Basketball from a fans perspective

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He’s not the only one 

Unless you’ve been on the moon or hibernating in a cave more than likely you are familiar with the name Cooper Flagg. Virtually every NBA mock draft site places Duke freshman Flagg as the presumptive number one NBA draft pick in 2025, of course that won’t be confirmed until June 2025. But wait there is more, Flagg might have additional Duke company in the first round. Not only first round but they too might be lottery picks as well, just who are the other potential lottery picks?

There is Kon Knueppel a 6 foot 6 (198.120 cm) 205 pounds (92.986 kg) wing, Knueppel is also a freshman. One additional freshman might be a lottery pick as well, his name Khaman Maluach and he’s a 7 foot 1 (215.89 cm) 250 pound (113.39 cm) post player. This is written in late November none of the three have played a complete season for Duke. In addition Knueppel and or Maluach might decide in favor of returning to Duke over the NBA. As you can see Duke basketball is more than Cooper Flagg for the 2024-25 season college season.  

How good are they…I don’t know

By the time you read this the Lakers will either be 10-4 record or 9-5, they have a 6 game winning streak or have won 5 of 6. Maybe it’s just me that I always attempt to approach play of any team with optimism. The NFL Chiefs are not going to be undefeated however they could still win the Super Bowl again thus a 3-peat. As for my Lakers I was underwhelmed with the hire of JJ Redick, I said on more than one occasion UConn coach Dan Hurley was my choice. I took this view despite the fact Hurley had 0 NBA experience and the fact college coaches have performed poorly in the NBA. In any event I said let’s see how this experiment with Redick works out. As the calendar moves toward December the Lakers are playing inspired basketball, is it due to the coaching change?

Depth, the team needs a post player to move AD back to his natural position. If they are unable to secure a player will that impact play the balance of the season and into a possible playoff run? I really like what LeBron is doing so far, deferring his game to AD, Reaves, Knecht and others on the roster. There is an AARP card waiting for the 40 year old LeBron James in the Lakers mail room, how long can he play as if he’s a 30 year old instead of 40? Christian Wood sidelined due to surgery, from his comments it appears Wood is ready to prove last season was an anomaly. That gives Laker fans hope Wood plays in the same manner he did as a member of the Mavs. Can Jaxson Hayes and Christian Koloko share the post effectively to negate a trade? I have 1,001 questions regarding this Laker version, most of the answers will not be available until the end of the season playoff or not.

Trivia

In NBA history there have been two players win Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season. I will give you a hint, don’t CHEAT. One played for the Baltimore Bullets while the other was a member of the Philadelphia Warriors. The Bullets have morphed into the Washington Wizards and the Warriors moved to San Francisco quite a while ago. This event occurred twice in the ABA and both players later played in the NBA, both of them are now enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame. How good are you at basketball trivia especially back in the day? Below are the names, its up to you to decipher them.

tliw nialrebmahc     sew dlesuu

sitra eromlig      recneps doowyah

Don’t make my mistake

A number of years ago a friend who I value as a trusted basketball savant made a statement to me. Neil said, “You need to see __________, I think he’s going to be a good NBA player.” I said thanks I’ll check him out, a few weeks later I saw this player in action and thought “He’s not that good.” Needless to say this player was later drafted and had a decent NBA career. I don’t remember the players name but this one I do. He is Anthony Edwards, Ant Man of the Wolves and this is my confession. I’d never seen him play although his reputation preceded him.

Mizzou was playing Georgia on their home court, Ant Man scored 20 plus points in a losing effort but seemed to take a greater than usual number of shots. I said to myself, “I’m not that impressed” and this the warning to former NBA player and podcaster host Gilbert Arenas. You have more basketball behind you than me but don’t make the same mistake I did, don’t be so quick to pass judgement. Arenas was assessing the potential of Duke’s Cooper Flagg and indicated he wasn’t to impressed. Arenas is talking about a 17-year old indicating to his listeners the youngster should be playing like a 30-year old NBA veteran. This will be the last time you read the name Gilbert Arenas in this blog.

Is the term still valid

Recently while reading an account of college basketball I came across the term “Blue Blood.” The term when applied to basketball applied to 5 or 6 teams which seem to dominate the sport. I focused on the term for a moment, is it valid in 2024 and beyond? The statement is made due to the changed basketball landscape. If we look back a decade or so ago if one utilized the term they were speaking of a handful of programs.

 We could expect to see Kentucky listed, Duke, North Carolina, Kansas, UCLA and Indiana are the schools considered Blue Blood basketball programs. The advent of Name, Image and Likeness plus the transfer portal have impacted college basketball all around that would argue do Blue Blood programs still exist. Once the NCAA tournament commenced each spring these teams were usually in the forefront although they might not be winners every season. If we are discussing the tournament we’ve seen Baylor and especially UConn come to the forefront in recent times. The term might still exist I’m just unsure if its valid any longer with the changes in today’s college basketball.

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He was too old

The headline is a little misleading however an explanation follows. Guard Dalton Knecht wasn’t projected to be the first pick in 2024 however it would be somewhere in the Top 10. Imagine the shock in the “war room” when Laker management discovered Knecht was available at 17. Did he fall because of potential issues…no it wasn’t that, why do you suppose he dropped. From what I’ve read there were teams concerned about his age, now Knecht is nowhere near LeBron’s however he is 23 years old. The entire draft has changed so much in recent years, we have players chosen annually between the ages of 19-21. So it comes down to the fact that a number of NBA teams were scared off by Knecht’s age.

The 6 foot 6 inch (198.120 cm) Knecht had a slow start during summer league and only occasionally flashed the type of game he had while at Tennessee. We’ve read and heard reports that JJ Redick is constantly encouraging him to shoot the ball and the message has finally come through. Do you suppose Redick might see himself in Knecht? Injuries placed Knecht in the starting lineup recently and Saturday evening against the Pelicans he really came to the forefront. 27 points shooting 85.8% and 50% from the 3P line. All that and understand this 0 TO’s in 37 minutes of action on the court. As per usual I always wish to approach this story like others, this is no prediction of future stardom. Knecht 4 for the win, Lakers 104 Pelicans 99.

