A fan’s perspective

Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

We are not a patient people

Mizzou fans (football & basketball) are at odds with the coaches, in this instance I speak of football coach Eli Drinkwitz and men’s basketball coach Dennis Gates. This look focuses on men’s coach Gates since this is a basketball blog. Gates was hired March 22, 2022, replacing Cuonzo Martin. His won-loss record at Cleveland State and Mizzou is 125 wins versus 99 losses, at Mizzou he’s 75-59 .560 percentage which is not good enough in some circles. The coach has assembled strong recruiting classes for both 2026 and 2027. Jason Crowe Jr., a 5-star combo guard from Inglewood, CA is expected to lead this Mizzou team in the upcoming season.

The primary issue for Gates to this point is advancement in the NCAA tournament, the Tigers have received an invitation two years in a row but failed to advance past the first round. We are going to discuss an exercise for the future which could occur, what happens if history repeats itself for Mizzou? Will the school terminate Gates and if so who replaces him? Mizzou went searching for a coach after Martin was dismissed, a significant number of assistants and head coaches are toiling away at institutions across the nation. Mizzou could hire an adequate replacement but they could also hire a dud. The truer test for Gates is to not necessarily win the NCAA championship, a deep run in the tournament is key for him this upcoming SEC season.

Fan favorites 

There are on occasion players that are traded or leave in free agency that become fan favorites. The hometown loves them and are extremely disappointed when they leave whatever the manner. Overtime the Lakers roster has contained those players, without any order I’m going to attempt to provide names of just a few. We might begin with Pau Gasol, the power forward was acquired in a trade with the Grizzlies, he filled a vital role becoming “Robin” to Kobe Bryant’s “Batman” when he arrived in February of 2008. Gasol with his scoring and defense were keys to winning the 2009 and 2010 NBA championship. July of 2014 he would join the Bulls as a free agent signing a 3-year contract, he would continue play ending a very successful 18-year NBA career. In 2023 Gasol was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2023.

This Laker was nicknamed “Big Shot Rob,” his name was actually Robert Horry. January 10, 1997, Horry was acquired in a trade with the Suns, as for his nickname he was never a starter while a member of the Lakers, despite that fact as a reserve player he could always be called on to take the crucial shot. The 1997 Western Conference Finals between the Lakers and Kings were tied two games apiece, in Game Five the Lakers trailed by as much as 24 points but came roaring back. Horry off the bench would contribute 18 points but 3 of them became the game winner. With seconds remaining and trailing Bryant missed a driving layup, Shaq missed a close in tip, Kings center Vlade Divac swatted the ball in an attempt to run out the clock. The ball went straight to Horry at the top of the key and he calmly sank a 3-point basket, final Lakers 100 Kings 99. In 2003 he would leave the Lakers in free agency but go on to play for the Spurs securing a 17-year NBA career.

Nick Van Excel was a second round draft choice in 1993 but you might have difficulty believing that fact. Van Excel was fearless on the court and was unafraid of taking the critical shot, he sunk numerous game winners and the moniker “Nick at Night” was given him as a takeoff on the Nickelodeon channel. There are conflicting stories as to why he was traded to the Nuggets, Van Exel would continue play until 2006 retiring as a member of the Spurs. Gasol would earn hall of fame honors, the others were standout players for the Lakers during their time with the team and would become fan favorites.

How good

I saw video of the late Pete Maravich on social media recently, it prompted a question. Just how good was Maravich and could he be compared to any present day talent? Maravich was only 40-years of age when he suffered an undiagnosed congenital heart defect which caused his death. He’d retired from the game he loved at the age of 32 due to chronic, severe knee injuries. Maravich came to national prominence in 1967 playing for his father and coach Press Maravich at LSU. At LSU Pete became a sensation with his scoring and especially his passing ability. Maravich was White Chocolate long before Jason Williams arrived in the NBA, with him headed down court teammates were liable to have a pass hit them in the head unless they paid attention.

In the NBA whether it was coaching or something else he toned down his passing once he began play for the Hawks, there were issues that cropped up with teammates. In 1974 the Jazz then located in New Orleans an expansion team wanted a crowd pleaser, Maravich, a star at LSU became that player. The Jazz acquired him in a trade, although he played well the Jazz were like most expansion teams saddled with limited talent. Knee problems developed while a member of the Jazz, he moved with the team to Salt Lake City but never played much. The Jazz placed Maravich on waivers in 1980 and he signed with the Celtics where he became a part-time player. Always accurate from distance the NBA adopted three-point scoring his last season in the NBA, limited play in Utah and Boston saw him shoot 66.7% for his career. Maravich is enshrined in the Collegiate and Naismith Hall of Fame, Maravich was a star who shone brightly if only for a limited time.

A fan’s perspective

Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

It takes more than talent

An SI.com story contained “The 25 Greatest NBA Players in the 21st Century.” After checking the names two stood out for me, they didn’t stand out because I believed they didn’t belong on the list. It was the other thing which says to me it takes more than talent. Number 17 was James Harden now playing for the Cavs which becomes team number 6 for him. Harden was the NBA’s MVP in 2018 while a member of the Rockets.

Harden is a capable shooter and willing assist man, he’s an average defender, despite what might appear for me to detail negatives I believe his next stop after retirement will be the Naismith Hall of Fame. So what’s the problem for me, talent aside doesn’t matter which of the teams we are discussing Harden disappears come playoff time when the team requires him to step up. Clutch certainly doesn’t fit behind his name, talented does. His former teammate Kawhi Leonard is placed at number 14 outside their Top 10 list. When healthy an above average defender hence the nickname The Claw. A very capable shooter from mid-range out to the three-point line. Leonard alone was the basis for “load management” being added to the lexicon of NBA conversation. If NBA players in the past rested during the season it was usually nursing an injury or preparation for the playoffs.

Leonard rested when he rested, was it his knee or some other ailment it was never very clear. Load management plus injuries were evident during Leonard’s time with the Clippers. Oh, by the way….Leonard is likely headed to the Naismith Hall of Fame as well. Am I a hater when it comes to Harden and Leonard, I will continue to believe it takes more than talent to be a successful NBA player. Sometimes it takes stuff we might find difficult to elaborate.

Don’t mess with what works

Our company trainer was at one time the track coach at one of the local high schools. During one of our training sessions Ralph told us a story which has remained with me for years. Ralph indicated he discovered one of the sprinters on the team was a natural, he timed the youngster and discovered he was running 9.9 in the 100 meter sprints with little effort. Ralph told us although he believed he was a natural with a degree of coaching he could improve his time even more. The young man took the word of his coach and began attempting to implement the tutoring into his sprints.

There was only one problem, using Ralph’s techniques the young man actually became slower which proves a point. This youngster took the coaches word to heart, the only problem his times increased significantly. In this instance coaching curtailed what was natural ability. This provided Ralph proof that if an athlete performs at a high level why attempt to change the athletes approach to the game. Of course that’s not to say coaching cannot better a player it just depends on the circumstances. In basketball I’ve compiled a list of former players with funky shots from the floor or free-throw line. Despite the fact the shot didn’t look good most of the time they were able to sink the free throw or basket, let’s begin this exercise:

Anthony Mason

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1V3J4wlCxvg

Jamaal Wilkes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9lZhbKtIDQ

Bill Cartwright

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYKlLz2Cwb0

Tacko Fall  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMr_R9F5jQM

Michael Adams    

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGlqU1ztdHk

Meanwhile….

