A fans perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday plus Friday through Sunday

The game of the season (so far)

As you are aware ‘The Baby’ Spurs performed a beatdown on my Lakers in the NBA Cup quarterfinals 132-119. After the Wemby-less Spurs won the game so convincingly I said to my co-workers, “this Spurs team is for real” and must be dealt with now and into the future. The Spurs had a monumental task in front of them on Saturday evening, they would face the defending champion Thunder. Imagine this, the Thunder were browbeating every team on their schedule, they were many who voiced the comment they might eclipse the Warriors all-time won loss record with a 24-1 start. Wemby would return to the Spurs lineup after missing 12 games with a left calf strain and he was placed on a minutes restriction. The final score Spurs 111 Thunder 109, keep in mind we have a long season in front of us plus the playoffs.

This victory is certainly an outstanding win for the Spurs however I’m sure they are only celebrating the victory and not claiming superiority over the Thunder. Wemby on a minutes restriction made his presence known, 22 points including sinking his only 3-point basket. In addition ‘The Alien’ pulled down 9 rebounds and blocked 2 shots. The trio of De’Aaron Fox, Devin Vassel and Stephon Castle certainly made their presence known in the game with 22, 23 and 22 points respectively, in addition the trio compiled 10 assists. There is no attempt on my part to ignore the defending champions, the Thunder played an outstanding game offensively and defensively. They came up short at the end however SGA and crew are just as dangerous today as they were on Saturday night. Don’t allow the glitch of Saturday night to lead you to conclusion this Thunder team is not as competitive or dangerous as they have been so far this season.

Meanwhile….

You’ve seen them I’m sure, I speak of the imaginary trade proposals dreamt up by members of the media. The truth of the matter, trades must ‘balance’ salary wise in order to be successful in the NBA. A team can’t simply decide “I’m gonna trade our power forward for their combo guard,” it doesn’t work like that. Based on that fact whenever I come across one I look at and think to myself, that could possibly work but it ain’t happening. There is an old idiom that says, “It must be a slow news day” which implies there is nothing stirring in the news department so why not contemplate something to write, there is someone or several someone’s sitting at their laptop dreaming up a trade that will never come to culmination.

I’m sitting and writing at the same time, Texas-UConn is on my television set and for the life of me I cannot remember who heads the program at Texas. My mind has gone blank, I had to go to quickly research my question, then I became reacquainted with Sean Miller. Miller took over the Texas program in March 2025 after Rodney Terry was fired. Miller has been a winner at several stops, Xavier on two separate occasions and more recently Arizona. In 20 seasons as a head coach Miller’s registered 487 wins versus 196 losses for a .713 winning percentage. If we check his coaching resume there is only a single losing record at Xavier and Arizona. Number 5 UConn was the eventual winner by a score of 71 to 63.

Mike Brown will not be given credit for the teams’ success. I speak of the New York Knicks who advanced in the NBA Cup Series by beating the Orlando Magic 132-120, now they move onto the semifinals. In fairness I can say Brown inherited a good team at the time he was hired. Despite being fired Tom Thibodeau is a good coach but history says he’s got one issue regarding his coaching. Like a millstone hung around his neck the fact that Thibs always has his starters on the floor for too many minutes in the majority of games. For Thibs its never about winning, the man walks, talks and sleeps basketball…it’s the other thing that’s caused him continuous coaching problems. At the conclusion of the season and into the playoffs the media and fans are unlikely to credit the coaching of Brown who is also a good coach for any success the Knicks might have.

The Missouri Valley Conference was established in the 1907-08 season, originally comprising six institutions: the Universities of Nebraska, Iowa State, Kansas, Missouri, Washington University in St. Louis, and Drake. This conference has a long-standing history, with connections between schools such as Kansas and Missouri that predate their participation in the Big 6, Big 8, and eventually the Big 12 Conference. As for the present Washington University currently competes at the Division III level. Nebraska in the Big 12 and now Big 10 and Iowa State now a Big 12 school, while Drake University stands out for its exceptional longevity within the Missouri Valley Conference. Beginning with the 2025-26 season, Drake will have been a continuous member of the Missouri Valley Conference for 118 years of basketball competition. That might be a record for the longest continuous affiliation with a single conference.

Maybe I was wrong, do you remember what I wrote once upon a time? I believe it was something along these lines. “Cooper Flagg will not dominate, he will sink the needed basket, grab a crucial rebound or make a spectacular assist.” Is it possible to stand out as a key player in a different manner?  Flagg’s numbers for the last 10 games have risen exponentially, he’s shooting 51.6% from the field with 6.2 rebounds and nearly 4 assists a game. This is pure speculation on my part so consider it just that, I wonder if adjusting to NBA play along with playing point guard early affected the growth of his game. Then again consider the fact that on the 21st of December Flagg will turn 19 years old, technically he should be in the middle of his freshman year of college. This is no prediction of his future however Mavs fans might one day be saying ‘Luka who?’

A fans perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday plus Friday through Sunday

December 13, 1977

29 people boarded the chartered DC-3 for the University of Evansville, the team was bound for Nashville where they were scheduled to play Middle Tennessee at Murfreesboro. At 19:22 CST the plane crashed killing the head coach Bobby Watson and 14 members of the men’s basketball team along with several others who boarded the flight. An investigation uncovered the fact that the crash was due to pilot error.

Wikipedia: “The National Transportation Safety Board blamed the crash on the pilot's failure to remove gust locks on the right aileron and the rudder before takeoff, as well as an overloaded baggage compartment. The NTSB report said that the plane might have been able to stay airborne had only one of the problems existed. As it was, the extra baggage shifted the plane's center of gravity to the rear, and the locked rudder and aileron made it impossible to control the overweight aircraft. Tragedy would strike the campus two weeks later. David Furr an 18-year old freshman player was not on the flight, he’d suffered an ankle injury and had remained at school. Furr along with his brother were both killed in an automobile accident two weeks after the air crash.”  

I’ve witnessed both

Recently ESPN.com provided us ‘The Top 25 under 25,’ they ranked players based on their future potential. They rated Victor Wembanyama the number one player in the group, which is certainly no shock to anyone reading the account. I have no plan on stealing their thunder, I simply ask you to walk with me for a brief period. I believe my perspective on basketball and the NBA in general might be distinctive. One view of the game is clearly in the past while one is in the present and to a degree the future. With that said we shall proceed with the discussion. It is my belief the NBA is about to move into another ‘Golden Age’ period similar to the Magic/Bird/Jordan era. The Oklahoma City Thunder as this is written appear invincible of course much of the season remains plus the playoffs prior to a second championship.

For you NFL purest I have no argument with you…the NBA will not supplant the NFL in popularity however it will rise above its present stature. As I believe 99% of my view is pure assumption based on the ESPN.com account and my long held belief that the NBA is on a plan that continues to elevate. This is no attempt on my part to blow smoke in your face, anytime there are human beings involved in anything the possibility of problems will exist. An example might be the gambling issue being investigated along with player for pay issues involving the Clippers. Although you might have serious doubts about my next statement its true, NBA players of today are better conditioned than many in the past. In addition sports medicine has made giant strides over time, athletes in all sports have been able to return to action from injuries that once caused immediate retirement. Truth is I am a ‘glass half full’ guy rather than a ‘glass half empty.’ I repeat it again, I believe the best is yet to come for the NBA in the future.

Rui…Rui

Chances are real good you might never hear a Crypto.com crowd yell his name. His full name is Rui Hachimura and he plays power forward for the Los Angeles Lakers but that’s only part of his story. In 2019 Hachimura was made pick number 9 in the first round by the Washington Wizards. He spent his first 4.5 years with the Wizards, January 23, 2023, Hachimura was traded to the Lakers where he’s became a fixture at the power forward position. How he arrived with the Lakers is easy to explain, his arrival in the United States a different matter altogether.