Opening bell

Despite the horrendous play Mizzou experienced this past season what is expected for 2024-25. Looking at recruiting this is interesting, for this season if we just look at that alone Mizzou is ranked number 6 in the nation by Rivals. Although 2025 recruiting is not yet complete they place Mizzou at number 22, as for others On3 has them at 29 and 247Sports places them at 32. Both numbers are high water marks for any Mizzou programs of the past and this goes back to the era of longtime Mizzou coach Norm Stewart (1967-1999).

It’s that time of the season, i.e., the early college basketball signing period. As a reminder this group of prospects for Mizzou were ranked in the Top 10 in the nation. This is a position Mizzou’s never held in the past. It’s early so it is yet to revealed whether Mizzou’s Class of 2024 is as promising as the experts have indicated. Although most of this crop of freshman have not seen the floor at Mizzou arena we are going to look at 2025 recruiting. The early signing period began November 13 and runs through November 20 and     Nothing has changed since the earlier mention, there is 6-foot 155 pound PG Aaron Rowe and 6-foot 7 225 pound forward Nicholas Randall. As this was being completed Rowe and Randall signed on the dotted line, both are headed to Mizzou next fall. There are several other 2025 athletes on Mizzou’s radar, the question might be will they sign early or late? There is a giant step between competitive high school basketball and tough SEC play, that says an adjustment is required for all incoming freshmen.

Up next are the transfer portal players, Mizzou is no exception generally transfer players were productive at their previous school. That fails to take into consideration they too might suffer an adjustment period as well. This is not me rather it’s the media, a 21 win season on the high side and a 17 win season on the low side. The Columbia Daily Tribune says Mizzou might be headed for the NIT over the NCAA Tourney. The question for Mizzou Nation, would this be a successful season in their eyes?

This is pleasing news for many

As most of you reading this are aware a new television contract takes place next season for the NBA. The family of broadcasters will no longer consist of a broadcast staple…Turner Network Television. With this move the extremely popular Inside the NBA program along with it’s crew would disappear from our television sets. There is much rejoicing in the land today because apparently a new agreement has been concluded. The Wall Street Journal is reporting TNT will license Inside the NBA to air on ESPN and ABC. Until this is finalized we can speculate regarding several issues until they are confirmed.

Now that it appears we are headed in a positive direction let’s explore some detail. At the top of the list is Charles Barkley, Sir Charles indicated he was retiring and then he wasn’t. It’s highly likely he remains in place continuing to be his irreverent self. Next up, the City of Atlanta would cease to exist if Ernie Johnson left. We are going to suppose the broadcast will continue to emanate from Atlanta. Kenny will continue to go to the Big Board to diagram the play and Shaq will go on with whatever it is he does lol. It should be of note this is not the first instance of a program moving to another network however it should detail for all how popular Inside the NBA is with its audience.

Whatever happened to Wally Pipp? 

If you are historical student of baseball the name is familiar to you. As for others Pipp was the starting first baseman for the Yankees from 1915 through 1925. His story is part fact and part fiction, in a game once he asked to be removed from the starting lineup due to a headache. Lou Gehrig would replace him and go on to play 2,130 consecutive games a record which stood for 56 years. The reason why Pipp was seated is the fictional portion of the story. That was baseball and this is a basketball blog so what’s the story here? Starting guard Jeremy Sochan went down with an injury which placed rookie Stephon Castle in the starting lineup.

What are your expectations for an NBA rookie, yours might be different from mine and that’s okay. For me the bar is never too high i.e., I expect them to adjust to play but the speed depends. I’m sure few would admit it however the phrase “deer in the headlights” probably applies to most rookies for a time. As for the bar being placed too high last season I believed Wemby could play once he adjusted to the NBA. I have made the same statement about Laker rookie Dalton Knecht who slid downward in the 2024 draft due to his age. This exercise is not on either of them, but rather Spurs guard Stephon Castle. I believe Castle can play effectively at the NBA level for a number of reasons. He excelled at UConn playing for a good program and one of my favorite coaches Dan Hurley. Drafted by the Spurs places him in an ideal position although he’s second on the team’s depth chart. When given time on the court the 6 foot 6 (198.12 cm) shooting guard has shown steady growth in a reserve role. In the starting lineup last Friday against my Lakers Castle literally said “I’m here” with his game.

Castle scored 22 points on 58.3% shooting from the floor with 75% of it from 3P line as he dealt out 5 assists, two downsides to the game the Spurs were losers and he shot only 63% from the free throw line. I never predict superstardom for any rookie however I can say with confidence that if Castle is able to avoid major injury he should have a stellar NBA career ahead. This headline from a .com site, “He’s already the second best player on the Spurs.” This presents a dilemma for the Spurs, they must make a backcourt move at the trade deadline.

Basketball from a fans perspective

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Wemby is built differently

There is no doubt in my mind, sometimes my eyes betray me. I see things that didn’t occur or at least I don’t think they happened. This account is not borrowed from the 1999 movie The Sixth Sense, you remember the line from Haley Joel Osment “I see dead people.” It’s nothing close to that issue this is strictly basketball related. During Friday evenings Spurs-Lakers game I saw a play occur I remain unsure if it took place, in addition I don’t remember if it was replayed or if anyone saw it besides me. A Spurs player took a shot which bounced off the basket and then this transpired.

Victor Wembanyama 7 foot 4 (223.519 cm) went over the top of two Laker players who appeared to be boxing him out however Wemby was able to snag the rebound. Over the course of my basketball years I’ve seen this occur but never over two players. Did this play actually occur or did my eyes mislead me? I conducted a YouTube search and located that portion of the game. The truth of the matter both Laker players were in box out positions, the manner in which the ball bounced off the rim one of the Laker players was nearer Wemby than the other, despite this fact both Lakers could have possibly secured the ball. With his height of 7-4 I believe Wemby might be the only player capable of this achievement.  