Which basketball conference was the strongest in the nation this past season? Was it the Big 10, ACC or the SEC? I’m pleased you asked the question because the answer follows, this is not my view or opinion of the subject. According to the NET and RPI conference metrics, the answer—unsurprisingly—is the SEC. The Big 12 ranks second, followed by the Big Ten, ACC, and Big East. What surprises me is that the much-revered Big Ten and ACC, while certainly home to outstanding teams, no longer wields the power they once did. Prior to reading this what conference do you think or believe is the best in the nation headed into the 2026-27 season?  

We have basketball on our minds, I realize a significant number of you have NFL or college football in the Frontal and Temporal portions of your brain. That’s easy to understand that these two dominate the sports news at the present time however consider this fact. November 3, Mizzou plays Cleveland State….that’s 39 days from today’s date. October 5, the Lakers begin preseason play with a game against the Kings, that’s 10 days from now. I realize a number of you are questioning the “short” amount of time however its something college and the NBA have accepted. Do you realize at a point there will be baseball, football (NFL & college) along with the NHL and NBA plus the college men’s basketball overlapping one another?

Is it the Victor Wembanyama factor or is it something else, that might be the question for the sell-out of the European NBA games. The NBA announced on Wednesday the Spurs-Pelicans game in Paris France January 14 is sold out. The teams meet three days later in Manchester England and that game is also sold out. Unfamiliar with the capacity of the arenas I decided to check out the facts. Accor Arena in Paris holds about 15,000 for basketball but can seat larger crowds in other instances. As for Co-op Live in Manchester the capacity is unclear for basketball, the only figure I could uncover indicates 20,500 seating capacity. The only sport in Europe that beats the NBA in pure numbers, football (soccer).  

The Bad of this account (at least for the Missouri side), the Chiefs are moving about 24 miles to a new football stadium. For those unfamiliar with the geography the team is moving from Kansas City MO to Kansas City KS, yes, there are two cities with the same name. This replacement for Arrowhead will be a dome stadium which says; yell it loudly with me, Super Bowl and NCAA Final Four in the future for the metro. According to the Chiefs front office they have placed a bid for both events for the future, the football stadium has a planned opening of 2031.  

A fan’s perspective

Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

Big Man basketball

His name is Cherif Millogo, the Rivals website indicates he’s 7-foot 5 inches in height and 250 pounds. Millogo is rated a 4-star prospect in the Class of 2027, he attends St. Francis HS in La Canada Flintridge California. The youngster is yet to make a declaration on his college of choice, among the offers are Southern Cal, Arizona, BYU, Kentucky and Alabama. I’ve not witnessed his play but I’m posing the question what kind of game should we expect from him? Will it be of the low post variety or similar to most today drifting out to the 3-point line?

Are there camps today Big Men can learn to play the game at a high level. There are at least two, Rick Mahorn former NBA player operates one. Another was run by the late Pete Newell but now by a successor. Both camps focus on the same issues, footwork, the importance of balance when shooting and reverse dribble and jump stop. Passing out of the post is also emphasized.  I was asked my view and used Victor Wembanyama as the example. He is the best 3-point threat based on his frame (7-5), despite that fact he’s playing down low more if I’m his coach. What do you think, is there still a requirement for low-post play in today’s game?

Family Feud

This is no reference to the long-running television quiz program….but it is a family feud in a sense. I figured it was time to check Dallas to see if there was any movement on the proposed new arena for the Mavs. Mavs ownership group had indicated they would leave American Airlines Arena when their lease expired. That was then, this is now, the proposed move is on hold and the Mavs indicate AA will remain home through the 2030-31 season. So what occurred, according to what I’ve read a real life “Family Feud.”

The City of Dallas owns the building however the partners the NBA Mavs and NHL Stars have a corporate agreement in place that indicates both teams share the lease. Dallas Sports Group, the company that has controlling interest in the Mavs sued the Stars indicating the Mavs were prepared to spend millions in upgrades however the Stars were blocking the move. “In June, a Texas judge ruled in favor of the Dallas Mavericks in their lawsuit against the Dallas Stars, handing over control of the American Airlines Center to the Mavs.” Do the Mavs still intend to build a new arena in North Dallas, stay tuned for further developments?

Exclusive club 

We’ve heard the phrase for years, “Change is in the air,” nowhere is that clearer than the NBA. Last year the Lakers were sold and were the last “family” of NBA owners. The meaning of family in this instance says basketball was their only source of income, allow me to inform you of something without offering you proof. Corporate individuals and groups have long been a part of the NBA from its earliest days, however, the types of owners have changed over the last several years. Once these owners were bankers, mortgage and automobile dealership individuals or corporations. They now come from the ranks of venture capitalist, entertainment and media fields. One might ask the question, is this change bad for the NBA?

The answer would be  probably not however its clear the type of NBA owner has changed. They have deep-deep pockets to spend on their teams, the downside their expectations are sometimes unreal. The worst of the bunch are those who believe “I made a billion dollars in the work place I can make an NBA team successful.” Of course it doesn’t work in that manner, instead of allowing the basketball people to run the team they become directly involved in order to attain their vision of success. This should not be considered an indictment of all “new-breed” owners however a few certainly fit that mold. Laker owner Dr. Buss once stated he’d made a trade without his GM being involved. He indicated it turned out to be successful but he vowed to never do it again, Buss said after that he left those type of decisions in the hands of his front office.

Enjoyed the game versus loving it

The NFL Chiefs have a player on their roster who reminds a few of Andrew Bynum. Bynum was among the last high school players drafted into the NBA, he was made the 10th pick by the Lakers in the 2005 NBA draft. He would become the starting center for the Lakers at the beginning of the post Shaq era. He was asked early on the difference between his play and that of Shaq; “The difference I hit my free-throws” which certainly sounded arrogant. He’s arrived in the NBA as a 17-year old the youngest ever and that might have been a contributing factor in his apparent arrogance. By his third year in the NBA he was on his way to stardom, his 7th year in the league he was selected to the All-Star Game and made the second team of NBA All-Pro.

A knee injury caused Bynum to miss the 2012-13 NBA season and upon his return was never the same player. An assortment of injuries saw him move from Cleveland to Indiana and at the end of the 2014 season he was done at 26. This from AI Overview; “Andrew Bynum’s career ended abruptly by severe reoccurring knee issues , waning motivation and off-court behavioral issues.” Take note of the underline words in the previous sentence. Was his issue maturity or the fact he enjoyed the game rather than loving it? I doubt if any fans desire someone risk their health to play the game however the expectation of any player….he’s got a work ethic. Bynum today is retired with a lucrative income and has no desire to be associated with the game which made him a wealthy person at age 25. Perhaps I’m being unfair to Bynum however a portion of what you read is fact.

A fan’s perspective

Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

Close the border

I don’t recall which sport he coached, but one Missouri coach made a statement that stayed with me: he pledged to “close the border” by recruiting every high-profile athlete in the state. We realize that is an impossible task however the statement certainly appears sound. Coach Gates never made that promise, yet he appears to be taking a similar approach. Although the 2026–27 season has yet to begin, Gates and his staff have already been busy adding talent to the roster.

