managed to pull down 4 rebounds along with 3 steals while shooting 100% from the line. 

This might be a glimpse at the ultimate future for Bronny but I would be shocked if these numbers will be duplicated once the regular season begins. He remains a budding talent although I continue to reserve my view on his ultimate level. In other father-son news Shaquille O’ Neal’s son Shareef has been signed by the Kings and will play for their Stockton G-League affiliate. Shareef also suffered a heart issue which unlike Bronny required surgery. The young O’Neal is a 6 foot 10 220 pound power forward/center, earlier he played for G-League Team Ignite.

Winning Culture

The headline simply implies a person or team is condition to succeed, the degree of success can vary. If we utilize sports as a barometer I could say the NFL Kansas City Chiefs at least under coach Andy Reid have a winning culture. The Chiefs have won two Super Bowls in a row and are on the road to a third. As for the Royals that’s been a different story, they finished the 2024 season with a winning record the first in 9 years. Because this is a basketball blog we move in that direction, the Celtics broke their tie with the Lakers winning championship number 18 this past June. Although it was 2020 for the Lakers they too place a priority on a winning culture. Do you realize between these two teams they are winners of nearly half the championships in NBA history?

What makes for a winning tradition, probably several things but chief among them is an expectation of success at the highest level. One might state all NBA teams desire winners but there are few capable of continued success. Although the Spurs have fallen on tough times recently the franchise was one under Gregg Popovich which established winning as a key. More recently the Warriors have been the barometer we look toward as having established a winning culture. Can a team be successful without winning a championship for me the answer is yes. I look at it in this manner, every season you are aware injures aside that particular team will finish above .500. They don’t have losing records, losing fails to exist in their environment. There are probably areas omitted by me but those mentioned are key to establishing a Winning Culture for a professional sports team.

Bits n Pieces of information

What If you were asked to name the college and universities with the most NBA talent, which one’s are included on your list? You just checked out the preseason polls and discovered Kansas was the number one team in the nation on all pre-season Top 25 polls. If you named the Jayhawks you would be incorrect, not from me but those who cover the college game for ESPN. They named the Top 10 college/universities for the 2024-25 season, guess again, the Jayhawks ain’t one of the schools. If that’s not the case just who are they? As a reminder this is not my list, here goes:

Duke

UNC

UConn

Alabama

Arizona

Arkansas

Illinois

Baylor

BYU

Rutgers

The surprises for me besides Kansas missing from their list, the report indicating the BYU and Rutgers roster contained a sizable number of NBA prospects.

Chris Paul’s NBA career is winding down at age 39, I have maintained for a number of years he might be the last pure point guard in the NBA. Guys nowadays are masquerading as point guards but are really combo guards SGA as an example. Shai-Gilgeous Alexander who will receive MVP votes this upcoming season is a point guard, we have Steph Curry along with James Harden. The Nuggets now have Russell Westbrook on their roster…I hope you see where I’m going with this post. Back to Paul, he says there are a couple of directions he’d like to go after retirement. One is possibly coaching and the other is ownership, he too would like to become an NBA owner one day.

Some of you have stated the only reason Bronny James is in the NBA is due to his dad being LeBron. That might well be correct however this familia relationship is not the first instance only the latest. As an example these are the words of former NBA player Chandler Parsons from NBA on Clutch Points. “Because a player is gonna feel some way about the coach. ‘Uh, he snubbed me. You subbed me out too early.’ Three minutes to go, and he looks down the bench and picks Austin to go in instead of me. I’m gonna feel a little slighted by that. I can’t help but think that’s favoritism.” That was Parsons speaking of coach Doc Rivers and guard Austin Rivers with the Clippers. Did this occur, I’m sure it did at some point while father and son were with the Clippers although I certainly cannot validate it.