No doubt

I’ve read the hate mail over the years, some of it even coming from Laker fans. For reasons of their own these individuals have decided they don’t like LeBron James, I would guess 98% of it has nothing to do with off the court issues. At this late stage of his career I can admit he was never my personal choice as the best player ever, that belonged to the late Kobe Bryant. Despite my feelings toward LeBron I certainly have respected him over time and especially since he’s been a Laker. Writing from memory there is no other NBA player without any college with a career close to him, I say that after admitting he is behind Kobe for me.

On Friday night LeBron recorded his 4th consecutive triple double in the Lakers 120-115 victory over the Spurs. Also on that date you might have read Rick Barry’s view of Russell Westbrook’s streak of triple doubles, Barry indicated how “easy” they came to Oscar Robertson where he believed Westbrook was trying to get triple doubles. As for LeBron I had the opportunity to witness 2 of the 4 triple doubles and they appeared routine in a sense. All were accomplished within the flow of the game, I realize that statement might sound a little strange but that’s my view. LeBron has been in the twilight of his brilliant career for a time and the end is approaching. What is so amazing to me is seeing this 39-year old play as if he’s age 29. His next stop might not be an NBA championship however it certainly will be the Naismith Hall of Fame.

Surprising news…not

Kiyan Anthony, son of Syracuse legend Carmelo Anthony, commits to Syracuse. Young Anthony had Southern Cal, Arizona State, Auburn and several other schools in addition to his father’s school vying for his services. Kiyan is a 4-star prospect in the Class of 2025 and attends Long Island Lutheran HS in Brookville NY. If you wondered where Brookville is located I checked Google Maps, it’s a village on Long Island which makes it part of the greater NYC metro. Kiyan is 6 foot 5 (195.58 cm) in height and checks in at 177 pounds (80.2858 kg), he is a shooting guard. With that we have another son of an NBA player playing the same sport and in this instance attending the same school. As for the headline I never made the statement to you the reader but believe this all along. Despite the coaching change (Jim Boeheim retirement) I believed all along young Anthony would choose Syracuse.

No clue

Eyes of the NBA might be focused on Bronny James for obvious reasons. Despite this fact there is another son who solidified his position, I speak of Scotty Pippen Jr., you remember his father don’t you? Scottie Pippen might object to this but he might be characterized as Robin to Michael Jordan’s Batman. Pippen Jr. went undrafted in 2022 after three seasons at Vanderbilt. The 6 foot 1 170 pound point guard began his NBA with the Lakers with the South Bay Lakers. In January 2024 Pippen Jr. signed a two-way contract with the Grizzlies and played with them through the balance of the season.

Playing limited minutes even with Jae Morant sidelined for the season he must have impressed. Last week his two-way contract was converted to a regular NBA contract. As I always warned this is no indication of future NBA success however it appears at least for now he’s going to stick with the Grizzlies on their roster. I’m unsure if it’s fair however Pippen Jr. has placed former coach Darvin Ham on blast. Did the Lakers make a mistake allowing him to simply walk away? As indicated Morant is in front of him on the depth chart, if it’s not the Grizzlies perhaps he will receive an opportunity to play major minutes for another NBA franchise.

Basketball from a fans perspective

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Bits n Pieces of information 

On Wednesday evening I watched portions of three NBA games at the same time. No, I wasn’t switching back and forth between channels…all the games were separated on a single screen. I’m not sure why NBA TV decided to approach the games in this manner. Despite my interest in this concept after a while it drove me a little bizarre trying to keep up with the action on three games at the same time. Perhaps NBA TV ran this type of telecast last season however I just don’t remember. Is it a thumbs up or thumbs down view of this programming…for me it’s a thumbs down. No matter how much interest one has in the NBA I found it impossible to follow action on three games at the same time.

The 7 foot 9 (2.3622 cm) Oliver Rioux has been mentioned several times in this blog. The Canadian youngster after playing at IMG Academy in Bradenton decided in favor of remaining in Florida. Rioux chose to play at the University of Florida, the curious (me among them) was very anxious to see how this giant of a basketball player would adapt to the collegiate game. On Thursday it was determined we must wait until next year to see him in action, Todd Golden announced Rioux will be redshirted this season. I’ve seen video of him in action against high school competition but believe that to be misleading. It’s likely that even playing at IMG he never faced anyone tall enough to cause him difficulty in the paint. There might be a desire to work him extensively on agility drills, weight is hardly an issue since he weighs a reported 305 pounds or 138.346 kilos.

This is a slight bit unusual, there exists a legion of Laker fans who want GM Rob Pelinka gone. It’s their belief that nobody wants to trade with the team and it’s all the fault of Pelinka because “they refuse to take his calls.” I offer you no proof but believe it’s more to the story, I could be off base however there is a school of thought regarding this matter. There exists several unnamed teams who flat out refuse to discuss trade with the Lakers. I’ve read they are even concerned with releasing some players believing they might wind up in Purple and Gold. Bottom line, they don’t wish to do anything which might wind up benefiting the Lakers. Pure speculation on my part, to a degree yes however several points raised are quite valid.

I ain’t scared

More years than I care to count I read the autobiography of the late Bill Russell. I remember a particular portion that dealt with crunch time. Russell stated there were players who complained all year about playing time and shot attempts. He says all that stopped once the playoffs began, the spotlight shining on a player who might be guilty of an error. Well it was too much for some, they simply were unwilling to take the chance on being the scapegoat should the Celtics lose.

The Lakers were an above average team by the time Kobe Bryant was drafted by the Hornets but never wore their jersey. He was a reserve player until year three, however that would define him in the eyes of many. Pressed into the starting lineup due to injuries Kobe shot 4 airballs at a critical stage of Game 5 of their playoff series, the Jazz would go on to win the game in OT and the series. Two accounts, one in which players were unwilling to risk and the last one regarding Kobe Bryant who said, “I’ll do it.” Those lead up to this past Tuesdays Duke-Kentucky game, I have read story after story regarding Cooper Flagg losing to Kentucky, despite the fact he scored 26 points 12 rebounds they all mentioned the TO’s. I was complacent too although what I wrote of the game was lacking detail regarding the other Duke players.