Mentioned earlier was Scottie Atkinson, he’s a 6-foot 4 shooting guard, this 4-star prospect is from Webster Groves in the St. Louis metro, he committed July 1. On Monday September 21, Cameron Barnes, a 6-foot-7, four-star power forward from Lee’s Summit in the Kansas City metro, committed to Missouri. In the NIL era, Barnes and Scottie Atkinson may represent the program’s entire high school recruiting class for 2027–28. Although coach Dennis Gates never promised to “close the border,” landing both high profile in-state prospects suggests Missouri may be doing exactly that.

Is there a problem

Recently a friend approached me at a gathering, he made a statement which at first confused me. James said; “Are you going to have a problem with LA and Philadelphia?” Confused by his question I’m sure I had a bewildered look on my face, “What is he talking about?” I thought for a moment and then the lightbulb went on in my mind, “He’s talking about the fact LeBron James is now a Sixer.” I smiled and said to him, “If I have a cut anywhere on my body my blood is not red, it’s Purple and Gold” (alluding to Laker colors). I stated this earlier but am unsure if it’s been published yet.

LeBron James will not go down in history as one of the all-time great Lakers, he will be recognized for being an all-time great by me. Over LeBron’s time with the Lakers I have personally witnessed play by an NBA elder statesmen never in the history of the game. There have been a number of players who played into their 40s but none at the high skill level of LeBron. There are forces at work beyond me, there may someday be a statue of LeBron erected outside Crypto.com arena. It will join other Lakers already in place, will I object if this should occur? Of course not if those powers believe he deserves a statue far be it left up to me to be an objectional voice. LeBron James has been a generational player….one who transcends his contemporaries.

They remain

In 1962 the number of television sets that existed in the United States totaled 46 million. Population growth has occurred over the years, in 2025 the number of televisions was 125.8 million. The 1961-62 NBA season saw NBC which held the broadcast rights televise a total of 22 of the 80 games played that season. Nowadays with NBA League Pass along with Peacock, Prime plus ABC and NBC every game played is available.

In addition to that there are the numerous sports channels with nightly highlights of play. By now you are probably wondering the direction this account is headed, back to Wilt Chamberlain and the 100 point scoring game which set the NBA record. They remain, I’m going to place the Warriors Draymond Green alongside all the conspiracy theorists. Green along with many his friends continue to doubt the authenticity of the Chamberlain record. They do this despite seeing Bam Adebayo eclipse Kobe Bryant when he scored 83 points in a win against the Wizards March 10, 2026. Bryant had secured second place January 22, 2006, scoring 81. The portion of this story I find so interesting, no one to my knowledge has ever questioned Chamberlain’s 50.4 points per game average in 1961-62.

Imagine this, we leave out the scoring record he would have scored 50 points or more in 79 games that season. Historians claim Babe Ruth hit 60 home runs in 1927 but there is no video proof. Legendary athlete Jim Thorpe set a decathlon world record of 8,412 points in the 1912 Olympics, the record stood until it was broken in 1948. The question did Thorpe score that number of points since there is no evidence of any sort.

Growth of the game

The programs we consider college basketball’s Blue Bloods—Kentucky, North Carolina, Kansas, and others—remain among the nation’s best. But as the sport has evolved, they no longer dominate men’s basketball as they once did. As an example UCLA has won 12 NCAA men’s championships but none since 1995. North Carolina has six trophies in its case, the most recent occurred in 2017, while Kentucky has 11 but only one since 2012.

These Blue Blood programs continue to produce outstanding seasons; they simply have more competition for talent now, more so than ever. Growing interest in college basketball has helped programs such as UConn, Houston, Arizona, Purdue and Gonzaga rise to national prominence over the last few years. These schools and several others have long histories in the sport, at one time Houston and others had a national presence that waned for a time. Hiring a new coach (Kelvin Sampson) became the basis for Houston and others to become powers in their own right again. The future looks bright for the growth of many of these basketball programs.

A fan’s perspective

Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

Law & Order: LSU

Football coach Lane Kiffin and men’s basketball coach Will Wade have been a lightning rod of controversy. Both have waded far from shore into the deep water which can prove dangerous. I’m not going to detail Kiffin only Wade but the path chosen by both is similar. Understand this, ESPN’s college basketball page indicates the roster is complete. Contrast that with the roster of the school website, it only contains four players.

Wade has brought on board RJ Luis Jr., who played at St. John’s. He was the 2025 Big East Player of the Year however he’s signed multiple two-way contracts with NBA teams. There are two other 5th year players Wade hopes will be declared eligible, wait there is more. The four players listed on the school’s website are Euro prospects whom Wade hopes to be cleared to play. Wade’s been a winner at all his stops with 105 total out of 156 games played so his coaching resume is certainly solid. How would I cast Will Wade, a coach who walks as closely as he can to the edge of the cliff who manages to avoid falling off the edge.

On the east side

Our friends in St. Louis might suffer NBA withdrawals as well as many of us in Kansas City, it’s been a great deal longer for them. The Hawks departed for Atlanta in May 1968, the Kings left Kansas City in 1985. So the 18th most populated region of the 50 states is without NBA basketball. As for the St. Louis connection it goes like this, the Basketball Association of America began play in 1946 with 11 teams. Among that number in that initial season was the St. Louis Bombers. The team would play its first three seasons in the BAA and the 1949-50 season their last in the NBA. The history says the Bombers went out of business due to low attendance and poor play on the court. The team did manage to win a division title in 1948 however that appears to be the only bright spot for this club.

It wasn’t only the Bombers,  the history indicates they were one of six teams that either folded or departed after the 1949-50 season. St. Louis would remain without an NBA team until 1955 when the Milwaukee Hawks relocated and began play as the St. Louis Hawks. The Bombers had one player who would distinguish himself with the Celtics and Hawks. Ed Macauley played his college basketball at St. Louis University naturally the Bombers drafted him but he would only play his rookie year in St. Louis. The next season with the team folding the Boston Celtics selected him, Macauley was chosen in the dispersal draft. In the 1956 NBA draft the Hawks selected Bill Russell with the second pick and immediately traded him to the Celtics for Macauley and Cliff Hagen. 

One town, two teams   

The greater Los Angeles metro contains 18.4 million souls that’s certainly a large enough population base. Attendance is not the issue but I thought I would toss that into the mix. Despite my love affair with the Lakers I don’t have a “earth-view” of events in the metro, Joey Linn does. Linn is a beat writer who covers the Clippers and he wrote a column that was insightful to me. I have no desire to steal his thunder but I want you to focus on a sentence Linn wrote. “This is an organization (Clippers), that whether they wanted to admit it or not, have operated as if they are trying to get out of the Lakers shadow.”

Is there an issue with two professional teams in one city, it depends. The baseball Yankees appear to have no problem with the Mets, we could make the same statement for the Giants-Jets. In Chicago we have the baseball White Sox and their south side neighbors the Cubs. Because were discussing Los Angeles it the Dodgers or Angels. The point in my view, these cities with two teams appear to be in more competition with the league than their city counterparts. The Clippers have resided in the shadow of the Lakers since they moved from San Diego in 1984. This from an incident during the time Doc Rivers was coach of the Clippers, this occurred. Prior to the Intuit Dome being built the Clippers and Lakers were co-tenants at Crypto.com arena then known as Staples Center. Rivers had building maintenance cover the Laker retired jerseys for Clipper home games.