Hachimura was born in Toyama Japan, a city on Japan’s main island, Honshu, his father is from Benin and his mother Japanese. Gonzaga University in Spokane Washington always active scouting international prospects offered him a basketball scholarship. What does Hachimura do…almost everything the Lakers ask of him. If its scoring he does that, if its shooting threes he does that as well, his lowest average from distance was the 29.6% he shot his first year with the team. If its rebounding the basketball the 6-foot 8 230 pound Hachimura can do that and in addition play tough hard nose defense. Coach JJ Redick loves the guy, he’s said on more than one occasion “Rui does whatever I ask of him.” Hachimura is not the type of player fans will chant his name…he just does all the right stuff to prove he’s a winner.

A look at the Eastern Conference

It’s early, only 25 or so games played as this is written, what is apparent thus far from my perspective? The Boston Celtics have been much more competitive than I would have thought when training camp began, no Jayson Tatum but the 15-9 won-loss record places them in third place. The Detroit Pistons and New York Knicks were expected to be near the top so their winning play so far is certainly no surprise. Surprises…there are plenty of those beginning with the Cleveland Cavaliers. In this instance I cannot provide the why of the “average” play of the Cavs to date I have only witnessed them in action twice. As for the poor effort of the Milwaukee Bucks has been two-fold, Giannis Antetokounmpo has been injured so that’s part of the problem. The other portion perhaps the team has not progressed at the level some of us might have believed.

After checking the past history the Chicago Bulls (9 wins 14 losses) are in the position we should have anticipated. Last season it was 39 wins and 43 losses, the year prior to that it was also 39-43. The Philadelphia Sixers are 13-10 but so far they appear to be no worst nor better than last season. Again the reminder, its early however a smooth start certainly is the hope of all teams. As an example last season the Lakers were somewhat stuck in neutral until February or so. Whether it was the Luka Doncic trade or something else a stretch run saw them finish with 50 wins. With that statement in mind all is not lost for any team, I’m going to use February as the starting point with this statement. If the performance is poor to average at that stage let’s just say they should begin vacation plans. Finally this note, this is written from the perspective of a fan, it represents an opinion and not fact.

A fans perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday plus Friday through Sunday

Two teammates

CORRECTION: The headline should read two (former) teammates are the leaders. There are a number of NBA rookies who moved into the starting lineups for their respective teams, I’m sure there have been some ‘bumps’ however the move has been smooth for the most part. It’s still early in the season yet if we began to look at candidates for NBA Rookie of the Year there are several viable names to consider. It just so happens that the two leaders in the mind of most were once teammates, this past season home court for Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel was Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham North Carolina. As for this season it’s American Airlines Center for Flagg and the Spectrum Center for Knueppel. As you remember Flagg was made the first pick in the 2025 draft by the Dallas Mavericks while Knueppel was chosen 4th by the Charlotte Hornets.

Check out these numbers, Knueppel is ahead of Flagg in scoring with an 18 ppg average versus the 17.3 registered by Flagg. On the other hand Flagg is slightly ahead of his former teammate in rebounds with 6.3 rpg against the 5.5 of Knueppel. Both average 3.3 assist per game, shooting from the floor both are close 47.5% for Flagg and 45.9% for Knueppel. Two former teammates vying for 2026 NBA Rookie of the Year. As for the history this from AI Overview: “Two college teammates who were high NBA draft picks include UCLA's Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (No. 1) and Lucius Allen (No. 3) in 1969, and more recently, Rutgers' Dylan Harper (No. 2) and Ace Bailey (No. 5) in 2025, marking a historic first for Rutgers. Other notable pairs with high picks from the same college are UConn's Emeka Okafor (No. 2) & Ben Gordon (No. 3) in 2004, and Duke's Jay Williams (No. 2) & Mike Dunleavy (No. 3) in 2002.” 

Nike v Adidas

Allow me to introduce to several readers the name Tyran Stokes, he’s a 6-foot 7 230 pound small forward. Stokes is a 5-star prospect and considered by all scouting sites the number one basketball player in the Class of 2026, he attends Ranier High School in Seattle. Although he’s made no commitment to date his list has been reduced to three schools and then he added an additional one. They are Kentucky, Kansas, Oregon and Vanderbilt, should we suppose apparel might be as much of a draw as the coach or school for him? Stokes has signed an NIL contract with Nike, will that impact a future decision regarding his school of choice.

Kentucky is associated with the Nike brand while Kansas is linked to Adidas, as for the other two schools, Oregon and Vanderbilt are also Nike affiliated. I have no intention of leaving you in the dark, according to reports Stokes is leaning toward Kentucky with Kansas in second place followed by Oregon. Vanderbilt is not mentioned although as a late addition to the list of potential schools surely the Commodores must be included somewhere in the number. But wait there is more, at this point we discuss Name, Image and Likeness.

Since the introduction of NIL, it’s likely to have not been uncommon for it to influence, to varying degrees, the decision-making process regarding school selection. Keep in mind I’m not stating there is anything wrong here its just another example of a change in the sports world. On the other hand we could look at Cooper Flagg Dallas Mavericks rookie. The rookie forward signed a shoe deal with New Balance apparel in August of his freshman year, of course Duke is a Nike affiliated school. If we use Flagg as the guideline it provides us proof Stokes might not be affected one way or the other which school he ultimately decides to attend.   

The St. Louis Hawks

Several cities which once had NBA teams were profiled, St. Louis was one of those mentioned. The team was founded in 1946 and was a member of the National Basketball League until that league merged with BAA to become the National Basketball Association. The team began play as the Tri-City Blackhawks in 1946, three cities were the original home, Moline and Rock Island, Illinois and Davenport, Iowa. In 1951 the team moved to Milwaukee and then became known simply as the Hawks, Milwaukee would remain home until 1955 when another move brought them to St. Louis.

The Gateway City would remain home until 1968 when the franchise was sold and the team moved to Atlanta their present home. Several NBA greats who eventually were enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame played for the St. Louis addition. Prior to the arrival of Wilkens was Bob Pettit who played his college ball at LSU, drafted in 1954 he would spend all 11 years of his NBA career a member of the Hawks. The Hawks won a single championship while in St. Louis however the team’s fate might have change accept for a decision that would haunt them for years. In the 1956 draft Bill Russell was chosen by the Hawks with the second pick. Ed Macauley had been an outstanding player for the Celtics and there was a connection, Macauley had played his college basketball at St. Louis University. If we look at the NBA of the 1950’s unlike today the majority of the leagues players were white.

Although it had been nearly 10 years since Jackie Robinson had broken the color barrier in baseball the racial climate might not have been conducive to a black man in Missouri at the time. The balance of the story is NBA history, Russell would take the lead for a good Celtics team and they won championship after championship. The Hawks won the 1958 NBA championship interrupting a continuous run of championships by the Celtics. The late Lenny Wilkens who recently passed was drafted by the Hawks in 1960 and played for the Hawks through the 1967-68 prior to being traded to the Seattle Sonics. This concludes a brief history of the Hawks while St. Louis was home base.

Is there an answer

The Missouri Tigers have 9 wins and only 2 losses as this is written on December 12. The record in my view is a slight bit tainted and allow for an explanation, I feel as strongly about the Tigers as I do the Lakers. Despite this fact I must call it as I see it, the 2 losses suffered thus far stand out over the 9 wins for this reason. One of the losses was against Big 10 Notre Dame, although the Fighting Irish had a plus record they were not a ranked team. Missouri lost a close game as a visitor 76-71, the second lost stings more than Notre Dame, it was against Kansas in the annual Border (whatever it’s called) match. This time Missouri suffered a beat down to the tune of 80-60.