If they had been a little better shooting the basketball and doing other stuff the game might not have come down to critical turnovers. 17-year old (we forget that) Cooper Flagg has ice water in his veins, others might not want the spotlight on them at a crucial stage of the game. Flagg chose to run toward victory rather than shrink in fear as others might have done. I’m okay with what I wrote yesterday except I should have left out the Flagg TO’s.

The conference that refuses to die

This report is not intended to be in depth, for that please consult other sources. With the disclaimer allow me to state the Pac-12 is the conference that refuses to die. We’ve covered the number of schools that have left leaving only Oregon State and Washington State remaining. I covered those schools committed to become members in 2026, they are Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State and San Diego State. There is one more problem, an 8th school. I’ve mentioned in the past this is a basketball blog however these moves are generated by football, which for the most part pays the bills. The exception of course the schools without football programs.

The Pac-12 needs an 8th team to be fully recognized as a conference but has reached an impasse. Several schools have turned down the Pac-12 so the conference will explore the following. Texas State located in San Marcos Texas, information I uncovered indicate the school is located in the Greater Austin footprint. Then we have New Mexico State in Las Crues which makes it closer to El Paso than New Mexico’s capital of Santa Fe. Mentioning El Paso we have UTEP or the University of Texas at El Paso and we close this exercise mentioning Sam Houston State in Huntsville Texas, the school’s located about 75+ miles from Houston. I should add that by closing this account the schools mentioned by no means have made a commitment to the Pac-12, the conference is desperate to add that 8th school.

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“He only shot 66.7% from the line”

If your teammate shot at the rate above you’d probably say it was a little above average. That figure represents Victor Wembanyama’s FT shooting Wednesday evening against the Wizards. As for the balance of his box score he was en Fuego from the floor. It was 50 points scored, Wemby wasn’t just jacking up shots in 32 minutes it was 62.1% from the floor with 50% shooting from the 3P line. There were 8 3P baskets scored by the tall one.

Wemby’s scoring outburst led to the 139-130 victory over the Wizards. With this game total at 20 years of age he becomes the 4th youngest player in NBA history to score 50 or more points. Despite his wealth of talent scoring the basketball there are a few critics of his game. ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins has been one of those voices, after this game he backed off a bit. Perkins indicated his belief Wemby should develop his game in the paint. I’ve never seen a player with Wemby’s height (7 foot 4) handle the ball in the manner he does. It’s not just offensively the blocked shot he scored on Domantas Sabonis was a thing of beauty. Rather than attempting to describe it video evidence is far more conclusive, check it out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFqTa4_I5oA

The difference

A portion of this is from Basketball Network.com, you must be over age 50 or a student of the game to agree. Hall of Fame player Rick Barry was discussing the difference between The Big O, Oscar Robertson and Russell Westbrook. This is the Barry statement, “Westbrook is trying to get triple-doubles.” This is my take on the Barry statement, Robertson’s triple-doubles were accomplished within the framework of the game. On the other hand Westbrook’s game was tailored toward the goal of a triple double, I intend to cite one example of the past I saw firsthand.

This incident occurred during a period Westbrook and Steven Adams were teammates on the Thunder. I’m unsure what stage the game was in however I saw this with my own two eyes. The opposing team took a shot which bounced off the goal, 6 foot 11 365 pound Adams moved from his position which allowed the 6 foot 4 200 pound Westbrook to snag the rebound. A defender claimed, “Adams did this in order for Westbrook to initiate the Thunder offense.” I cannot offer a counter argument, however, that certainly didn’t appear to be the case. Several of you reading this might be accusing me of hating Westbrook but that is not the case.

A Blue Blood Classic

Tuesday night in the State Farm Classic in Atlanta it was two blue blood programs Duke versus Kentucky. This would become my second opportunity to see Cooper Flagg in action. Earlier I caught a brief portion of Duke against Maine however most of the game was almost over by the time I realized it was on television. Last week against Army doesn’t really count because Flagg spent much of the second half on the bench with leg cramps. I had November 12 circled, to detail the seriousness of this game I skipped an NBA game to view this one.

By now I’m sure Flagg is accustomed to having the media spotlight on him. In addition he’s got a target on him from opposing players, they want to beat the reported top draft pick in the 2025 NBA draft. What I’ve read and briefly witnessed the 17-year old Flagg plays an all-around game, based on this fact I was looking for his defense, assist totals and interaction with his teammates. The first half saw Duke hold a 46 to 37 lead, Flagg scored 12 points along with 4 rebounds due primarily to foul trouble with two being called on him. The second half of the game Kentucky came roaring back, Flagg made his best effort although the final score would read Kentucky 77 Duke 72. The box score for Flagg read like this, 26 points along with 12 rebounds and two blocked shots. That was the upside to his game, he committed two turnovers at crunch time.

Flagg wasn’t responsible alone for the loss however the TO’s did impact the final score of the game as time expired. Perhaps it was a case of Flagg trying to do too much, he said afterwards he appreciated his coach having trust in him at the end. In closing this note by the ESPN broadcast team indicated there were 70 NBA GM’s and scouts in attendance at this game. I certainly make no claim regarding my ability to project play at the next level, however 6 foot 9 205 pound Cooper Flagg looks as though he might be the real deal.

The Joker

I’ve watched Nikola Jokic a.k.a. “The Joker” a number of times over the course of his NBA career. I marvel at the fact he manages to impact the game despite the fact at times he appears to be rather mechanical in his moves around the basket. Despite what might appear to be a complaint, on my part it is actually a compliment. He’s been an NBA champion and champion MVP…but wait there’s more. The Joker has been named MVP of the NBA three times (2021, 2022, 2024). On Sunday evening his Nuggets faced a tough Mavs team at home, the match was won by the Nuggets 122-120.

