A fan’s perspective

Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

You are the judge

One of the dot com sites I read pronounced the pairing of LaMelo Ball and Anthony “Ant Man” Edwards “the best backcourt in the NBA.” On the surface I can agree, this will be a dynamic duo should the two newly joined backcourt mates mold together. As for the comment the best that might be a question. I took a gander at several NBA backcourts and settled on seven I believe might be taken into consideration. 

Here is what I refuse to do, name the best although I have an idea of the 5-7 ranking, in this instance you become the judge. One of the keys in selection was my belief in the individuals defense, too often I believe we place far too much emphasis on the offensive aspect of the game. The defense was just as important in selecting the teams. As for the Knicks and Spurs I’m listing three players, I’m going to detail the teams and names but as for the order that’s left up to you to determine the ranking, with that statement here goes:

Wolves-LaMelo Ball and Anthony Edwards

Thunder-SGA and Jalen Williams

Knicks-Jalen Brunson and Mikael Bridges (Josh Hart)

Lakers-Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves

Cavs-Donovan Mitchell and James Hardin

Sixers-Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe

Spurs-DeAaron Fox and Stephen Castle (Dylan Harper) 

One more story

Byron Scott played alongside Kobe Bryant in the backcourt and later served as his head coach with the Lakers.  This is one more story on Bryant told by Scott. “I’ve seen three players who worked out at a greater level than any player I can remember, they were Jerry Rice, Walter Payton and Kobe Bryant. He (Bryant) would be in the gym at 4:00 a.m. 2-3 hours lifting (weights), he would then eat breakfast. He would return to the gym and put up 500 shots, he would then go to a 2.5-3 hour practice.

He said over a 5-year period players can’t catch me.” Like me you likely have read similar stories, those that claimed Kobe was a difficult teammate. It’s likely he expected everyone to work at the same level he did, of course most couldn’t or didn’t. I believe that belief is key to why he and Shaq eventually butted heads. Shaquille O’Neal was one of the most talented NBA players ever but that was part of the problem. Most likely Shaq’s work ethic fell into eventual discover with teammate Kobe. Once the rift developed who do you trade, I believe the answer is clear.

Who are they

This is my list of the top men’s college basketball coaches in the nation, depending on your location or affiliation some of the names on this list might be greeted with hisses and boos. In addition there are coaches who have never won an NCAA championship, winning it all is certainly noteworthy but there are other criteria for me that denote a successful coach. How about turning out consistent winning teams year after year after year. The list is not in specific order, you might disagree with my choices but that’s okay. This list is always at a point where it could be expanded, there are at least two names for the future. These names are not listed due to the length of time they have been successful head coaches nor in any order as well. With the disclaimer out of the way let’s begin the adventure:

Mark Few, Gonzaga University

He’s been in charge of the program since 1999, all he’s managed to do was win over 770 regular season games. How about this tidbit of news, the Bulldogs have earned an NCAA tournament invite every single year of his head coaching career. It’s also worth mentioning Few is one of a small number to be inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame while remaining an active coach.

Dan Hurley, UConn

Allow the booing to begin, Hurley is disliked in a great number of circles but not by his players. His teams have twice been NCAA tournament winners. Hurley has 350 wins and 180 losses for a .660 percentage. In 16 years at Wagner, Rhode Island and UConn there are only 3 losing seasons on his resume. 

Bill Self, Kansas

Winner of 2 NCAA championship teams, he’s won 840 games at 3 coaching stops including the Jayhawks. Who knows how this would have turned out, Mizzou had an opportunity to hire him at a point but passed. Would his numbers have been the same, that’s an unproven factor but he’s been on the job at Kansas since the 2003-04 season. Self’s been inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame.

Rick Pitino, St. John’s

He’s been coaching since the early 1900s, just joking although he first became a head coach in the 1975-76 season. Pitino’s won NCAA championships at Kentucky and Louisville, his win total at a number of coaching stops, 791. At age 74 he continues to coach a young man’s game and its likely he will continue so into the future. Pitino has also been inducted in the Naismith Hall of Fame.

Kelvin Sampson, Houston

Right behind Pitino at 70 years of age, don’t allow his age to fool you. Sampson is just as involved in coaching as any of his counterparts. Sampson’s teams have won 828 games at his various coaching stops. The Cougars have been a member of the Big 12 three years and his teams have finished 1st, 1st and 2nd.