In the non-con portion of a team’s schedule the debate has been this, “do you play a softer schedule with winning being the ultimate reward or is it a tough schedule more likely to be a conditioner to winning and overcoming adversity?” Perhaps the true answer might be a mix of softer and tougher scheduling is the key, allow me to explain further. Missouri will have played 12 games prior to their annual game with Top 25 Illinois and then SEC play. What if 4 or 5 of the 12 scheduled games were against Big 10, Big East or ACC competition? If we look at last week’s opponent Kansas this is a tiny portion of their non-con schedule. Kansas played Duke, Notre Dame, Syracuse, Tennessee and UConn…of the number Kansas won 3 of the 5 games. It serves no purpose in my estimation for Missouri to schedule games against Cleveland State, Prairie View and South Dakota. Before you begin stating I’m disparaging your program that is not the intent, I am simply stating UConn might provide stiffer competition than VMI.

A fans perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday through Sunday

The Spurs are for real

The San Antonio Spurs were believed to be exploited however instead they became the exploiters. Prior to the game I thought “They are playing the Lakers at home plus the fact there would be no Wemby to block or alter Laker baskets. The game would be close however the home team would prevail over the young Spurs.” That was my view and not reality which later occurred, as I indicated it was Spurs 132 Lakers 119, the next question might be asked, exactly what occurred? 

The Lakers can score baskets, truth is they can do this with the best of the NBA. The Lakers have two deficiencies which the Spurs exploited to the max. 1. Average to poor defense against the three point line and 2. Little offensive production from the Laker bench. The positive, the Lakers still have one of the best won-loss records in the NBA. The negative…unless they address the two issues raised they earn a playoff berth but are quickly eliminated for championship contention. At this point I will leave the concerns I’ve expressed with the Laker front office, from where I sit little can be accomplished to address the issues raised.

Meanwhile…

If Karim Lopez is selected in the June draft, he will join the list of Mexican athletes who have played in the NBA. The 6-foot-8, 210-pound Lopez currently competes for the New Zealand Breakers in the National Basketball League. Multiple NBA mock draft sources project Lopez to be chosen in the first round of the 2026 NBA draft; according to nbadraft.net, he is projected at No. 8, while bleacherreport.com ranks him at No. 11. Check tankathon.com which lists him as the No. 12 pick, and nbadraftroom.com expects him to be selected at No. 24. What is most interesting is the growth of basketball in our neighbor to the south. From what I read the most popular sports in Mexico are in this order, soccer, boxing and baseball.

Several reading this might remember the name Emoni Bates, for him there is a question. Is his dream of an NBA career officially over? Bates was pronounced “Ready for the NBA” by a scout after being named National Gatorade Player of the Year while in high school. Play at two high schools, two colleges, drafted as the number 49 pick in the second round by the Cavs in 2023. He appeared only briefly with the Cavs and from there it was the Sixers who waived him prior to the start of the 2025-26 season. Where in the world is Emoni Bates, I am unable to find him on any NBA or G-League team?

Is a new wave of basketball stars preparing to make their mark, there are several following in the footsteps of their famous fathers. More recently it was Bronny James’ son of LeBron, waiting in the wings so to speak is Marcus Spears Jr. son of the former NFL player. Meanwhile Kiyan Anthony begins his journey at Syracuse, fans and scouts are watching closely for promising players who could help shape the NBA’s future. Freshman Anthony has settled into a reserve role although his coach has expressed the belief he is a budding talent. Playing 23 minutes a game his numbers are 11.3 pts and 44% shooting in his limited court time for the Orangemen.

Is there a next

Chris Paul lives in Los Angeles, for that reason alone the fact the Clippers ‘cut’ him just meant he was at home anyway. Despite the number of reports surrounding his departure from the team he claims in an interview all is well. The statement from those of us in the public might be why not. Paul is eligible to be traded after next week, will he attempt to resume his Hall of Fame NBA career? Paul is the only one to answer that question, besides the fact the 2025-26 season was supposed to be a farewell tour for him. I speculate on a great number of things involving the NBA and it’s players however this is not one of them. I can say this in truth it’s been a magnificent run for Paul despite the fact he never won a championship.

This is bittersweet in a sense because it’s my belief that the one true opportunity to win it all was prevented by the NBA. You remember the story I hope, in any event the New Orleans Hornets (Pelicans now) franchise was being operated by the league. Paul was traded to the Lakers and a few days later NBA commissioner David Stern voided the trade. He claimed at the time the decision was made “In the best interest of the league.” Just imagine a backcourt of Kobe Bryant at shooting guard and Chris Paul at the point, despite what Laker Nation desired the tandem never came about. Then again we could look at the development in this manner, Kobe and Paul two driven but gifted players may well have butted heads and the championship hopes and aspirations might have never come to fruition.

I didn’t realize

I would suppose if you don't win an NCAA championship, your name isn't considered among the top college coaches in the nation. That would be the case for Mark Few head man at Gonzaga, do you realize he’s been at the helm for 27 seasons? Did you also realize in that time his Bulldogs have never, ever not earned an NCAA invitation. Recently Few was honored by winning his 750th game as a coach a number few have attained, the All-Time winner is Coach K. with 1,202 wins. The only active coaches ahead of Few in descending order are Rick Pitino, John Calipari, Rick Barnes, Bill Self and Dana Altman.

I would consider the fact that places Few in some exclusive company. As usual Gonzaga has begun the season on a high note winning 9 of their first 10 games, the Bulldogs are ranked 8 in the AP Top 25 and 7 in the Coaches Poll. As for their BPI ranking they are second in the nation behind Duke. Few is only 62 years old which places him well below mandatory retirement age, if he should average only 25 wins over the next 5-6 years he will eclipse many legendary coaches of the past. A few of those names, how about Bob Huggins, Adolph Rupp, Dean Smith along with Jim Calhoun. Of course nothing is set in stone, Few might decide the daily grind of coaching at this level wears on a person’s psyche, we shall see.

A conundrum

I was prepared, the NBA family of channels now consisted of two not included at present. I was accustomed to TNT from the time the network first began broadcasting games. Their announcers plus studio crew was top notch, that would be gone beginning with the 2025-26 NBA season. The new streaming partners are Prime and Peacock neither one are included with my service at present. We are three weeks from the new year, the NBA season began almost two months ago and I am missing. Missing what you might ask, the ability (without NBA League Pass) to see all the games I desire.

Games broadcast on Prime and Peacock I’ve had to follow the progress on my iPhone, that method is okay but certainly nowhere close to seeing the action. Here I am faced with the dilemma, do I pay extra for Prime and Peacock or simply follow my established routine? One of the issues to consider…playoff basketball. Last season and in the past TNT broadcast a number of playoff games, what occurs for this season? Do I miss seeing vital playoff games due to the fact I have neither of the aforementioned streaming services?  I guess it’s a matter of paying for what you desire which makes me (and others maybe) glutinous consumers. What to do…what to do…the conundrum in front of me requiring a decision real soon.

A fans perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday through Sunday

Wemby update

The Los Angeles Lakers have the San Antonio Spurs on the schedule for tonight. Missing from the Spurs lineup will be ‘The Alien’ a.k.a. Victor Wembanyama. Exactly where is he you are probably asking, he suffered a left calf strain in a game against the Golden State Warriors on November 14. Since that date, the Spurs have made no attempt to rush him back into action until he is fully ready to play. This week Wemby began practicing with his teammates however it’s highly unlikely he plays tonight against the Lakers.