They might not have won the game if The Joker hadn’t filled up the box score with some amazing numbers. 37 points along with 18 rebounds and 15 assists, the assist total really stands out for me for several reasons. A number of point/combo guards don’t have numbers anywhere near what this 6 foot 11 284 pound Big Man registered. Understand this, the NBA season is less than two weeks old however he’s clearly a leader. The Joker leads the league in rebounds (13.7) and assists (11.7), the latter is clearly in the realm of a point/combo guard. We can laugh at The Joker’s mechanics but he manages to lead his team to victory, in addition he probably wants to prove last season’s playoff loss was an anomaly.

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How hot you ask

The daytime temp on our nearest neighbor the planet Venus is 462 degrees Celsius (864 degrees Fahrenheit). Guess what I just read, there is little difference between the daytime and nighttime temperature. The Cleveland Cavs are not that hot only slightly below, on Monday evening they won game number 12, they have not lost a game since the season has begun. How its done, “teamwork makes the dream work,” of course it’s much more involved than simply rolling the ball on the court. This start is the most in the NBA since the 2015-16 Warriors who streak out to a 24-0 record, they finished the season 73-9 setting a record. This Cavs team is led by guard Donovan Mitchell and his 23.7 ppg average but leading the way from the bench is coach Kenny Atkinson who’s had a couple of stops in the NBA. Is this regular season Cavs or playoff Cavs, that is yet to be determined.

No, he’s not there yet

A .com site named The Bounce posed the question in this manner, “Is Anthony Edwards the next Steph Curry?” The account detailed how Ant Man is shooting three’s at an increasing number, at the same time he’s not just jacking up shots. His shot from distance is at an outstanding percentage, the question is that enough? For me it’s a No, he’s not there…yet. Before I began a comparison I wish to look at the detail of an athletes complete game. Over the course of his career Curry has been such a prolific shooter as it tends to blind us to other aspects of his game, I certainly plead guilty. An early season game would see Curry not shooting effectively at the beginning of the game so what did he do?

He began to skillfully pass the ball to teammates aiding their scoring thus leading to a win for his Dubs. What did I do, consult the latest stats to help prove my point. Leaving the scoring out of the equation we discover in 7 games Curry is dishing out 6.3 assists a game, that’s good if we add in his scoring. There is no disagreement Ant Man is an amazing talent what about the other stuff? In 10 games he’s played thus far his assist number is 3.8 a game, certainly a respectable number. I know what you are saying I’m comparing a point guard (Curry) to a shooting guard which is true however I didn’t begin this comparison The Bounce did.

Playing the point

I wrote of the Spurs game recently that Chris Paul was in action, he is the last. No, it’s got nothing to do with his age although just like LeBron he’s also 39. We’ve discussed the change in basketball over the years and there are a number we could point toward. The decline of post play, the emphasis on 3 point shooting and the disappearance of the true point guard. All NBA rosters today contain point guards however do they fit the role of Bob Cousy, Lenny Wilkens plus many others of the past? The Dubs have Steph Curry, in Indiana there is Tyrese Haliburton…Thunder fans love the play of Shai-Gilgeous Alexander.

SGA as he's nicknamed is the best combo guard in the NBA today. Is Jamal Murray or D’Lo point guards in the traditional sense…I’ll answer with an emphatic NO. The key difference as I see it is the combo guard looking for his shot as much as passing the basketball. In the days of Cousy and Wilkens the responsibility of a point guard was to sit up a team’s offense. Don’t misunderstand or believe this is a complaint, rather it’s a compliment on the change. A number of point guards in the 1950’s couldn’t throw the ball in the ocean. This was not their fault it was the manner the game was played in those days. I’d rather have 5 on 5 play rather than 4 on 4 strictly due to the offensive capability.

Why now…not then 

Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce are in the Naismith Hall of Fame, Pierce is also in the College Basketball HOF as well, that offers proof of their ability. What about prior to the NBA you might ask, well Pierce attended classes at Kansas for three years and decided to head for the NBA. As for Garnett he was one of the few that headed for the NBA immediately after high school. The route utilized by Garnett is no longer available, we have the 1 year rule after high school to adhere to. Where am I going with this rant, back to Garnett and Pierce, especially Garnett.

*“Some of these kids I’m watching now, I’m like, ‘They don’t need to go to college.’ He (Cooper Flagg) didn’t. AJ Dybantsa…he’s another problem right now. Why we waiting’?” For those unfamiliar with his name the 6 foot 9 200 pound Dybantsa is the top prospect for 2025 on everyone’s prospect website. Although I agree with both Garnett and Pierce there are elements that state it ain’t gonna occur. The first and most formidable is the NBAPA i.e., players association. Every time the issue of allowing high school players in the draft the union has expressed opposition to a change in the present policy. There is no disagreement with them on the matter, if they believe these youngsters are NBA ready then it is possible they are.

*nbaonclutchpoints.com

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Great game but…..

Wemby’s Spurs came up short against the Jazz 111-110 on Saturday afternoon. Despite that fact the youngster had a monster game but indirectly he might have been a contributing factor in the loss. The positives, 24 points (53.3%) and 66.7% from three (6 threes sunk) shooting along with 16 rebounds 100% from the line and 7 blocked shots. The blocks provide us proof that Wemby’s game is not all offense, he competes effectively on both ends of the court.

As for the bad, the 6 turnovers Wemby registered and the issue is simple. Viewing the game from my family room it appeared some of the turnovers Wemby had might have been avoided if he'd only been a bit more careful with the ball. I don’t wish to sound too critical of Wemby because I’m solidly in his corner, in addition he’s still adjusting to NBA play. I love the fact that Wemby arrived on these shores from France determined to succeed at the highest level of basketball…the NBA. As an armchair coach I’d like to see him utilize his height and skill on the block more, he might not have a weight advantage but after all he is 7 feet 4 inches tall.