They are one of the few

In March 1979, a group of schools came together to form what became the Big East Conference. What made the conference different was its foundation in basketball rather than football, the sport around which most major athletic conferences were built. The Big East remained primarily a basketball conference until 1991, when several schools were added as football-only members. At its founding, Providence, St. John’s, Georgetown, and Syracuse invited Seton Hall, UConn, Holy Cross, Rutgers, and Boston College to join. Holy Cross and Rutgers declined, while Boston College, Seton Hall, and UConn accepted.

In those early years, the conference quickly became known for primetime matchups featuring Syracuse, Georgetown, St. John’s, and others. Patrick Ewing playing for Georgetown was hated whenever his team played St. John’s in The Garden, the vitriol would change much later once Ewing began play for  Knicks. The Big East is no longer the conference of its founding, schools have left while new ones have arrived. St. John’s remains a power member however Georgetown basketball has suffered and no longer is the power it once was. In recent years it’s been up to UConn to retain the prestige for the conference it once held, Bobby Hurley’s Huskies have won back to back NCAA championships in 2023 and 2024. The college basketball landscape has changed so significantly the Big East is unlikely to return to its glory days.

A fan’s perspective

Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

Will they….can they

The year was 2018 the Warriors were crowned NBA champions for the second year in a row. This was quite unusual not the championship but the fact we had a repeat champion in the NBA. The Showtime Lakers, the Russell led Celtics no longer dominate the game. Both remain competitive teams but similar to others they don’t repeat. The Lakers won in all in 2020, the Celtics 2024 but neither were able to repeat the feat in the following season. There are a variety of reasons that factor into the why there are no longer repeat NBA champions….the chief one in my view injuries. The second might be free agency, those teams that manage to come up short have secured free agents allowing them to accelerate past their rivals.

The Knicks won it all in June 2026 after last winning in 1973, the Knicks lost four players from their championship team. Mitchell Robinson, who backed up Karl-Anthony Towns was key to the win over the Spurs, he left in free agency. The Knicks signed Andre Drummond and Tacko Fall in an attempt to solidify the reserve position in relief of Karl-Anthony Towns. The 7-foot 6 Fall is a training camp signee who hopes to secure a position with the Knicks. The Knicks also added two players from the 2026 NBA draft, don’t expect either to see any minutes, the Knicks are a veteran team. The Sixers signed LeBron James to an improving team and the Celtics are laying in the weeds despite shipping Jaylen Brown off to the Sixers. It will be extremely tough but barring major injuries the Knicks could repeat if all the dominoes fall into place again. The headline “Will they….can they, the answer is yes.

Blocked shots

Bill Russell didn’t invent the blocked shot, after all his rookie season in the NBA was 1956-57. The first year of operation for the league was 1946-47, surely a number of players probably blocked shots prior to his arrival. What was the difference, Russell turned the blocked shot into an art form. He once said; “I can’t block every shot but if I make them think I can.” As you can see the intimidation factor was in full effect for Russell. Now for the problem, the NBA didn’t begin tracking blocks until the 1973-74 season.

Russell and Wilt Chamberlain, who arrived in the 1959-60 we can only guess the numbers they managed. The following numbers should be taken as speculation based on the shot-blocking ability of both. Russell was probably 8.1 blocks a game during the regular season in the playoffs it was 8-15 blocks. There are no playoff estimates for Chamberlain but his number during the regular season was guesstimated to be 8.8 blocks. As indicated once the block shot stat was added well a number of players blew the roof off. October 28, 1973, Laker center Elmore Smith set the NBA single game record with 17 blocks against the Blazers. This past season Victor Wembanyama was named Defensive Player of the Year, he also led the NBA in blocked shots. What’s that you say, its easy when you stand 7-foot 5 or whatever height Wemby stands. Blocking shots is more than height alone, I’m not picking on Brook Lopez but consider this.

Lopez is 7-foot 1 and 282 pounds yet 2.5 blocks a game is his highest total for his 18-year career and he accomplished the number four years ago, Wemby led the NBA with 4.8 blocks this past season. Why do you think the Lakers traded for Walker Kessler, he’s a productive rebounder and shot blocker. Because the height issue was mentioned what are the traits of a good shot blocker. He must have good leaping ability, timing is also important plus positioning. Added is discipline and the intimidation factor or the Russell effect is also a key. Bottom line, just being 7-feet tall is no guarantee of an athletes ability to block shots or intimidate.  

Meanwhile…. 

ESPN is projecting a dire future for the Clippers losing 5 future first round draft choices. They use the example of the Minnesota Wolves from 26 years ago at a time they suffered a similar fate involving Joe Smith. Although it will not be an easy task I believe the punishment is nearly the same although the outcome could be quite different. As an example I believe in the draft, however, a complimentary free agent is more likely to turn a team around than a rookie draft pick. What’s the old adage; “location, location….location.” This is certainly not intended as a criticism but we are talking Southern California versus the cold, cold winters of Minnesota. The Pacific Ocean plus Hollywood movie and commercial opportunities, those might work to an advantage for the Clippers attempting to sign free agents.

My best guess is that, aside from winning an NBA championship, having your number retired ranks near the top of basketball honors. I was surprised to learn that all 30 NBA teams have retired at least one number, with the Boston Celtics leading the way at 24. The Los Angeles Clippers have the fewest with one, and even that is somewhat technical. Major League Baseball retired Jackie Robinson’s number 42 across the sport, and the NBA took a similar step with Celtics great Bill Russell’s number 6. That remains the only retired number credited to the Clippers. The Lakers are second behind Boston with 15 retired numbers, though technically it is 14 players because Kobe Bryant’s numbers 8 and 24 are both retired. The New Orleans Pelicans have retired two numbers: Bill Russell’s 6 and Pete Maravich’s 7. Overall, seven NBA teams have retired 10 or more jersey numbers.

I like Michael Porter Jr., much of this stems from the fact he attended and played at Mizzou briefly. I’ve followed his NBA career and pleased it appears MPJ has raised his level of play over his brief time in the association. Those are the positives. The negative for me, his opinion: He recently made headlines by saying he is unimpressed with the rebuilt Lakers roster. I’m not sure what prompted his view, but I can say with confidence that I’m equally unimpressed with his assessment.

A fan’s perspective

Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

I’m not a hater

After reading this a number of residents in Las Vegas who are readers will boycott me. I’m not a hater, I just happen to believe Las Vegas doesn’t deserve a franchise right now. By the time this is read I’m quite sure I will be unwelcomed at least in Las Vegas. As most are aware the NBA Board of Governors met this week and one of the topics on the agenda was NBA expansion. The front runners are Seattle (clearly understandable) and Las Vegas (why). Seattle is easy to understand, the NBA should have never left the Emerald City. Even the former owner has admitted selling the team to Oklahoma interests was not a good move on his part.

As for Las Vegas you noticed I question why this city should be chosen over another, there is no argument it’s one of the top tourist destinations nationally in the nation. The NBA has long embraced Las Vegas as the home of Summer League, and the city also hosts numerous youth tournaments. Those are clear positives, but the central question remains: Do Las Vegas residents want an NBA franchise of their own? I’m not sure. Consider the NFL’s Raiders: They play only once a week, so even with a struggling team, filling Allegiant Stadium is relatively manageable. Would residents consistently attend 41 home games at an arena that has yet to be built? Seattle already has an arena; Las Vegas does not. I realize these points may not make a convincing case against NBA expansion to the city however they are my points.