Although I’m sure the Spurs would prefer to have Wemby back in the lineup there is no desire to abbreviate the calf strain again, the Spurs medical staff wants to approach his return slowly. In between time like many of you I expected play to be impacted with no Wemby in the lineup. Currently as of Monday the Spurs have 15 wins versus 7 losses, this places them in 5th place in the Western Conference. In the standings they are in front of the Wolves, Suns and Warriors as for the Southwest Conference of the NBA they are one game in front of the Houston Rockets. Despite the absence of Wemby for nearly a month “the wheels have no fallen off the wagon.”

Take a peek

Deandre Ayton has been an enigma since his arrival in the NBA. Drafted by the Suns in 2018 it was believed the 7-foot 250 pound center would lead the way to successful seasons which only partially occurred. As the top draft choice that year more was expected of Ayton, after 5 seasons they made a decision…a trade to the Blazers would change the outcome for both teams. We can debate the results of the trade however after two seasons another move transpired, Ayton would agree to a buy-out and then sign a two year contract with the Lakers. The hope with Luka Doncic the Lakers would have an effective pick and roll combo. After an initial adjustment period Ayton has adapted his game to his Laker teammates, he’s done what was expected of him.

Ayton has clogged the middle defensively, led the team in rebounds and scored when his number was called. Joining a team with LeBron James and Luka Doncic it would appear Ayton’s’ “disappeared.” That’s not exactly the case, the Lakers have no requirement for him to score baskets they have a number who can score. The truer test is to determine over the long haul if he is able to improve the Lakers interior defense. The area that is the Achilles heel for the Lakers is their 3-point defense, currently it ranges from 17th to 25th in the NBA. That is the one area requiring improvement and that is not Ayton’s responsibility. The Lakers have only played 21 games as this is written, the bulk of the season remains. If Ayton continues to play at the level he’s exhibited thus far for the Lakers I could infer the signing of Ayton be termed a success. The test of time however is the true indicator.

Someone did it again

They decided to profile NBA players “they believed were busts,” with a few of the names they failed to consider the injury factor. We have no idea if ESPN’s Jay Williams drafted second in 2002 would have become an NBA star. A devastating off season motorcycle accident brought his NBA hopes to a halt, he made an effort to return to the game to no avail. After briefly playing for the Austin Toros of the G-League he retired in 2006. The same statement could be made about Greg Oden, the top pick in the 2007 NBA draft by the Blazers, a series of injuries kept Oden from performing at the skill level most believed possible. There were 4 years he didn’t play due to injuries, his NBA dream never materialized.

Is Zion Williamson in this category yet, the group of unfulfilled promise. Recently I came across a feature which I relayed to you, it claimed the Pelicans Williamson had missed 52% of his teams games…missing in action the result of injuries. We say all the time “Injuries are part of the game” which is true no matter the professional sport. It would appear there are several athletes more vulnerable to injury than others. Of course more games are played including the playoffs however LeBron James has managed a stellar career with no major injuries. Kobe Bryant drafted in 1996 playing a huge number of games didn’t suffer the Achilles injury until 2013. As I often point out there is no medical training in my background so the hypothesis is strictly an opinion on my part, there are athletes who are injury prone there is no way to get around the fact.

“I hate them”

In June 2025, the Thunder won their first NBA championship, capturing worldwide attention and earning applause from most Americans—except perhaps those in Indiana. As the saying goes, the Thunder quickly became “everyone’s favorite team,” though I suspect that wouldn’t last long. Similarly, when the Dodgers secured consecutive World Series titles, Southern Californians celebrated, but fans elsewhere were left disappointed. Many voiced their frustration, often simply because the Dodgers were successful. One fan remarked, “They buy all the players.” The NFL Patriots faced a comparable situation, with widespread negative comments about them, most of which seemed exaggerated or unsubstantiated.

A similar pattern has played out with the NFL’s Chiefs. Their Super Bowl win in 2020 ended a 50-year drought and was greeted with enthusiasm nationwide. However, as the Chiefs continued to win Super Bowls, they became increasingly unpopular outside Kansas City, largely due to their ongoing success. The Lakers have also been disliked by many across the country because of their winning tradition. Even before social media, the dominant “Showtime” Lakers of the 1970s were often resented. Going back even further, it's likely that the Bill Russell-era Celtics encountered similar animosity simply for being so frequently victorious. In the end, it seems fans outside a team’s region appreciate a team’s achievements only temporarily—eventually, fatigue sets in and they start rooting for someone new. No team stays on top forever, so eventually everyone gets their chance to laugh and point fingers at them.

Is there an NBA future

The Los Angeles Lakers signed Drew Timme to a two-way contract, prior to publication Christian Koloko was waived and Timme was placed on the roster of the Lakers. Does he have an NBA future might be the next question asked by most? We remember Timme as that fierce player from Gonzaga University, despite being selected an All American three years in a row he missed the draft. In 2023 he went undrafted and his journey began, first with the G-League Wisconsin Herd then it was the Stockton Kings and Long Island Nets before the Brooklyn Nets signed him for a short period. It was March 2025 and later in October the Nets waived the 6-foot 10 235 pound Timme after he played but 9 games for them. As I indicated other than Gonzaga I wasn’t sure of how NBA scouts viewed him. I almost always will check the negatives over the strengths of a player, the negatives will curtail any attempt at an NBA career. Below is from ChatGPT:

Athleticism/Mobility

Not very explosive; lacks high-end athleticism. @MavsDraft

In some scouting evaluations, his defensive mobility and ability to guard more athletic bigs is a concern. NBADraft.net+1

At the combine, his agility numbers weren’t elite; his lane agility and sprint times raised red flags.

Defensive Limitations

According to scouting, he tends to shy away from challenging rim-drives; he’s more comfortable staying in the paint than contesting at the rim. NBA. He may struggle guarding switch-heavy lineups or stretch bigs because of his lack of lateral quickness.

3-Point / Perimeter Shooting

He’s not a consistent outside shooter. Multiple reports note that he can’t reliably stretch the floor. @MavsDraft+1

His 3-point volume and effectiveness are limited — in college, he didn’t really expand his long-range game in a meaningful or consistent way. NCAA.com

A fans perspective

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I was worried

Sometimes I have been worried about an issue and it turns out to be incorrect. This time the worry was real especially when it smacked me in the face. Missouri would face Kansas in the annual Border War or Bragging Rights game, the final score read Kansas 80 Missouri 60. It was a classic beat down despite the fact Darryn Peterson presumed top NBA draft pick in 2026 didn’t play a large portion of the second half. The truth is he actually was the second leading scorer with 17 points. Tre White led the way for Kansas with 20 points along with 13 rebounds.

As most are aware this game represented a return for Peterson who’d missed several games nursing an injury. As for Missouri it was clear to all Mark Mitchell had little help, the 6-foot 9 Mitchell scored 21 points but he was the offense for Missouri. The height advantage I believe they held over Kansas went away quickly, there is no requirement to shoot successfully when you are scoring baskets. Missouri managed to shoot a paltry 34% shooting from the floor and 26% of it coming from three. Wanna know how really bad the game was for Missouri? They shot a pathetic 52% from the free-throw line. Do I appear to be a disgruntled fan, you better bet I am. Despite the disappointment of the loss I still believe in this team, they will win more games than they lose even in the tough SEC.

Did he wear out his welcome

This report is strictly speculation, no one signed off nor am I claiming this is inside information. The report is Chris Paul was welcomed at first to the Los Angeles Clippers but eventually he “wore out his welcome.” Reports have emerged he was critical of the Clippers front office and was also in the ears of teammates. One account indicates Paul and assistant coach Jeff Van Gundy clashed over coaching philosophy, one story claims head coach Ty Lue “hadn’t spoken to Paul in weeks.” With that issue aside Saturday night would witness the Clippers losing once again, this time it was the Minnesota Wolves.