This was my first opportunity to see this new version of the Spurs in action. Despite his age Chris Paul remains proficient enough to play the facilitator role effectively for the Spurs despite the fact he didn’t shoot well in this game. Harrison Barnes late of the Kings should aid the cause but most of all missing is the coach. Gregg Popovich can’t play for them however his absence due to illness impacts Wemby’s development, he is sure his coach will return soon although there’s been nothing official.

Abbreviation 

I have no intention to speak for the world, I have no working knowledge of any foreign language. For me it’s American only, it’s not English folks. There was a term once used which I’m going to borrow, We don’t speak the king’s English in America. I have knowledge of a few words and phrases in Spanish, French and German that’s about it. As for abbreviations I believe America might lead the world, especially in the sports world. I’m going to provide just a few examples why one might become confused reading the score of a basketball game. If I wrote ASU topped its rival on the basketball court would it be Arizona State University or is it Abilene State University?

In this portion of the country if I used KSU folks around here believe I would be referring to Kansas State University, those in Georgia might think the acronym stands for Kennesaw State University. MSU could reference Michigan State University or Montana State University, you see what I’m describing? Finally I’m going to close with this OU, am I referring to Oklahoma University or Ohio University, both could be used and are correct. Of course this is strictly an exercise, depending on which portion of the country you live in sports fans understand the abbreviations sometimes. For years I would read UMBC and had no clue where the school was located, it’s the University of Maryland-Baltimore County. My curiosity finally caused me to Google the name. I leave you with this, Americans love acronym’s for the word?

Bits n Pieces of information

A term from the past might be journeyman, that’s the mantra of an athlete whose played for several teams. We might use the term to describe Andre Drummond now with the Sixers, they become the number 7 or 8 team he’s played for one of them twice. He is in the starting lineup now due to Joel Embiid’s absence however did you know? Drummond at 6 foot 11 and 279 pounds is one of the most prolific rebounders in NBA history. Among active players only LeBron James eclipses him in career rebounds that’s it. His 10,757 rebounds and counting places him ahead of several past NBA greats. At age 31 he should have a number of quality years remaining whether it’s as a starter or in a reserve role.

Hey, all reading this Kansas City has officially made the big time, no its not the Chiefs, Royals, Sporting KC or Current I speak of? In this instance I am addressing the University of MO-Kansas City now officially the Kansas City Roos. The Roos have played major D-I schools in the past however tonight’s game is a first I believe. They will play the Cyclones of Iowa State and the game will be a national telecast available on ESPN+. Iowa State is ranked the number 25 team in the nation so it certainly has major overtones. In any event it appears veteran coach Marvin Menzies has Kansas City on the move.

Don’t try this at home, it could prove far too difficult for several of you. This past Friday I watched a portion of the Duke-Army game, then I switched channels to take in the KU-Carolina game for a time. The Duke game began at 5:00 and KU was at 6:00 Central time so you can see they overlapped. Near the midway portion of the KU game I changed the channel once again this time to check on the Thunder-Rockets and stayed with that game until close to 9:00. At that point I change channels once again this time to see my Lakers in action against the Sixers. I almost forgot, Mizzou and Howard played on ESPN+, I had to track that score on my iPhone. I admit, it would be impossible for most people to watch basketball with me. In case you wondered this routine doesn’t exist all the time during the season.

Basketball from a fans perspective

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We just don’t know

Even NBA draft experts don’t always have a clue, they have no idea if it’s a good or bad draft until 4-5 years later. Last June the 2024 version was considered “weak” in some circles…as I said we just don’t know right away. The most interesting aspect to date and it’s still early is rookie Zach Edey. I’ve mentioned on more than one occasion after declaring for the 2023 draft scouts advised him to return to Purdue. The 7-4 300 pound Edey probably had elements of his game that needed work, so he went back to school and labored on them.

This time last year mock draft sites had him chosen in the middle of the second round, some excluded his name all together. Seeing him play even during his junior year no one would mistake him for the second coming of Kareem or Shaq but he possessed potential. Edey was chosen early in the first round by the Grizzlies with the number 9 pick. His 11.1 ppg and 7 assists a game are not going to wow anyone however he’s clearly demonstrated his potential. Edey’s already had a career 25 point 12 rebound game since his NBA debut. It would be quite interesting if in May Edey is named Rookie of the Year over several higher touted players.

All American

Once upon a time it didn’t matter if it was football or basketball the term All-American carried a large degree of prestige with it. In the past we used it as a guideline to an athletes potential success as a professional. Nowadays it fails to hold the glory of years past. Despite this fact All American remains important to some and one is Jay Bilas. Bilas longtime college basketball analyst for ESPN released his All American list and one name might be a surprise. Bilas included Cooper Flagg on his first team, interesting since Flagg is yet to officially play his first game. As for the others Bilas added the names:

Center Hunter Dickinson-Kansas

Center Ryan Kalkbrenner-Creighton

Guard/Forward Cooper Flagg-Duke

Guard Mark Sears-Alabama

Guard RJ Davis-UNC

Some other notes of interest, Bilas places senior guard Tyon Grant-Foster of Grand Canyon on his second team. Grand Canyon competed on the NAIA level however they began Division I play in the 2013-14 season. They have appeared in the NCAA Tournament three times most recently in 2024. As for Gren-Foster I believe he might be the first athlete from this school accorded All-America honors by anyone. Also included on Bilas’s fourth team is Ace Bailey at Rutgers who similar to Flagg and is also a freshman. Check out his other selections but I will close with this, Jay Bilas is one of those basketball voices of logic and a member of the media I value for college basketball judgement.     

Where to begin

You are about to become the owner of an NBA franchise. You have the opportunity to choose any present day player, who do you choose? Well if we look at NBA GM’s their choice was overwhelmingly in favor of one athlete. 77% of them chose Victor Wembanyama, Shai-Gilgeous Alexander and Nikola Jokic were tied for second with 10% of the vote while Luka Doncic was at 3%. This report is enlightening if we remember back to the spring of 2023 shortly before the draft.