Big Man Basketball

Allow me to introduce to several Marcis Ponder, he’s a 7-foot 285 pound freshman post man at Florida State University. Scouting reports indicate he’s got a “physical presence and paint protection” in his arsenal. In addition to that he’s been nicknamed “Baby Shaq” which requires an additional detail. I have no skepticism in the scouting report but Ponder is dominating high school centers, most probably don’t have enough physical presence to battle him successfully. This is where we begin this latest account regarding Big Man basketball.

I have long expressed a view in the past athletes continue to grow in stature. Yes, the game has moved outside to a degree, post players are often expected to shoot three’s which is real concern for me. In the NBA with the exception of Wemby and Joel Embiid (when healthy) most centers are suspect in shooting threes. This change in the game is the fault of Steph Curry as I’ve often expressed. His shooting prowess over the course of his NBA career has witnessed “copy-cat” basketball. The Warriors until recently have been quite successful shooting three’s why not utilize their style of basketball. I intend to track the further development of Ponder, I’m going to discover if FSU turns him into a three-point specialist.

Meanwhile….

Gee, thanks ESPN for your observation of the upcoming season for my Lakers. The Entertainment and Sports Programming Network has decided the Lakers are “Two bricks short of a full load.” That’s an old adage that may or may not apply here, I just thought I would toss it in. In any event the fellas at ESPN have decided the Lakers have not improved themselves significantly in the off season. From my Man-Cave I disagree with their assessment of the upcoming season for the Lakers. Consider this fact, the Lakers have become a younger team and in addition they have taken on a more athletic and defensive mindset. Truth is in the results, I cannot truly sit here in September 2026 and forecast a May 2027 finish. Despite what I just wrote I am forecasting a better season barring major injuries than ESPN. Aside from the injury issue a starter at power forward is the only “hole” I see, but what do I know I’m just a basketball fan.

This is an interesting take this time, rather than a straight line projection ESPNs Men’s College basketball page made the SEC forecast in this style. They predict Mizzou BB finish in a Ceiling and Floor outlook, let’s check it out. As for the Ceiling ESPN projects a 30 win total and a second place finish in the SEC. They see post-season as a Final Four. On the other hand the Floor for Mizzou is 22 wins and a 7th place finish culminating with an NCAA invite. Naturally, I would prefer a ceiling finish however there are intangibles (injuries, subpar play etc.) that make it extremely difficult from where I sit to have any kind of thought as to where Mizzou might finish.

Now and again you come across a story that appears somewhat questionable. That is the case here, Spurs shooting guard Stephon Castle is reported to stand 6-foot 6 inches in height. Now the team is reporting he’s grown to 6-foot 8, he’s sprouted two inches over the summer, but wait there is an addition to this story. Wemby, the Spurs center has been listed at several heights. The Spurs record him at 7-foot 4 but most consider him a bit taller like maybe 7-foot 5. Think a moment about this bit of news, The Alien is now listed at 7-foot 7 inches in height. Just like teammate Castle he’s also grown at least two inches over the past 2-3 months. Oftentimes it’s difficult to determine whether the information you receive is correct or not, we have an opportunity to accept the information or reject it. I like the Spurs, I could make the same statement about Castle and Wemby. Despite what I just stated I don’t believe this story one iota.

A fan’s perspective

Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

You are in charge

An 1875 poem by William Ernest Henley became famed, a portion reads; “I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul.” I might have misread the poet but I always believed he was stating we as individuals have a large degree for our success or lack thereof. This is said based on comments by former NBA player Danilo Gallinari who made headlines recently with his comment on Kawhi Leonard. Some might remember as for others Gallinari was traded to the Thunder in order for the Clippers to obtain Paul George, who Leonard wanted as a teammate.

I had forgotten Gallinari’s name until I read his statement, he said; “Leonard altered the trajectory of my career and landed me in a mess.” He went on to state the trade (to the Thunder) severely impacted his NBA career. I had forgotten Gallinari’s name, who is now retired. I checked and his stats indicate he was having a career year with the Clippers prior to the trade. He spent one season with the Thunder and played for four other NBA teams before eventually retiring. I cannot speak to Gallinari’s career after the Thunder but I believe there is truth to the Henley poem.

NBA business

Yes, we realize the NFL season has begun in earnest, sports news coverage will begin dominating the airways. Despite that fact there remains the NBA and this week should be interesting. An NBA owners meeting is scheduled and there are numerous topics to discuss. These are not in any order just what I believe are likely to be on the agenda. With a federal investigation beginning regarding the Clippers will there be additional penalties addressed by the NBA? Also likely on the agenda is further news regarding NBA Europe, the league is scheduled to begin play next fall near this time. Expansion will also be a subject of discussion as well, this is not a guaranteed fact however the conversation surrounding Seattle and Las Vegas would indicate these cities are considered the prime candidates for expansion to the NBA.

Kansas City basketball

The city is laid back in most of its sports programs with the exception of the NFL Chiefs. Despite coming off an injury to quarterback Patrick Mahomes and missing the playoffs this past season it doesn’t hurt they have made it on an annual basis for 10 years. In addition to that winning 3 Super Bowl championships aids the cause too. The baseball Royals, the Current and Sporting KC soccer teams….is there room for basketball? The University of Missouri Kansas City or Kansas City Roos have made little noise in the past for a Division One program.

What makes a difference for the 2026-27 season, hopefully the coach and his resume. February 1, 2026, Mark Turgeon was named head coach for the men’s basketball program. Turgeon brings over 20 years’ experience as a head coach at Wichita State, Texas A&M, Jacksonville State and Maryland. The coach has a .634 winning percentage over the total of his coaching stops. The truth of the matter I really have no idea the number of wins Kansas City Roos basketball will have by next spring. My optimism is based on the coach and the possibility he is able to turn this program around. I’d mentioned my longtime desire for a successful urban basketball program similar to those of UCLA, St. John’s or others, my belief Mark Turgeon is the man for the job.

The best trade in Laker history was…..

NBA free agency has been the mechanism for teams to acquire new talent. Free agency has changed the future outlook for a number of teams over time but its new compared to trading for roster additions. Teams will often trade a player or players in an attempt to improve the team, the Lakers have certainly utilized this process over time. I got to thinking, what do you suppose might be the best trade in Laker history, there are certainly a number of blockbuster moves to choose from. How about the trade that brought them Mychal Thompson, the center/forward was a vital cog in two NBA championships. We could look at the trade with the Bucks, the Lakers would acquire the Captain, Kareem Abdul Jabbar. The Lakers already had “Batman” in the lineup, his name was Kobe Bryant they needed a Robin and that’s exactly what Pau Gasol would become.

Gasol would arrive in a trade in 2008 from the Memphis Grizzlies, 2009 and 2010 the Lakers win it all. Although they are yet to reap the ultimate reward i.e. NBA championship the trade that brought them Luka Doncic February 1, 2025, was/is of the blockbuster variety. In the summer of 1968 the Lakers acquired up till that time the most prolific scorer in NBA history Wilt Chamberlain. In closing Kobe Bean Bryant must be included in this account for one reason alone….the Lakers acquired him through a trade. In the 1996 NBA draft the Charlotte Hornets drafted Kobe with the 13th pick in the first round of that draft. His rights were traded to the Lakers in exchange for Vlade Divac. There you have it those trades (with the exception of Luka) which brought the Lakers a championship or multiple ones. Which one is the best, well for one thing I didn’t provide you the names who the Lakers traded to acquire these All Stars. With that in mind you become the judge, which in your view is the best trade in Laker history?