The game was close, the final score read Wolves 109-Clippers 106, there is a unique break in the schedule. The Clippers don’t play again until Thursday December 11 when they face the Rockets. The Clippers had lost 5 games in a row prior to a win against the Hawks, they are now on a 2 game losing streak. I have been tough on the team, despite suffering a losing record (6-18) they are not as bad as their record indicates. As this is written the Clippers are only ahead of the New Orleans Pelicans in the Western Conference standings. Improved performance and the possibility of higher-ranked teams playing below their current level could benefit the Clippers in the standings. They can't rely on the 2026 draft, as the Thunder hold those picks from the Paul George trade.

They can’t play him

Time has run out in my opinion, Bronny James is yet to prove he can play at a high skill level in the NBA. He’s demonstrated to a point that he can compete effectively in the G-League where to be honest the play is not as high. Despite my statement it’s my belief as long as LeBron remains a Laker Bronny remains on a rotation between the G-League South Bay Lakers and the parent club. Although I initially held concerns regarding Bronny’s ability I attempted to be patient, i.e., willing to wait, after all he’d played less than a half season while at Southern Cal. As mentioned previously Bronny indicated he was transferring, the next we knew he declared for the NBA draft. Drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers father and son made NBA history as father and son were on the floor at the same time.

I thought given playing time in the G-League and two Summer League appearances Bronny would be prepared for the 2025-26 season. He still appears to require additional work in the G-League. Bronny is not a shooter however that is not critical, it’s the ability to do the other things reasonably well. So far I’ve not discovered any portion of the game that I can say stands out for Bronny. I have no idea what the future holds however speculation leads me in several different directions. Once LeBron retires the Lakers waive Bronny and this becomes the fork in the road. Bronny will move permanently into the G-League or head for Europe where he can earn huge sums of money. All this is speculation however JJ Redick has a problem, he’s got a member of his roster he technically can’t play in crunch time except a dire emergency. It’s my belief Bronny has Nick Smith Jr., Gabe Vincent and maybe Chris Manon in front of him competing for time on the court.   

The All-Time winners

Which men’s basketball teams have the most wins of all time? The answer is straightforward—the so-called Blue Blood programs lead the list. Behind them are other teams that have consistently maintained successful basketball programs throughout more than a century of competition, dating back to the early 1900s and continuing through the 2024-25 season.

Kentucky – 2,422 wins

Kansas – 2,414 wins

North Carolina - 2,395 wins

Duke - 2,335 wins

UCLA - 2,025 wins

Temple – 2,010 wins

Syracuse – 2,007 wins

Notre Dame – 1,978 wins

St. John’s – 1,973 wins

Purdue – 1,953 wins

Indiana = 1,950 wins

The Top 10 list now excludes one of the hotbeds of basketball the State of Indiana, the University of Indiana earns a spot on our list at number 11. The Bloomington Indiana school has won 5 NCAA championships, 1940, 1953, 1976, 1981, and 1987. The ongoing success of St. John’s and, more notably, Purdue may have led to Indiana dropping out of the Top 10 list of winningest NCAA basketball programs in the country. Are there any teams you find surprising in the Top 10? For me there are two, Temple and Notre Dame and I will explain. The late John Chaney coached Temple from 1982-83 to 2005-06, his teams almost always won 20 plus games every season. Mike Brey (2000-01 to 2022-23) had a number of seasons where his Fightin’ Irish won more than 20 games a fact I overlooked.

A re-visit

The subject of NBA Rookie of the Year was covered previously but worth another look. As was mentioned previously the history has witnessed that top pick has not always been anointed the best new player in the NBA. Stephon Castle of the San Antonio Spurs was named 2025 NBA Rookie of the Year, he was not the first pick in the draft. Castle was the 4th pick in that draft, Zaccharie Risacher was actually the top pick in the 2024 draft by the Atlanta Hawks. In 2023 it was scripted correctly, Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs was the first draft selection and he was also named rookie of the year. In 2021 Detroit Piston Cade Cunningham was selected number one however at award time Scottie Barnes of the Toronto Raptors was accorded the honor as the top rookie.

Keep this in mind, that’s not to say the top pick should always be named NBA Rookie of the Year, in some instances the number one pick has not become NBA adjusted, there are times an athlete is required two sometimes three years to adjust to NBA play. In a number of instances we discover the fact that player at the top to put it bluntly is not that good. They might have excelled in the college game however the NBA is a whole other level. The most recent examples might be Ben Simmons (2018), Michael Carter-Williams (2014) and Tyreke Evans (2010). In the instance of this trio it’s not the fact they couldn’t play, they never reached the heights anticipated fairly or unfairly. To be fair in several instances there might be a case of wrong time, wrong team and wrong coach, that scenario can certainly impact an athletes adjustment and growth. That’s why my claim is always allow for time for a player to develop.

A fans perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday through Sunday

No Luka, no LeBron…this time a different outcome

Friday night the final score read Celtics 126 Lakers 105, many in Laker Nation probably could have forecasted this one prior to the Celtics or Lakers taking the court. Losing a game is one thing, losing that game against your longtime rival is another story completely. As for those missing in action, we knew Luka was in Slovenia awaiting the birth of his second child and LeBron was “gimpy” and probably wouldn’t play, that did turn out to be the case. I hope this doesn’t appear an excuse on my part but it’s a slight bit difficult to win a game when 2 of your top 3 scorers are missing unable to play for a variety of reasons.

Austin Reaves, who is having a career year thus far, tried his best but he was a party of one with his 36 points and his dish of 8 assists but as you can determine from the score that it was certainly not enough to allow the Lakers a win. Guard Gabe Vincent chipped in with 18 points and Rui Hachimura hero from the previous nights’ game scored 13. I am hopeful help is on the way, Luka was reported to miss two games which is now the number. In addition to that maybe by the Lakers next game LeBron will have healed and be able to return to the lineup as well.

An introduction

Purdue has no monopoly but it seems the Indiana school is sometimes the destination for Big Men. Most recently 7-foot 4 Zach Edey who played at Purdue was made the 9th pick by the NBA Memphis Grizzlies in the 2024 draft. Recently the school received a commitment from Sinan Huan a 7-foot 225 pound center, Huan attends Georgetown Preparatory School in Rockville, Maryland near Washington D.C. This brief scouting report on him from 247Sports and Adam Finklestein, “He (Huan) has good size, coordination, soft hands, touch, mobility, and can run the floor well.

He’s not a finished product physically, but his frame is sturdy and should have no problem supporting plenty more muscle mass.” 247Sports rate Huan a 4-star prospect in the Class of 2026, two points I’d like to make, Big Men sometimes develop at a slower pace than others. Don’t expect him to arrive on campus and wow anyone as he adjusts to the college game. Second, profiles are provided on prospects in this blog. Everyone featured is not headed to the NBA, they might be in some cases but have a pedestrian career. Projections on athletes such as Huan and others is to identify what is believed to be future basketball talent so please keep that point in mind.

Laker news 

Los Angeles Laker coach JJ Redick has decided a 9-man rotation works best for his team, the rotation consists of starters Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, LeBron James, Rui Hachimura and Deandre Ayton. Reserves who play to date are Marcus Smart, Jake LaRavia, Jaxson Hayes, Gabe Vincent and recently Maxi Kleber. missing from the rotation is Jarrad Vanderbilt. This we know, Vanderbilt is a lock-down defender but his offensive game is a mess. Allow me to state 44% shooting is not terrible, consider the fact Luka is bringing 47.8% when he’s on the court. Reserve players throughout time have supplied different elements for their team, some are offensive specialists while others (like Vanderbilt) have focused on defense. I should point out it is still early in the season and Vanderbilt has time to work on his offensive game.