Todd Golden, Florida

Here we have the “baby” of the bunch at 41-years of age, he might be young but his resume is impressive. His first year at Florida (2022-23) the Gators won 16 games while losing 17. Since then they are 24-12, 36-4 and 27-8, the 2025 team was NCAA champion. Golden’s career numbers at San Francisco and Florida, 160 wins along with 77 loses for a .675 percentage.

Nate Oats, Alabama

Anytime the Crimson Tide is mentioned the conversation is not necessarily football. After a lull in wins Oats was hired and that first team in 2019-20 finished with a 16-15 record. His third year the Tide dipped to a 19 win season but has rebounded since then. Oats is adept at recruiting and his teams are always competitive, he’s sent several players to the NBA.

Matt Painter, Purdue

Anytime Big 10 men’s basketball is discussed Tom Izzo at Michigan State is the name first mentioned. The basis for this is simple, the Spartan coach is the longest tenured coach in the conference. As for Painter his last five teams have won 30 plus games. The Boilermakers have been NCAA bound for six consecutive years.  

I understand the why

I’m sure you noticed the sale price of NBA franchises lately, they have risen steadily over the last several years. I’m unsure if any single proprietors remain in the NBA comparable to the Lakers Jerry Buss or Paul Allen Blazers. Maybe Steve Ballmer Clippers owner and Knicks owner James Dolan might be the exception. The NBA is discussing expansion and the proposed franchise for Las Vegas has quite a hefty price tag attached to it.

Reports are the franchise is priced at $12 to $14 million, a mighty large sum of money. Despite the amount of money three groups are reported to be interested in purchasing the Las Vegas franchise. One of the names mentioned is Nancy Walton Laurie daughter of Bud Walton founder of Walmart. Her husband Bill Laurie is a former owner of the NHL St. Louis Blues. The Laurie’s live in Henderson, Nevada so that would further connect them to a Las Vegas NBA team. As you can see with millions of dollars required to own an NBA franchise only folks with deep, deep pockets are able to entertain ownership.

A fan’s perspective

Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

Limited pressure

The adjustment from the college game to the NBA can be quite trying. The only method to adapt to NBA play is to play, PT for Laker rookies Cameron Carr and AK Okereke and second year man Adou Thiero will not be easy. The Lakers were quite busy conducting trades and signing free agents during the summer. This is certainly not intended to place additional pressures on the three but I believe they are keys to Laker success going forward. Carr was made the 24th pick in the 1st round of the 2026 NBA draft, he’s a 6-foot 5 185 pound guard with hops.

Okereke is a 6-foot 7 244 pound power forward, he went undrafted in 2026 after play at Vanderbilt. He worked his hind end off in Summer League play which saw him added to the Laker roster. The last key to future success, Thiero is a 6-foot 7 220 pound guard/small forward, he was a 2nd round pick in 2025 by the Nets however the Lakers would later trade for his draft rights. Thiero spent most of his rookie year sidelined due to injury, Summer League play demonstrated he is ready to play this season. I could be wrong maybe none of them make a significant contribution but I hope at least one of the trio is able to secure time on the court for the Lakers.

A look ahead

We are into the early weeks of school, high school football is being played but this is a look ahead. High school basketball teams will not return to action until the first week of December or so. Despite this early September date I thought a check of the Class of 2027 would be worthy. Keep in mind I haven’t seen this youngster play, I am dependent on prospect scouting sites who’ve seen Beckam Black in action. Black is a 6-foot 4 point guard from Duncanville Texas in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro.

He enters his senior year at Southeastern Prep Academy located in Orlando Florida. Southeastern Prep plays a nationwide schedule which entails travel throughout the United States. Black is rated a 5-star prospect on multiple prospect sites is yet to commit to any school, he’s received offers from a number of programs throughout the nation. Just a few of them include Arkansas, Auburn, Duke, Florida and Kentucky an impressive list of high profile basketball programs. Stay tuned for further developments from Black and other Class of 2027 prospects.

Tiny

The headline represents his nickname, he was given that because he was on the smallish size for a game of giants. His given name is Nate Archibald, he stands 6-foot 1 and weighs 150 pounds. All these years later there are disputes on his height and weight, several claim his height and weight might be closer to 5-foot 11 and maybe 140-145 pounds. His measurements might be disputed, however, that didn’t apply to his talent. Archibald born in the Bronx didn’t begin to blossom at DeWitt Clinton HS until 1966 when he was named All-City.