A fan’s perspective

Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

You get a car and you get a…..

This headline references a memorable television moment that may be unfamiliar to some readers especially those abroad. On September 13, 2004, media personality Oprah Winfrey told all 276 members of her studio audience, “You get a car, and you get a car.” The giveaway was projected to cost well over $7 million. In this instance the reference is Denzel Aberdeen Florida basketball player. His attorney has filed suit against the NCAA in order for Aberdeen to gain a 5th year of eligibility.

This from ESPN’s college basketball page; “The NCAA’s refusal to honor its current eligibility framework breaches its contract with UF, which is intended to benefit student-athletes like Aberdeen,” the lawsuit said. The troubling portion of this account Aberdeen joins a growing list of players totaling 30 as this is written. Will this issue of a 5th continue to crop up every season into infinity, I don’t have the answer? As I have continued to point out as recently as last Friday’s Off the Dribble someone, somebody must take charge of this problem.   

Is this franchise cursed

The question is asked of the Los Angeles Clippers, it seems there is always someone or something preventing them from reaching the championship level. Consider their birth, born in Buffalo New York as the Braves, years later sold and then moved to San Diego. New owner Donald Sterling then landlord watched the NFL Raiders move from Oakland to Los Angeles and the league sue them. Once the court ruled in favor of the Raiders Sterling decided to move his Clippers to Los Angeles in 1984. Never mind seeking NBA approval, Sterling moved them north and technically said “stop me.” He did this because Los Angeles was a larger market plus his business was located there. The Clippers were never able to compete effectively with the Lakers even during periods when the Lakers were not very good.

In the early 2000s the fortunes of the Clippers began to change, they reverted from perennial losers to consistent winners. The only problem….failure to advance to the next level. They earned playoff berths from 2012 through 2017 and again from 2019 through 2021 and followed that with a streak from 2023 through 2025. Despite the winning the Clippers only managed to play for the Western Conference championship one time, 2021. An injury to a key player or some other anomaly might occur preventing them from advancement. And now the Kawhi Leonard saga, now he’s gone a member of the Raptors. Despite his departure indirectly he’s caused the team to continue its present course. I began this exercise with the headline “Is this franchise cursed.” Despite the fact the Clippers have continued an endless cycle of never competing for the ultimate prize I don’t believe in curses. The problem of the Clippers is more of a human problem which must be resolved.

Music and basketball    

This might not be true for everyone, but over the years several songs have become closely associated with basketball, whether in the NBA or college game. In some cases, I had to do a little research to learn who recorded them. The following are just 6 tunes selected we’ve heard while viewing an NBA or college game in person or on television. You might be unfamiliar with the artist however perhaps you’ve heard the tune, an example is the longtime theme tied to the Chicago Bulls’ glory days. I remember watching games on WGN Chicago, where it always played at the start of Bulls broadcasts. You may have heard it even before it became linked to the NBA and the Bulls. The song is titled Sirius by the Alan Parsons Project—check it out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkC_oi0ksuw&list=RDOkC_oi0ksuw&start_radio=1

Composer/musician John Tesh wrote this next tune at the time the NBA was being broadcast on NBC, it remained in hibernation until this past season when NBA games returned to the network. This was named, Roundball Hard Rock:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qCEX4scaJA

This next tune had nothing to do with basketball, it might have been played in dance halls prior to it becoming associated with basketball. The Pointer Sisters Jump was heard throughout NBA arenas across the nation anytime there was a jump ball:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyTVyCp7xrw&list=RDuyTVyCp7xrw&start_radio=1

Another example and this might be a surprise to some reading this, it’s House of Pain’s rap tune Jump Around. One group member wears a Celtics jersey in the video, so perhaps that is the basketball connection:

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=house+of+pain+jump+around

This is usually heard at the beginning of a number of college basketball games, we actually don’t hear the tune but we hear the student body in the arena hum it more than sing it, here is the tune. It’s title Zombie Nation by Kernkraft 400:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5LW07FTJbI&list=RDz5LW07FTJbI&start_radio=1

Finally this exercise is closed out with a tune we only hear once a year, it’s titled One Shining Moment and generally we hear the refrain prior to hearing the late Luther Vandross provide words, it’s played at the conclusion of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament:

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

A fan’s perspective

Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

Should I

There are the occasions, you must decide between writing about a story or not. This is one of those times you’ve read plenty regarding Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers the last 3-4 weeks. This is an additional story that broke recently and I had to determine if it was worth covering. In this instance it’s the New York Times reporting the story, they claim, “A federal investigation has been opened into the Los Angeles Clippers for allegedly circumventing the salary cap to compensate Kawhi Leonard.”

Please note the word highlighted and underlined because as this is written there is nothing yet to be proven. The main reason I decided to mention it due to the possible repercussions if the named parties are found guilty. If this probe is true (and I believe it is) the entire process will likely be pending for a time. Consider the NBA’s investigation, it took the law firm roughly 11 plus months to issue a report on the Clippers, Kawhi Leonard and others. Whatever occurs in the future I will attempt to update you just as soon as practical.

The truth

In this instance “truth” has nothing to do with the nickname of former Celtic Paul “The Truth” Pierce. It’s the conclusion by an athlete they must face the truth, they are unable to play at a skill level that allows them to play professionally. Recently many of us might have read Lonzo Ball’s claim that his younger brother LiAngelo had NBA skill, he said; “His (LiAngelo) game is league-worthy.” Some might remember the middle brother had several tryouts particularly with the Hornets but was unable to secure a roster spot, he even played in the G-League for two seasons. Being real or coming to a conclusion “Maybe I’m not good enough to play at this level,” there is no shame in admitting that however some might have difficulty admitting that as the truth.

Several years ago the son of a friend made an effort to sign as a free agent with the NFL Chiefs. Although he’d been a starter and played major minutes for Iowa State he failed, I believe this occurred twice. His final attempt at a pro contract was a tryout with a Canadian League Football team, he was cut once again. He might have concluded “I’m not good enough” which is certainly no reflection on him as a human being. Another example occurred when the Kings called Kansas City home and held an open tryout for free-agent talent. Carl had played for a highly competitive high school team and a small local college, but he did not earn the roster spot he hoped for. Years later, he told us, “I would hate to grow old and say to myself I never tried.” LiAngelo and the other individuals mentioned should feel no shame; they simply were not talented enough to play in the NFL or NBA, where opportunities are extremely limited—the NBA has only about 500 jobs. The key question, I believe, is: What do you pursue next?  

Meanwhile….

In my view, a sports agent has one primary responsibility: securing the best possible contract for their client. That job can require tremendous effort, but it should not include doing business in a way that later creates problems for the player. That appears to be the case with “Uncle Dennis,” Dennis Robertson, the former agent and uncle of Kawhi Leonard. I use “former” because Kawhi reportedly fired him, likely connected to the defunct Aspiration Company and the fallout involving the Clippers. Stories about Robertson have circulated since he negotiated with the Lakers over a potential Kawhi Leonard contract, but I’m not going to revisit those accounts. Instead, I’ll focus on the present: Uncle Dennis has been barred for the next five years from conducting business with any NBA player or anyone associated with the league, he seemed to operate by his own set of rules.