It’s my belief the Lakers are going to need his defense once the Lakers reach crunch time in the playoffs even though Redick might not be completely comfortable with Vanderbilt’s limited offense game. I guess if a writer is paid huge sums of money one must always be in a writing mode, one that might stoke conversation. That is what I am about to do. I have read the headline (not the piece in depth) so-called proposals to lure Luka Doncic back to the Mavs. Never say never but a larger question might be why, although the Mavs were his initial NBA team what is the draw to return to Texas other than the imagination of a writer? In closing allow me to remind you LeBron James returned to the Cavs, more recently Chris Paul came back to the Clippers. There might be circumstances beyond my comprehension as to why a player would desire to return. As for Luka anything is possible although I highly doubt he is going to return to Texas in the near future. There are financial opportunities in California I imagine would exceed those in Texas.

A second black eye

Word came Los Angeles Clipper forward Kawhi Leonard was being paid for a no-work job. That’s the simple portion of the story without rehashing what had been reported earlier. Commissioner Adam Silver indicated the NBA would begin an investigation on the matter and a full report would be made at a future date. Based on the questionable actions of Kawhi Leonard and the  Clippers front office this is not a good look for the NBA or the Clippers…hence black eye number one. The second black eye occurred early Wednesday morning (2:00-3:00 a.m.) as Chris Paul announced he was being sent home to Los Angeles. Later Lawrence Frank vice president of the Clippers issued a statement of explanation for the move.

For most reading or hearing the words of Frank they sounded empty pointing to no official explanation why they decided to dump Chris Paul before January. As this is written a number of stories are circulating one claiming neither Paul nor head coach Tyronn Lue were talking. Paul’s gas tank is pointing toward empty, he certainly is not the player from even three years ago. Despite this fact his attempt to hold teammates and the coaching staff accountable appears to be the basis for his departure. Reports are Paul is cantankerous but he is also a professional and if he witnessed what he considered questionable actions he would address it. It’s clear his approach must have offended the coaching staff, front office and maybe some of his teammates. The Clippers despite a brand-new arena and another owner appear to have journeyed little from the days of former owner Donald Sterling.

The medical center twosome

Sometimes you read a stat that appears to be correct. I’m not going to bother checking the authenticity of it just repeat what I read, I’m doing that because it might be correct. It read, “Zion Williamson has missed 52% of his games since he began play in the NBA.” The New Orleans Pelicans drafted him in 2019, let’s do a self-examination. We can say the Pelicans have scheduled 492 games in that time, I will allow you to do the math on this one. Once again the question is asked, how valuable are you to your team when you have difficulty remaining in the lineup for an extended period? I am one of those fans who first saw highlights of Williamson while in high school, this was followed by seeing him in action for the Duke Blue Devils. His NBA play when healthy certainly provides us insight into his talent, at 6-foot 7 and 280+ pounds Williamson is that talent that any team desires however the injury issue.

Concluding there we remain in the southeast portion of the nation but move northward to Memphis Tennessee. As for Jae Morant I watched as many games as I could while Morant was enrolled at Murray State and was excited with his potential NBA impact. The Memphis Grizzlies made him their top pick in 2019 as well, the impact of his play was evident immediately. In 2020 he would be named NBA Rookie of the Year, since then his NBA impact has been up and down. Not only injuries but suspensions have kept him off the court for periods and some are questioning, is Morant’s NBA career on the decline? This is not a talent issue alone, in addition to the injuries there is a maturity factor to consider as well. There are no answers, unfortunately players cannot avoid injury but they can avoid suspension. Will maturity impact Morant more than injury, I don’t have that answer however it is troubling. This is for reading purposes only, there is nothing to be accomplished here except for Williamson and Morant for the balance of their NBA careers.’

A fans perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday through Sunday

National Lampoon’s European Vacation

This is no reference to the 1985 film on the further adventures of the Griswold’s. This vacation will be Los Angeles Laker guard Austin Reaves, at this point we are unsure if the trip will be solo. In any event Reaves has continued to raise the level of his NBA play and to provide evidence to you I will submit portions of his Thursday night game against the Toronto Raptors. Laker Nation was aware there would be no Luka, The Don was in Slovenia awaiting the birth of his second child. 

We had an “aging” LeBron and no Luka plus the Lakers were facing the Raptors who were playing very good basketball. The game was somewhat an even match as both teams went back and forth in the lead until the end with the Lakers winning 123-120. To borrow an old line from the early days of ESPN SportsCenter Reaves was en Fuego scoring 44 points shooting nearly 70% from the floor with 46% of it from the three line. Wow, I almost forgot he also found time to dish out 10 assists. Despite the tremendous game registered by Reaves it was Rui Hachimura who sealed the victory with a 3-point basket as the clock expired. Reaves doubled-teamed passed the ball to LeBron who spotted Hachimura in the left corner…splash, game over.  

As for the movie reference its aimed at Reaves, the sharpshooter has indicated he plans on traveling to the central European nation of Slovenia. I guess the planned journey denotes the budding friendship between Reaves and Luka. They have become the NBA’s newest BFF’s. By the way did you realize Reaves is number 6 in scoring in the NBA with a 28.9 point per game average. To prove its not about scoring he dishes out assists at a 6.8 per game clip. He’s shooting at 52.6% from the field and 42% from three.

It's that time again

Tomorrow afternoon one of the longest running basketball rivalries in history will occur again, this time the University of Missouri will face the University of Kansas at T-Mobile Arena in Kansas City MO. This is considered a neutral site however Lawrence Kansas is a shorter drive (44 minutes) than Columbia Missouri (1 hour and 57 minutes). As for the teams, Missouri has a better overall record (8-1) over Kansas (6-2) however based on play to date Missouri will likely be considered the underdog in this age old rivalry. The two schools were first matched against one another in a 1907 basketball game. The game was once labelled the Border War which harkened back to the civil war days when Missouri a slave holding state fought pitched battles against Kansas a free or non-slavery state.

Today’s term for the game is Border Rivalry which sounds not so adversarial. For those unfamiliar with the history these two schools played twice a year while in the old Big 8 Conference which eventually became the Big 12. After Missouri left the conference there was a long period when neither school scheduled the other however that changed in recent years. I must verify this next statement, its my belief this is the last basketball game between these longtime foes unless an extension is forthcoming. At one time the revival of the game meant little to me however in recent years my mindset has changed. This intense rivalry exists on the western side of Missouri only, it’s my understanding the eastern portion of the state looks at the University of Illinois being the greatest rivalry.

I respect his view…but

Max Kellerman is one of those sports voices I’ve listened to over the years. In making that statement I can say I respect his view but don’t believe he is correct in the instance I am about to detail for you. The shorten version of the story Kellerman expressed his belief that he thought the Knicks cannot win a championship with Jalen Brunson as the team’s leader. As in all cases, Brunson in a manner similar to others has strengths and weaknesses. Now if Kellerman has come to his conclusion there is nothing I can say to persuade you otherwise. It’s my belief the Knicks came up somewhat short due to the coach.

Tom Thibodeou is a good coach however overtime the primary complaint in some circles is his starters play far too many minutes. It’s clear last season the Knicks lost to a better team however the heavy minutes starters played certainly has to be considered a contributing factor. Brunson is the clear leader of this team despite having KAT, Mikal Bridges and several others on the roster. The offense clearly runs through him, on the other hand its possible the Knicks might have dipped a bit defensively but we can’t be sure until the playoffs. As this is written December 4 the Knicks have won 14 games losing 7, in the eastern conference they are in third place one game behind the Raptors. We shall see what eventually develops going forward.