Although Wemby was listed as the top pick on multiple draft sites the skeptics informed us they weren’t quite sure. That’s understandable, for every Anthony Bennett (2013 NBA draft, 1 pick) there’s been a Nikola Jokic (2014 NBA draft 2nd round 41st pick). The Spurs last NBA championship occurred in 2014, provided the help is added it just might be possible Wemby leads the Spurs to their next championship. In closing I pose this question, who wins a championship first Wemby or SGA? Based on age alone I would have voted as the GM’s SGA would have been my second choice, he is an ever rising NBA star. 

Hmmmmm!

If you reside within a 100 mile radius of Lawrence Kansas please avoid reading this. According to a bevy of CBS panelist Bill Self at Kansas is no longer the top coach in college basketball. Who is that you might ask, it’s UConn’s Dan Hurley. As they often say don’t throw rocks at me I’m just the messenger, who are these heretics who dare issue such a proclamation moving Self from his perch? Better yet why not read David Cobb’s October 24 column?

“College basketball coach rankings: UConn’s Dan Hurley bumps Kansas’ Bill Self for No 1 in Top 25 And 1 poll.” I will save a number of you, the main reason these panelists have come to the conclusion is outcome. Hurley’s UConn team has won two consecutive NCAA championships, as for Self’s Jayhawks they have lost in the second round of the tournament twice after winning it all in 2022. There are other considerations, as mentioned earlier those in and around Lawrence Kansas will not appreciate this panel of 7.

Basketball from a fans perspective

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Big Game

James Worthy is one of the Lakers’ greatest players, he was one of the keys to the Showtime Lakers of the ‘80’s. After his retirement Big Game James as he was nicknamed would be enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame. Worthy was given the tag because it seemed whenever the Lakers had an important or Big Game he almost always performed well. The history how the Lakers acquired the 6 foot 9 Worthy is a story in itself, after all they were already a good team when he was acquired.

Truth is in 1982 (the Worthy draft) the Lakers had won 57 games during the regular season they concluded by winning the NBA championship. Yesterday you read a portion of the history why Ted Stepien of the Cavs was the worst owner in NBA history, sorrier than Donald Sterling. In 1979 the Lakers acquired the Cavs number one pick in a trade that resulted in the Lakers choosing Big Game James Worthy. Although this exchange was made prior to the later imposed “Stepien Rule” it provides evidence of how miss-managed the Cavs organization had become under this owner. It’s unclear how scouting was conducted at the time however Worthy must have been at the top of everyone’s list of talent in 1982. Can you imagine this series of events, one of the best college players in the nation being selected by a team that already contained Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Magic Johnson and Bob McAdoo to name just a few on the roster. 

You cannot make this stuff up, it occurred. This is but one more example why NBA owners were assured someone other than Stepien should be the owner of the Cleveland franchise. Fans don’t support losing teams and attendance began to suffer, with that Stepien threatened (his prerogative) to move the team several times. He said publicly “the NBA had too many black players and not enough white ones, the league should be more balanced.” It was not as much what he said it was the manner he said it.

NIL

The headline has become familiar to those of us who follow college basketball. It’s Name, Image & Likeness…simply stated college and now high school players can earn income. The days of most college athletes lacking finances no longer exists provided they have a NIL contract in hand. For a number of old timers this is the dawn of a new day, the line between amateur and professional athletes has become very much blurred in the 21st Century. This is only an observation but NIL and the transfer portal have impacted college coaching.

Several high profile basketball coaches have retired over the last 2-3 years due to these twin reasons. The latest beneficiary of NIL is the top rated college prospect for 2025 AJ Dybantsa, he’s a 6 foot 9 200 pound forward. Dybantsa at Utah Prep recently signed a $4 million deal with the Nike brand. I’m going to raise an issue and this is the example. Kansas is an Adidas school, if Dybantsa played for the Jayhawks would he be able to wear his Nike apparel. The latter portion is speculation, the Nike contract is for real and to my understanding Dybantsa is the first high school talent to secure such an agreement.

He’s activated

If you are a member of Laker Nation you realize a fact. The Lakers need a Big Man (besides AD), as this is written I’m unsure if there is a trade involved, a free agent signing (Dwight Howard) or someone else. Although he appears raw and untested could that Big Man be Christan Koloko? Tuesday evening came the announcement Koloko had been activated, this is certainly much sooner than this member of Laker Nation expected.

What does he bring to the table, I’m happy you asked the question. As a reminder Koloko from Cameroon stands 7 feet in height and weighs 230 pounds but it’s the other thing he possesses. Koloko has a 7 foot 5.25 inch wingspan which places him near the top of current NBA players. Of course the Spurs Victor Wembanyama’s 8 foot wingspan is number one. I’ve never witnessed Koloko in action so he becomes a work in progress. Expect to see him in the Laker lineup over the next few weeks as JJ Redick moves him into the ensemble of the team. (He played last night against the Sixers briefly). 

Revisionist history

Some of you reading this might remember the late Tex Winter, this longtime head coach served as an assistant to Phil Jackson with the Bulls and Lakers. You might remember the triangle offense employed by both teams, Winter didn’t invent it but was responsible for incorporating it into the NBA. Now that’s out of the way the subject at hand Patrick Ewing. I am unsure why this 1998 interview in Slam Magazine is being highlighted in 2024, nothing changes except the thought.

It’s Winter’s view the Knicks utilized Ewing in not the most effective manner to help the team. Winter claims the center became the focal point for the offense when it should have been in another area. *“They utilized him on the post as a scorer more than anything else, and he could have been more effective if they had concentrated on him being more of a feeder and a rebounder. The team has not been as effective as it should be with a dominant center like that, but I don’t know if that’s Patrick’s fault. He’s not the coach.” Some might remember at Georgetown that was primarily the role Ewing played, his offensive game was limited. So all these years later in the words of Tex Winter the Knicks failed to utilize Ewing in an effective manner from his viewpoint. To hear this from a distinct perspective I did this.