Once upon a time there was Ruben Patterson, he was the self-appointed Kobe Stopper. He claimed his defense would curtail Kobe’s game, guess what it was more talk than anything. This is 2026 and we have the Wemby stopper, his name El Hadji Tacko Serigne Diop Fall. Most of us recognize him as the 7-foot 6 inch Tacko Fall, you might remember he played his college basketball at the University of Central Florida. He went undrafted in the 2019 draft but later signed as a free agent with the Celtics. Tacko has also played for the Cavs but the last several years have seen him play in the Chinese Basketball Association. He’s returned to the U.S. and the Sixers have signed him for training camp, in this this upcoming season a battle between 7-foot 6 Tacko and the 7-foot 5 Wemby.

A fan’s perspective

Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

I hate to keep repeating myself

College sports (football & basketball) are out of control, this issue has existed for a time now. Nowhere is this more evident than at LSU, this Louisiana university school has been threatened by the SEC with expulsion. Despite that fact as this is written that’s not been done. As for football coach Lane Kiffin he’s indicated his intention to add two NFL players on his team’s roster although they were missing from LSU’s first game. A similar situation exists with men’s basketball at LSU, I am unsure of the number but it is being reported Will Wade has also added “pro-players” to his roster as well.

With the threat of a pending lawsuit the NCAA the governing body of college athletics has been somewhat silent. The question becomes, is there anyone in charge, from where I sit the answer would be an emphatic no. We are in an age whereby the universities and colleges have increasingly become farm systems for the NFL and NBA. Each year one more rung higher on the ladder is established. I’ve stated over and over resolution of this issue is above my paygrade and scope. I don’t know who fixes this but I will inform you who I don’t wish to become involved in….its congress. I would foresee senators or congresspersons even the president politicizing this issue for their benefit. This ends with a fix is required but by who?

Really

I’ve been reporting for a time the Sixers desire to move from Xfinity Arena to their own building. Well an agreement was reached several months ago and a decision was made to build a new arena on the same spot of the demolished Spectrum where the team once played. The plan for the building was released this past Tuesday, now for the numbers. Seating is unknown at present however it’s likely to be in the neighborhood of 20,000 occupancy. The price tag for this arena is projected to be $1.5 billion with no taxpayer funds being expended for the project.

Naturally, there are complaints and one of those I heard was this. The Xfinity Arena opened in 1996, which makes it about 30 years old, in 2019 it was remodeled to the tune of $265 million. One resident questioned the need for a new arena with the work performed at Xfinity. As a taxpayer and one who is paying for the Royals and Chiefs stadium the proposal for zero taxpayer money being expended sounds exciting to me. On the backend we have no clue what will occur or did occur for Chase Center in San Francisco or Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. Chase and Intuit were built without taxpayer funds as well, who pays for the maintenance and upkeep of these buildings? I believe it’s just as important to detail that bit of information too.    

Genius

Jack Molinas was reported to have a 175 IQ, this is what AI Overview says. “An IQ of 175 is well beyond standard genius thresholds and falls into the profoundly gifted category, representing an extreme rarity of roughly one in a million or fewer.” That should provide us an idea how intelligent Molinas was, he could have accomplished a multitude of tasks but he preferred a criminal protagonist as his life’s pursuit. In addition to his intelligence level Molinas was an outstanding basketball player. Molinas attended Stuyvesant High School, the school is widely considered one of the most prestigious and competitive public high schools in the United States.

Only the top 1% of New York City kids are admitted each year so that should provide evidence of the intellectual level of Molinas. After graduation he attended Columbia University and one season led the team in scoring and was team captain. It’s been reported he was involved in the 1951 college basketball betting scandal although he was never caught or charged. How good a basketball player was Molinas, well in 1953 the Fort Wayne (Detroit) Pistons made him the 3rd pick in the first round of that year’s draft. His gambling habit would eventually be his downfall, he would sometimes even place bets on his Pistons team, somehow he was caught and the NBA permanently banned him from the league. Molinas would later sue the NBA however he would lose the case and the ban would remain in effect. From 1954 to 1962 he played in the Eastern League a precursor to the G-League. After his playing career was nearing an end he enrolled at Brooklyn Law School securing a law degree. Molinas would become a central figure in the 1961 college betting scandal, this blackeye for college basketball involved over 50 players at 27 colleges and universities. Some of those names might be familiar, Connie Hawkins, Roger Brown, Doug Moe and others. In 1963 Molinas was convicted for his role in the scandal and was sentenced to 10-15 years in prison, he would be paroled in 1968 after serving but 5 years.

In 1970 Molinas moved to Los Angeles in hopes of seeing his life story portrayed on film, the project would never come to fruition as his criminal past was never far behind and would catch up with him. In 1973 Molinas was arrested and charged with interstate crimes however he didn’t stand trial. At 2:00 a.m. on August 3, 1975, Molinas was shot in the neck, his girlfriend and dog were wounded, Molinas would die from his gunshot wounds. No one was ever charged, and authorities believed his ties to organized crime may have been the motive behind his murder. Thus ended the controversial life of Jack Molinas, a man whose extraordinary intellect could have led him to success in almost any field he might have chosen. Instead, he chose a life of crime—a decision that would cost him his life at the age of 43.

A fan’s perspective

Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

What’s next for him

I realize several grew tired of me writing about the exploits of the Spurs Victor Wembanyama. Based on his 2024-25 season being cut short due to injury he came roaring back last season. He led the Spurs to the NBA Championship although they came up short, the question what do we expect after his  breakout 2025-26 year. At age 22 he became the youngest player in NBA history at 22 years of age to be named NBA Defensive Player of the Year, the previous winner was Dwight Howard who was 23 years old the first time he won the honor. Wemby’s surprised him on the age chart that’s clear but there is more.

Most Blocks in an NBA Playoff Game, that record was held by three players. Hakeem Olajuwon, Mark Eaton and Andrew Bynum all had 10 blocks….Wemby had 12. How about this other playoff game record, Wemby became the youngest player to record a 40-point, 20-rebound game, he accomplished this at 22-years of age, the previous record holder was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar at age 23-years. Most Career Games With 5+ Blocks before age 23, Shaquille O’Neal accomplished this in 45 games…Wemby its 46. There are other records but I will stop here with this, Wemby became the first unanimous DPOY in history. He received 100 of 100 votes cast, the nearest to him was Ben Wallace who finished with 116 of 120 votes.

Vindicated

Several reading this are familiar with Pablo Torre and his reporting. Before I delve into the topic at hand allow a brief explanation from me, I have no issues with the media. I do have issues with certain members who in reporting the story become THE STORY by their over the top reporting, Torre is not among that number. One year ago, September 2025 he broke a story regarding the Clippers, Kawhi Leonard and Aspiration Company. He reported the player had circumvented the salary cap thanks in part to his Clippers team.

I’m unsure what most believed at the time however there must have been enough evidence for the NBA, they hired an outside legal agency  to begin conducting an investigation. For the next 11 months the public heard little except there was progress being made. At a point in August came a report indicating “No judgement was forthcoming for the Clippers owner Ballmer or Leonard.” It’s now believed the Clippers might have funneled this report to ESPN who in turn ran with the story. I along with several others assumed it was being reported so it must be correct. We reported what was revealed by this story, Of course all that changed September 2, 2026, as the NBA made a major announcement indicating the Clippers were guilty of wrongdoing. The league issued major punishment to Ballmer, two front office individuals plus Kawhi and his agent. Was this close to a “Death Penalty,” you be the judge, 5 consecutive first round draft picks beginning in 2029. You’ve read plenty on the outcome my focus is Torre, he was roundly criticized in some circles initially after the all clean report was generated.