Kansas City is not alone

The NBA departed from Kansas City, Missouri in 1985, as the Kings relocated to Sacramento and played their inaugural game there that October. While Kansas City lost its NBA franchise, it is not alone in this experience. The Cincinnati Royals had moved to Kansas City-Omaha in 1972, where they were rebranded as the Kings. Meanwhile, the St. Louis Hawks transitioned to Atlanta in 1968 due to declining revenue and the city's reluctance to renovate facilities. In New York State, the expansion Buffalo Braves who began play in 1970 relocated to San Diego in 1978, becoming the Clippers. In 1984, the franchise left San Diego for similar reasons and became the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Vancouver Grizzlies, another expansion team, moved to Memphis, Tennessee in 2001. Seattle's franchise was transferred to Oklahoma City in 2008 and subsequently renamed the Thunder. Notably, many of these cities are major metropolitan areas, yet for various reasons, their residents now only experience NBA games through television or personal viewing spaces. Unlike Charlotte, Minnesota and soon Seattle, the have seen or will witness the NBA return, these cities have not been as fortunate. Given the rising costs associated with NBA franchises, there are serious doubts whether cities such as San Diego, Cincinnati, Buffalo, or Kansas City will ever see an NBA team representing the city again in the foreseeable future.

A fans perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday through Sunday

Sad news to report

Although Elden Campbell played his college basketball at Clemson he was Southern Cal through and through. Born in Los Angeles he was drafted in the first round in 1990 by his hometown Los Angeles Lakers. Campbell a power forward/center was a teammate to Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal and several others. Although he spent a number of years with the Lakers it was with the Detroit Pistons Campbell would win his only NBA championship. It was reported Campbell was an accidental drowning victim while fishing December 2, he was 57 years of age. Rest in peace Elden Campbell, Laker Nation mourns your passing.

It’s not his fault

We awoke Wednesday morning to Chris Paul news but this portion first. The Los Angeles Clippers are a mess, keep in mind there are NBA teams with worst won-loss records but allow a further distinction. It’s been mentioned previously prior to the season start many had predicted the Clippers would compete for the Western Conference championship. They had a roster containing several talented players but even added additional others over the summer. The Clippers have lost 14 of their last 16 games, in addition to that fact they are in the middle of a 5-game losing streak. So how do they address the issue they decide to release veteran Paul in the middle of the night, this is not exactly news.

Several weeks ago it was reported Paul would retire at the end of the 2025-26 season. This from an ESPN report by Lawrence Frank president of basketball operations for the Clippers. “We are parting ways with Chris and he will no longer be with the team, “ Frank said. “We will work with him on the next step of his career. “Chris is a legendary Clipper who has had a historic career. I want to make one thing very clear. No one is blaming Chris for our underperformance. I accept responsibility for the record we have right now. There are a lot of reasons why we’ve struggled. We’re grateful for the impact Chris has made on the franchise.”  There is an old fashioned term not much in use today, the word is gobbledygook. Merriam-Webster defines the word in this manner: “wordy and generally unintelligible jargon.”

Meanwhile….

The Spurs have reached back into their glorious past which includes a number of NBA championships. Hired as an assistant coach is the player who brought the Euro Step to the NBA. Interesting that Manu Ginobili is actually from Argentina although he played in Europe prior to beginning his brilliant NBA career. The Spurs have several young backcourt players and the belief is Ginobili can teach them a thing or two about playing in the backcourt for the teams. If they are willing to learn the teaching of this group of young backcourt players could certainly enhance the play of the Spurs.

Landry Shamet of the New York Knicks will never be an NBA star. Despite what might appear a negative I'm actually praising him. Shamet from Park Hill HS in my hometown of Kansas City might have begun his pro career rather inconspicuously. He was the 26th pick in the 2018 NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers. Shamet made the All-Rookie Second Team in 2019, since then he's played for a number of NBA teams. Despite his movement his play as a reserve has proven valuable to each of the teams thus far.

NBA standings early, in the category of surprises there are several teams. Before going any further maybe I shouldn't be. The surprises are the Pistons, Raptors, Spurs and Lakers. Of those teams named probably the Spurs are the biggest surprise realizing Wemby’s been out of the lineup for a significant period of time. Disappointments thus far; at the top of the list must be the Los Angeles Clippers along with the Minnesota Wolves, also in the mix the Memphis Grizzlies, plus the Philly 76ers and Milwaukee Bucks. It’s still relatively early and perhaps those teams I term disappointments can turn their season around.

The rules have changed, I speak of the transfer and eligibility rules. This is the question. An athlete plays at a junior college for 3 seasons, he then transfers to a 4-year school. He was enrolled at this school for 2 years and then in the portal moved to another school. At his present school is a 5th year senior, will that impact his draft status? I am not referring to his ability to play the game but his age. He is 23 years old now and will turn 24 prior to beginning an NBA career in the fall. It was stated by a number of so-called experts that one of the reasons the Los Angeles Lakers Dalton Knecht lasted so long in the draft was the fact his age (23). 

A Fans Perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday through Sunday

All-time Missouri and Kansas champions

Boys' teams at several high schools in both Missouri and Kansas have achieved notable success, securing multiple championships across various levels. In Missouri, Scott County Central High School in Sikeston leads with 18 boys' championships. Vashon High School in St. Louis follows in second place with 16, while Charleston High School in Charleston has claimed 11 titles; Cardinal Ritter College Prep, also in St. Louis, holds 9 championships. In the State of Kansas, Wyandotte High School in Kansas City stands out with 20 trophies. Newton High School in Newton and McPherson High School in McPherson each have earned 13 championships, closely followed by Wichita South High School, which boasts 10 titles. Wyandotte High School is distinguished by the leadership of Walt Shublom, who served as head coach from 1955 to 1969. During his tenure, Shubloms' teams secured 10 of the championships referenced above.

How about them

On Sunday I wrote about player movement in the NBA, it was titled ‘No one remains home.’ Well that might be correct now but it’s not always been the norm. Kobe Bryant and Steph Curry’s name were mentioned as players spending their NBA career with the team that drafted them however there were others. Dirk Nowitzki spent 20 seasons in a Dallas Mavericks jersey despite the fact the Milwaukee Bucks originally drafted him. A later draft day trade sent him to the Mavs, Udonis Haslem went undrafted in the 2002 NBA draft but spent 20 seasons playing for the Miami Heat. Stockton to Malone pick and roll, on the front end was John Stockton who wore a Utah Jazz jersey for 19 seasons.

*“On May 7, 1995, with less than 19 seconds left, (Reggie) Miller scored eight points in just 8.9 seconds, including two three-pointers and two free throws.” The Indiana Pacers would remain home to Miller for 19 seasons. The San Antonio Spurs have twins in more than one manner, David Robinson and Tim Duncan both spent time as teammates one playing center the other power forward. Robinson was in the post for 14 seasons while Duncan was the team’s power forward 19 seasons. Boston Celtic forward Larry Bird and point guard Magic Johnson of the Los Angeles Lakers both arrived in the NBA the same season, they played 13 seasons. Most of the names are familiar to you however the length of their career might be unknown, now you have the information. It should be of note, with the exception of Haslem, each of the names are enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame.

*Wikipedia

Mindboggling

The Los Angeles Lakers currently hold a record of 14 wins and 5 losses, placing them in second place in the Western Conference behind the Oklahoma City Thunder. They were riding a six-game winning streak prior to their Monday night matchup with the Phoenix Suns. Although the Lakers have perform well to date, I often hear arguments that they should have chosen other players over those they decided to go with. For instance, some critics argue when the trade was made to acquire Deandre Ayton it should have been for Robert Williams III instead of Ayton.