That’s quite an honor for a NYC basketball player however his sketchy academics led him to Arizona Western Community College and later to UTEP. In 1970 the Cincinnati Royals made him pick number 19 in the second round.  His game began expanding, by the time the team relocated to Kansas City and renamed the Kings Archibald would become a Bonafide All Star. That first season in a Kings jersey would see him become the offense for a poor Kings team, he led them in assists and scoring. He led the NBA in minutes played, his 34 points and 11.4 assists witnessed him accomplishing a feat never duplicated again. Several years later the slower pace of Kansas City and the fact the team was not developing Archibald requested an “East Coast Trade.” The Kings would honor his request trading him to the Nets where he remained for a year and later to the Buffalo Braves. Archibald tore his Achilles and never played for the Braves, he was traded the following season to the Celtics where he resurrected his sterling NBA career. He would be enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame in 1991 and later the College Basketball Hall,

It should be noted Archibald was named a member of the 50th and 75th NBA Anniversary team. He would return to UTEP to finish his undergraduate degree just prior to the end of his NBA career. Later Archibald would acquire a master’s degree from Fordham, in addition he began a correspondent doctorate program at UCLA but indicated this method caused some difficulties for him. Archibald indicated he might complete the program at Fordham. What you just read is but a brief portion of the career and life of Nate “Tiny” Archibald.

A fan’s perspective

Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

It’s that time

Last night it began again, the Toronto Raptors served as host to the Miami Heat. Although it was a preseason game it represented the unofficial start of the 2026-27 NBA season. Utah is at Denver today along with Golden State facing the Clippers. On Monday there are five games scheduled throughout the association. Additional preseason games will be played until the official start on Tuesday, October 20. I am excited to see basketball action once again, excited to discover which of the rookies will be standouts. So we are here, ready or not NBA action is upon us once again, begun, sit back and enjoy.

Deep history dive

If you know, you know—but this may be new information for some readers. The Knicks, Celtics, and several other teams are often described as foundational franchises dating to 1946. Most of the others folded before or soon after the merger. These clubs belonged to the Basketball Association of America (BAA). In 1949, the Knicks and Celtics along with several others entered the newly merged league that became today’s NBA.

The other league in the merger was the National Basketball League (NBL), founded in 1937. Although 38 teams played in the NBL during its existence, only a small number ultimately joined the BAA. Four moved to the BAA in 1948, a year before the merger: the Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons (now Detroit), Indianapolis Jets (folded in 1949), Minneapolis Lakers (now Los Angeles), and Rochester Royals (now Sacramento). In 1949, seven more NBL teams joined to form the NBA: the Anderson Packers (folded in 1951), Denver Nuggets (folded in 1950), Indianapolis Olympians (folded in 1953), Sheboygan Redskins (folded in 1951), Syracuse Nationals, Tri-Cities Blackhawks, and Waterloo Hawks (folded in 1951).

Even after the two leagues merged, stability remained elusive, and several teams folded. It took years for the National Basketball Association to become firmly established as a major professional league. To give you an idea among U.S. fans at the time, baseball ranked first in popularity, followed by college football, college basketball, the NFL, and then the NBA. It’s my view the arrival of Bill Russell in 1956 and Wilt Chamberlain three years later in 1960 the league began improving its popularity and relevance for fans.

Meanwhile….

Several of you reading this might remember an earlier account regarding 7-foot 5 Cherif Millogo. Although he attends a high school in California there might be a question on that, I decided to conduct further investigation on the youngster. It turns out Millogo is originally from Burkina Faso a nation located on the western portion of the African continent. According to information I was able to uncover Millogo arrived on these shores prior to the 2024-25 basketball season. He did not play at CATS Academy in Boston due to an injury, the following year he relocated to California and St. Francis High School in La Canada Flintridge.