After September 2, his labor has been vindicated and he’s proven once again the value of investigative reporting. I’ve seen him on television from time to time over the last year, no pontificating in front of the television cameras. Torre calmly lays out his view of the subject matter and reports what he’s discovered.  Torre would become a 2026 Pulitzer winner for his Audio Reporting podcast investigation on the Clippers. This should provide proof there is always a requirement for reliable and forthright investigative reporting no matter what area is under discussion.

This is interesting  

I didn’t generate what you are about to read, it’s an Instagram author, despite that fact I believe you will find it quite interesting. The following is his list of the “15 Men Who Changed Basketball Forever.” Number one is easy to understand, he placed James A. Naismith in the top slot. There would be no basketball without his desire and innovation to provide a winter sport for his classes. George Mikan Minneapolis Lakers Big Man was selected number two, he was listed as the NBA’s first superstar. There is no intent to list all 15 simply point out several I found interesting.

Bill Russell was four while Wilt Chamberlain earned a 5 slot, Julius Erving was listed at 7. Two on-court adversaries who were certainly responsible for growth of the NBA game Larry Bird and Magic Johnson were listed 8 and 9. The writer placed the innovative Pete Maravich at 12, does he belong on the list in your view? Dirk Nowitzki also earned a spot, he was not the first international star he was listed at 13. Steph Curry was placed at 14 the only current active player and finally Kareem Abdul Jabbar was 15. Keep this in mind, I believe the writer was not compiling this list from a talent standpoint, it appears to be a selected number of athletes who impacted and changed how the NBA game was played.

Confused, no longer

The ever changing landscape of rules and regulations inside the NBA is sometimes confusing to fans. That is the case for me (and maybe you as well), I hear the term protected or unprotected used regarding the NBA draft. In simple terms the definition or meaning of the words are understandable but the question remains for me, how does this relate to the NBA draft? Since I was unsure of how it was utilized I sought help, I did this because I ain’t too smart, what you are about to read is AI generated and not my words. In the 2027 NBA draft where do my Lakers stand is the question? Based on what you are about to read you will understand the confusion and it will provide the answer most of us are inquiring.

“Lakers own a top-4 projected or protected pick in 2027 actually reflects the inverse: the Los Angeles Lakers traded their 2027 first-round pick to the Utah Jazz (via the Russell Westbrook trade), and that pick is top-4 protected.”  

“What the Protection Entails

If the pick lands 1 through 4: The Lakers keep their pick.

If the pick lands 5 or lower (5th to 30th): It conveys to the Utah Jazz.

Because the first-round pick fails to convey, it transforms into a 2027 second-round pick sent to Utah instead.”

A fan’s perspective

Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

Terrible NBA trades

Over time, the NBA has seen its share of terrible trades, the worst trade in NBA history actually was the result of a free agent signing. The teams involved certainly never intended for things to turn out that way, but they did. Here is a brief history as I see it. The first one that comes to mind is the 1956 Bill Russell trade. Russell, the second pick in that year’s draft, was selected by the St. Louis Hawks and immediately dealt to the Boston Celtics. Russell would go on to win 11 NBA championships. Cliff Hagan and Ed Macauley enjoyed some success in the league, but nothing close to Russell’s. Verdict: this was a bad deal for the Hawks, the Celtics were the winner. How about the 1996 trade that saw the Hornets trade the draft rights to number 13 Kobe Bryant in exchange for Vlade Divac?

You are aware of the Naismith Hall of Fame Kobe, in the meantime Divac had a decent NBA career but nowhere close to that of Kobe Bryant, winner: the Lakers. In 2021 the Lakers traded three players and three draft choices to the Wizards for Russell Westbrook, the Wizards were clearly the winner here. Westbrook was not a good fit and was traded two years later. In the 2024-25 season the Mavs sent Luka Doncic to the Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis, because AD has since been traded the Lakers were the clear winners here. The acquisition of Doncic could be debated because despite him being in the lineup that have not advanced to play for an NBA championship. This essay closes with in my opinion the worst trade in NBA history….worst because of all the pieces involved. In 2019 Kawhi Leonard required a stipulation be in place if he were to sign as a free agent with the Clippers, the team must acquire Paul George which they later completed in a trade with the Thunder. The Clippers traded Danilo Gallinari along with future MVP Shai-Gilgeous Alexander for George. That trade in 2026 would prompt a bunch of moves which prove detrimental to the future of the Clippers.    

No need of detailing the entire story you are aware the Clippers had been under investigation since September 2025 for an under the table scheme which paid Kawhi Leonard. Once details were uncovered NBA punishment was swift surrounding Leonard’s circumvented payment ploy. This is the after affect, the Clippers gave up two players with one of them being SGA to the Thunder, the resulting penalty from the Aspiration salary cap fiasco plus the Paul George trade will cost the Clippers 10 first-round draft picks beginning in 2029. Paul George is gone and so is Leonard, what did they gain with these two in the lineup….a few extra wins during the season but no NBA championship, only one occasion did the Clippers play for the Western Conference finals. Now they are left with what is the worst trade in NBA history prompted by a free agent signing.

American MVP

I was viewing NBA TV on Friday, the host and guests were entertaining several subjects, one of those was the lack of an American player winning the NBA MVP. It was pointed out the last 8 MVP’s in the league have all been international players, the last American player was James Harden in 2017 while a member of the Rockets. Are there American players who might be future candidates for league MVP? I would submit the name of Mavs forward Cooper Flagg as a prime candidate.

Also we could add Anthony “Ant” Edwards to a list, he could be a Bonafide candidate as well but wait there are others. Jalen Brunson was Finals MVP, could he parlay a series MVP into an NBA MVP, the question remains unknown for now. Cade Cunningham and Paolo Banchero along with Jalen Johnson could also be considered. It’s difficult to name those who are yet to see action but I could nominate AJ Dybansta, Carlos Boozer and perhaps Darryn Peterson members of the Rookie Class of 2026. There is no guarantee any of the names on this list will be named NBA MVP, they certainly could comprise a list of candidates over the next 5-7 years.   

A law degree might be helpful

I have a measure of understanding regarding the ever changing status of Mark Mitchell. You remember Mitchell was headed for Kentucky then he wasn’t, currently Mitchell has been added to Mizzou’s roster, the question becomes how is this possible, they have 16 players and only 15 are allowed. From Yahoo Sports; “The program accommodated Mitchell using a roster exemption tied to the 2025 House settlement.” That is the court ruling which allowed Mitchell and others a 5th year of eligibility.

As for adding CJ Gunn who becomes roster member 17 that takes a slightly different turn, forward Annor Boateng suffered a devastating injury last season. Although Boateng remains on the roster its reported he is not ready to play this season. Mizzou is stating if Gunn is able to gain eligibility he will be added using the medical exception of Boateng. Confusing, of course it is….you did read the headline didn’t you? So now you have a clear understanding how Mizzou can claim 17 players on its roster when 15 are the maximum allowed.