Turning to the Washington Wizards, critics note that they picked up Rui Hachimura rather than Deni Avdija—who now plays for the Blazers. In 2024, the Lakers selected Dalton Knecht in the draft, despite Ja’Kobe Walter and Kyshawn George being available—both of whom are currently demonstrating exceptional skill levels. No matter, decisions made by groups or individuals, are usually intended to yield positive results. At times, these decisions turn out to be wrong, leaving us with no choice but to accept the results and continue on. Managing player personnel is a complex task, and anyone who claims otherwise likely misunderstands what it entails. For now, we often have to make peace with the choices made, hoping that better opportunities will arise at some point in the future.

She speaks

Stories have been circulating regarding the New Orleans Pelicans and Memphis Grizzlies. In both instances the teams were “reported to be on the market.” I am unsure of the Grizzlies status however Gayle King owner of the Pelicans and NFL Saints spoke and we should listen. She indicated “neither team is for sale and there are no plans for relocation” which squashes the story of a possible move, Benson went on to address the coaching situation leaving the hire of a head coach to Joe Dumars. This is the most telling part of her interview.

“Benson explained that upon her death, the teams will be sold and proceeds will go to a charitable foundation focused on New Orleans community investment.” Benson will turn 79 years of age in January, she could live a relatively healthy life for the next 20 years. The Hornets/Pelicans franchise has not seen a great deal of stability having 9 head coaches since the 2002-03 season. Paul Silas finished above .500 (47-35) in the single season he coached, Tim Floyd who followed finished 41-41 in his lone season. Byron Scott hired to replace Floyd was named NBA Coach of the Year in 2008 but he was even later fired. From the movement surrounding the head coach there would appear to be a front office issue as much as a coaching issue. Perhaps the earlier hire of Dumars in April 2025 as executive vice president of basketball operations was intended to address front office issues. 

A fans perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday through Sunday

No one remains ‘home’

There was a time an athlete played for one team his entire career. Naturally with a few termed superstars moved it was usually at their request, on occasion the home team gave up on them too soon and traded them. In recent years free agency has increased the opportunity to move, in the NBA it’s become the norm. It's uncommon to see players like Kobe Bryant or Steph Curry, who are drafted by a team and stay with them throughout their careers.  As for player movement, we see the teams of Los Angeles Clipper guard James Harden, the Clippers are his 5th NBA team.

Don't become offended, if you are a Harden fan I'm not picking on him, in today's NBA it is somewhat common for players to move, generally at their request. LeBron James has played for the Cleveland Cavs, Miami Heat and returned to Cleveland. His last stop is with his current team the Los Angeles Lakers. How about Kevin Durant, it's the Sonics/Oklahoma City Thunder, Golden State Warriors, Brooklyn Nets, Phoenix Suns and his present team...the Houston Rockets. See where I'm headed, whether it’s a trade or free agency, no city remains home for a career. I’ve not formulated an opinion, this is one of those instances you are the decider. In your view has increasing player movement whether through trade or free agency made for a better NBA?

Time for a divorce

It’s been mentioned on more than one occasion west coast games are a hindrance. They end far too late for me (and maybe others) living in the Midwest and east coast time zones. In any event I checked the score of the Los Angeles Clippers and Dallas Mavs game, the Clippers held a 5 point lead at the half. On Sunday morning I was quite surprised to discover the final score which read Mavs 114 Clippers 110, that’s the purpose of the headline. Cooper Flagg set a record in the Saturday night game, with his 35 points he eclipsed LeBron James by 5 days becoming the youngest player in the NBA to score at least 30 points by age 18. Missing in action for the Mavs two key players Anthony Davis and PJ Washington which validates my point of contention.

I’ve said since day one Flagg will step up and perform the task required of his team. As for the Clippers it's been mentioned on more than one occasion in some pre-season polls that the Clippers were projected to compete for the NBA championship. The loss to the Mavs becomes number 15 for the season versus only 5 wins. There are several other teams with worst records than the Clippers however its not by much. It’s difficult to understand the Clippers position with the talent assembled. Unfortunately, the key for the Clippers is Kawhi Leonard and that presents a problem without going into further detail. James Harden plus Ivica Zubac have done the best they could to lead the way however it’s not been enough so far. It’s not coaching, this has been mentioned in the past. I believe Tyronn Lue is among the best in the NBA however even he can only do so much. What does the future hold for the Clippers, I believe it might be time ‘to blow up this team?’ The future (based on age) certainly doesn’t look promising, that’s my opinion, what do you think?

They listened to the caw-caw

Some fans expressed ongoing dissatisfaction with the broadcast team, which likely influenced ABC/ESPN’s decision to reassign Doris Burke from her role as a lead broadcast analyst. She will team with Mark Jones or another commentator on the network’s secondary team. Former NBA player and analyst Tim Legler will move up to work alongside Mike Breen and Richard Jefferson. The exact reason for Burke’s reassignment is unclear, however, there has been speculation regarding its motivations.

I’d mentioned this previously my issues with Jeff Van Gundy’s commentary style, particularly his tendency to deviate from game analysis. For instance I remember one Laker game in particular, Van Gundy discussed the appropriateness of displaying certain championship banners in Crypto.com rather than focusing on the live action. Regardless, the network has made its decision---Burke remains employed, but some view like me view this change as less than favorable. Before you come to the wrong conclusion I like Tim Legler, he’s informative without becoming too technical in his explanation. I believe Burke was as well however it didn’t work for her. Am I going to quite watching NBA games on the network, of course not?

This is true I believe

I’m convinced of one factor, the Mizzou basketball program will never be taken seriously until. It will never be taken seriously until Dennis Gates group either ties or wins the SEC outright. Gates now in his 4th year inherited a program in agony in 2022, new coach in place not much was expected so what occurred? They went out shocked the world with a 25 win season and NCAA invite. In his second year the team collapsed for a variety of reasons but rebounded last season winning 22 games plus beating a number of Top 25 teams. Once again Mizzou received an NCAA invite but lost its first round game.

With an outstanding recruiting class plus most of last season’s holdover what’s expected in 2025-26? Apparently not much, Mizzou is projected in the middle of the pack once again not a bad team but not one capable to compete with Kentucky, Auburn, Alabama and several others. The team across State Line Road won fewer games than Mizzou yet is projected as a Top 25 team. Guess who is missing from the list, Mizzou, despite acquiring a significant number of talented players in the transfer portal. I believe one .com site rated them number 28 or 29 in the nation. This is the basis of my contention, until Mizzou wins the SEC or the NCAA tourney the basketball program will not receive much attention except by students, alumni and fans.

Who is it for you

Throughout NBA history, there have been players who opponents found particularly challenging to face due to their relentless competitive spirit. These athletes consistently demonstrated a warrior mentality, doing whatever was necessary to secure victory. Michael Jordan stands out as the quintessential example—renowned for his unwavering competitiveness across all aspects of sport. It is evident that his drive extended well beyond basketball. Kobe Bryant also exemplified this commitment to excellence.

A frequently cited anecdote tells of a teammate expressing interest in joining Bryant for a workout; when the teammate arrived at 6:00 a.m., he discovered Kobe had already been in the gym since 5:30 a.m., honing his skills. While other notable figures could be mentioned, Jordan and Bryant remain two of the most formidable competitors in the league’s history. As for today’s NBA, several players are known for their intensity and competitive edge. Although I will not single out any individual, the following is a list of current players who are reputed to inspire a similar level of respect from their peers and opponents. Did I omit a player that should have been on the list, it’s your call because I believe the choice is strictly yours.

Victor Wembanyama

Luka Doncic

SGA

Ja Morant

Nikola Jokic

Stephen Curry