I’ve not written much recently on the Mavs Cooper Flagg, Rookie of the Year and the clear leader of the team. Understand this, I claim no insight of whether a player “makes it or not.” There are issues for me living in Kansas City I cannot begin to see or even contemplate. We do have a belief and that’s what I claim in this instance, I saw all but three or four games Flagg’s one season at Duke. He appeared to always be prepared to play even games he didn’t shoot particularly well, I was confident the next game would be different. Was part of his maturation due to coach Scheyer, I’m sure that certainly helped him. Cooper has spunk, for me that’s confidence in one’s ability at all times, it didn’t matter if it was doesn’t the Duke Blue Devils or the Dallas Mavericks at present. Prior to publishing this came from Cooper, his rookie year he was 6-foot 9. Over the summer he grew and now measures 6-foot 10 barefooted, he’s nearly 6-foot 11 in shoes.

Are you curious as I was, I questioned which university/college has produced the most NBA players all-time? In all likelihood the top five are probably not a surprise they become affirmation, as for the balance that might be a bit of a revelation. Would you have expected Michigan or Notre Dame to be a Top 10 producer of NBA talent? We are acquainted with the schools we just didn’t know the number, the player would have played in the NBA briefly or had a long-term career. With that said check out the following from AI Overview:

University of Kentucky 140

Duke University 107

UCLA (University of California Los Angeles) 106

University of North Carolina (UNC) 102

University of Kansas 89

Indiana University 71

University of Arizona 71

University of Michigan 70

University of Illinois 64

Notre Dame University 64

A fan’s perspective

Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

It’s what

“An enigma is a person, thing, or situation that is mysterious, puzzling, or hard to understand.” That’s the definition and it appears to fit Deandre Ayton now a member of the Wizards. A look back, Ayton was a 5-star prospect and a McDonald’s All American in high school. Ayton would go on to play a single season at Arizona and then be the first draft pick in the 2018 NBA by the Suns. After 5 seasons with the Suns he moved to the Blazers for 2 seasons and then the Lakers for only 2025-26.

July 2026 saw Ayton traded once again this time to the Wizards, what occurred might be the question? I wasn’t fully aware of his time with the Suns or Blazers but despite this fact I welcomed him. For a time it seemed the 7-foot Ayton played well and then at a point his game headed south, the Lakers were eliminated in the playoffs and the whispers began. Ayton must be replaced and he was, sent to the Wizards where he can resurrect his basketball career if he desires. Notice I said if he desires, Ayton has the physical tools whether he’s got the wherewithal is another matter all together. Perhaps this latest change will move Ayton into new terriority. 

They are linked

You are likely to recognize the majority of names and the school each attended. The University of Kentucky has long been a bastion of successful basketball for 100 plus years, the NBA has only been relevant since 1946 so the impact regarding the professional game has been far less. Kentucky has sent a number of players into the NBA over the course of time, in recent years the number has accelerated. Not only the players connection to Kentucky but the coach they played for. To my surprise and maybe yours as well there are enough guards alone to comprise two teams. There are 10 NBA guards—technically 11—all of whom played for John Calipari. This number totally surprised me and it might be the same for you, can you name these former Kentucky guards? Don’t worry; I’ll save you the research:

Shai-Gilgeous Alexander-Thunder

Tyrese Maxey-76ers

Devin Booker-Suns

Tyler Herro-Heat

DeAaron Fox-Spurs

Jamal Murray-Nuggets

Reed Sheppard-Rockets

Immanuel Quickly-Raptors

Rob Dillingham-Hornets

Cason Wallace -Thunder

Adou Thiero-Lakers*

*Thiero is listed as a guard/forward on the Lakers roster. Because he missed most of his rookie season, it remains unclear whether he will play primarily at the two or the three. His path to the NBA also differs from the others listed here: He began his college career at Kentucky, followed Calipari to Arkansas, and entered the NBA from there. What do these names say about Coach Cal’s ability to recruit talent?

Top 10

A slow news day, based on that fact I decided to utilize ChatGPT in an exercise. I wanted the search engine to uncover the Top 10 greatest boys basketball players in the state. I asked ChatGPT the following question; “Who are the Top 10 boys basketball athletes all-time for the State of Missouri?” Several names on this list went on to NBA careers providing us proof of their talent. As for ChatGPT the search produced several interesting names, they listed the leaders in this order:

Larry Hughes, Christian Brothers HS-St Louis

Anthony Peeler, Paseo HS-Kansas City

Warren Jabali, Central HS-Kansas City

Jon Sunvold, Blue Springs HS-Blue Springs

Bradley Beal, Chaminade HS-St Louis

Alec Burks, Grandview HS-Grandview

Ben McClemore, Wellston HS-St Louis

Tyronn Lue, Raytown HS-Raytown

Ryan Robertson, St Charles West-St Charles

This is interesting in the fact ChatGPT omitted several names I thought might be on its list of most talented high school basketball players, among the names missing are:

Jaron Rush, Pembroke HS-Kansas City

Kareem Rush, Pembroke HS-Kansas City

Anthony Bonner, Vashon HS-St Louis

Jayson Tatum, Chaminade HS-Creve Coeur  

Tyler Hansborough, Poplar Bluff HS-Popular Bluff

Otto Porter Jr, Scott County Central HS-(outside Sikeston)

Bill Bradley, Crystal City HS, Crystal City

A fan’s perspective

Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

Twilight

We usually think of twilight occurring in the evening, it can also occur in the morning. “The morning twilight before the day begins,” however my preference is dusk. “The evening twilight after the sun sets. For our purposes we are going to utilize the latter definition, the Warriors Steph Curry is in the sunset or twilight of a brilliant NBA career. He will be 39-years old by the time the 2026-27 season ends. It’s been my belief that for a number of years he alone is the prime reason the three point shot has become such a valuable tool for NBA teams.

A number of players over the years have attempted to duplicate Curry but nobody ever shot it with the proficiency he did in my opinion. He will close out his Hall of Fame career playing for only one team, the Golden State Warriors. NBA history might have turned out quite differently at least for the Wolves considering their decision. The 2009 NBA draft saw the Wolves with the 5th and 6th pick that year so what occurred you ask? In succession the Wolves chose Ricky Rubio and Jonny Flynn both point guards, with the 7th pick the Warriors chose Curry. Rubio from Spain would experience a 12-year NBA career but nowhere close to that of Curry.

As for Flynn after a brief three years spent with the Wolves, Rockets and Blazers he left the NBA. I could locate no further information indicating the former Syracuse guard managed to resurrect his basketball career. There is no method all these years later to determine the mindset of the Wolves management at the time. This we believe, they missed out on what some might call a generational player by them passing over Steph Curry.

Another great

I’m late with this account, Bob Pettit died last Thursday at the age of 93. Unless you are a student of the game the name might not register with several reading this. I was unsure where to place him in the archives of the NBA, I consider him an early NBA superstar. After all he was the NBA’s first MVP in 1956 he was named again in 1959. As for his arrival prior to the NBA Pettit played his basketball at LSU graduating in 1954, drafted by the Milwaukee Hawks as the second pick in that year’s draft.

Pettit was named NBA Rookie of the Year in 1955, the balance of his career was spent in St. Louis as the Hawks moved to the city after his rookie year, Pettit would be the first player in the history of the association to score 20,000 points in his 11-year career. After retirement Pettit was enshrined in the Naismith and Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame. When the NBA named its 25th Anniversary Team Pettit was chosen, later he would be named to the 35th, 50th and 75th Anniversary Team’s. A giant of the game in more ways than one, Robert Lee Pettit Jr.

Hurry up and wait

The headline represents a term once used by the military, as an enlisted person I was never responsible for giving orders only accepting them. The term was used because it seemed there were duty assignments rushed to completion only to be placed on hold. The project or proposal would sometimes wind up in a holding pattern, that would appear to be the case in San Antonio. The Spurs led by Wemby made a gigantic leap in play exceeding expectations.

All of a sudden there were concerns by some in the Alamo City, “We need to ensure we keep Wemby” or “We can’t lose the franchise to Austin or some other city with a new arena.” I’m unsure if the concerns were legitimate however there were folks in San Antonio who believed they were. A gigantic rehab and new build plan was generated which included a new arena for the Spurs. Despite the fact Frost Bank Center home of the Spurs is really not ancient (2002) it’s not downtown, it’s located on the east side of San Antonio about 4 miles from downtown. Plans for the arena were rolled out and one by one the mayor’s office or someone took issue with the project or portions of it.

I believe the arena and surrounding plan will be implemented one day but this effort is certainly not moving at the pace it once did. I highly doubt (at least for now) if Wemby is hoping to play elsewhere. He could have commanded more dollars than he signed for, which is all the evidence I need. As for their I-35N neighbors it’s possible the Spurs could move to Austin although I have serious doubts if that would occur as well.

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?