I have a friend from New York now living in KC, I contacted him with the Tex Winter account. These are the thoughts and words of David. “Tex is a shmuck. You know, it’s great that he produced the triangle offense, but keep in mind that didn’t go into effect until Phil Jackson instituted it in the 90’s. Pat (Ewing) was the #1 draft pick, completely dominant for 4 years, and when he came to the Knicks, he wasn’t the focal point…Bernard King was and then even after that he and Bill Cartwright were sharing the spot as the twin towers.” As you can see my friend has a completely different view over that expressed by Tex Winter.  

*Slam Magazine

No NBA TV?

Each professional sport has branched out creating its own network. The NFL operates the NFL Network, for baseball it’s MLB Network, even hockey has the NHL Network. The NBA has NBA TV for now, it might not exist at some date in the future. No, the NBA is not going away however the channel that provides game updates, draft information and nostalgia programming might be forced to cease operations. The network is operated by Warner Brothers Discovery, by now you are aware beginning in the 2025-26 season will see new broadcast members.

Among the missing will certainly be TNT and possibly NBA TV. There are factors at work which a few years ago would be unimaginable just a brief time ago. According to reports viewership numbers have been sliding for the past few years with no explanation. NBA TV is a source for me for a select number of games, under the new broadcast agreement a smaller number of games will be available with the leagues new deal with ESPN, NBC and Amazon. This is me talking (or typing), I cannot imagine the NBA not operating NBA TV in some method once the agreement becomes official next season.

Basketball from a fans perspective

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Hotter than fish grease

As this is written Cleveland is meteor hot, the 9-0 record is even better than the defending champion Celtics. This is the now, let’s travel back in time even before LeBron. It was the 1981-82 season, that Cavs team was so horrible fans replaced Cavaliers with Cadavers. The blame can be laid at the feet of then owner Ted Stepien, even all these years later he is counted as the worst NBA owner ever. A few younger readers might believe the honor belonged to Donald Sterling at the time he owned the Clippers.

Stepien was light years ahead of Sterling based on his actions while owner of the team. That Cadavers Cavs team had 4 head coaches in one season and all were fired by owner Stepien, one of those coaches fired was Chuck Daley who much later was made a Naismith Hall of Fame honoree. Daley would be hired by the Pistons and eventually lead them to an NBA championship. Just in case you have a question about the won-loss record it was 15 wins and 67 losses. Stepien created so much turmoil the NBA placed a rule in effect due to the owner.

“At one point, the Cavs had traded away five consecutive first-round picks, covering 1982 until 1985. The NBA thereafter instituted the “Stepien Rule,” which states that a team (usually) cannot trade its first-round pick in consecutive years.” I can offer you NO PROOF but in a manner that would later befall Sterling the NBA asked Stepien to sell the team. This is but a brief history of the worst NBA team in the leagues history thanks to its owner the late Ted Stepien.

“Sometimes you eat the bear, sometimes the bear eats you”

My early assessment of the Dubs have proven me wrong, I swung and missed big time thus far. Dubs missed the playoffs last season, beaten by the Kings in the Play-in. The Lakers DID earn a playoff berth but were eliminated by the Nuggets. Understand this, at the beginning of the 2024-25 season I placed the Warriors and Lakers at the same place, middle of the pack teams. After the hot start by the Warriors and the fact they managed to beat the hot defending champion Celtics at home (118-112) I wonder how I could have been so off in my early prediction.

As for the final score the game was no blow out win for the Warriors but certainly not as close as the final score reads. The NBA season has barely begun however the Warriors certainly appear to be a much better team thus far than my Lakers. The issue might be coaching as much as the assembled teams. JJ Redick is new and if he’s the right fit its going to take time. On the other hand the Dubs have steady Steve Kerr at the helm and 36-year old Steph Curry. In the early portion of the game Curry’s shooting was a bit off yet he was able to effectively distribute the rock. At the end he was 27 points, 7 rebounds, 9 assists and 4 steals on 47.1% shooting from the floor. The Western Conference standings have the Warriors tied for first with a 7-1 mark.

A strange tale indeed

Headed into Wednesday night’s action the Sixers have totaled 1 win versus 5 losses. Joel Embiid has been sidelined for the 6 games played but wait there is more to this tale indeed. The Sixers have been fined $100,000 after president of basketball operations Daryl Morey announced Paul George and Joel Embiid would be held out of back to back games. The basis for the fine is the Sixers would be in violation of the NBA’s Player Participation Policy.

This rule is aimed at keeping big name players on the court. Later Embiid would have an altercation with a Philly writer in the team’s locker room. The fight was over a story the reporter had written about Embiid’s late brother. For the scuffle Embiid had with the reporter the NBA suspended him for 3 games. You cannot make this stuff up, imagine this scenario. Player Embiid suspended from playing in a game despite the fact he’s been unable to play anyway due to being injured and in recovery.      

Fact plus opinion

Off the Dribble is full of facts and sometimes opinions, on those occasions when opinion is provided I attempt to back it up with fact. That approach works for me not so much for sports radio guy, I’ll provide you an example. As this is written on Wednesday for Friday publication this is the fact. Mizzou played and was defeated by Memphis at FedEx Arena in Memphis, opinions are one thing, facts is facts. This is the speech one local radio host; “Mizzou lost to Memphis last night. This is going to be a repeat of last season (8-24) as they begin 0-2. It’s possible UMKC (Kansas City) makes the NCAA tourney before Mizzou.”

There is so much wrong with radio guys statement, I’m going to take it apart bit by bit. First off the Memphis game was the first game, they will have not played their second game until November 8. The problem for me is him disparaging the program without offering one shred of evidence other than his opinion. If I were a betting person I’d place large sums to money this guy has no clue about anything related to college basketball. Whenever I point these things out the younger members of my place of employment have a simple answer for me. It’s all about click’s i.e., how many subscribers or listeners can you retain. This one is near the top in stuff that’s simply an opinion and not fact. 

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