A basketball fans perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

By the time….

The Spurs won last night and there will be a Game 7 on Saturday, on the other hand the Thunder won, we are now prepared for the Finals between the Knicks and the ______. The logic of course this is written so strangely, it’s written Wednesday afternoon for a Thursday game and it will be published on Friday morning. As for Game 5 the Thunder took control somewhat early after the Spurs had begun play swiftly.

Was it fatigue or Thunder defense or something else? Wemby failed to play his usual but it was really more to it than him seemly exhibiting uninspired effort. The final score read Thunder 127 Spurs 114 as the home team was in control for most of the game. Alex Caruso after being somewhat non-existent in the prior game came off the Thunder bench scoring 22 points and playing tough hard nose defense. Isaiah Hartenstein (12 points and 15 rebounds) along with Chet Holmgren (16 pts and 11 rebounds) were key to the win. SGA led the way with 32 points and he was 16-17 from the free-throw line. The Spurs managed to shoot a meager 40% from the floor and a pathetic 29% from three.

Who won the game, of course as this is written I have no idea but there is an area of concern which I must share. My Lakers are not contending, based on that fact I have attempted to maintain a neutral attitude about the series. The officiating at times has been questionable, the NBA must do a better job in this area. It’s always been a concern of mine when there is more discussion regarding the officiating over the game, that’s been the case with this series.

Kids continue to grow

On Monday, several readers were introduced to Yann Kamagate, a 7-foot, 230-pound high school sophomore. As noted at the time, 247Sports already rates him as a 5-star prospect. Now I want to introduce Dylan Betts, my second featured player of the week. Betts, also a member of the Class of 2028, is another 5-star prospect. He stands 7-foot-3 and weighs 230 pounds. Originally from Englewood, Colorado, he has transferred to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida where his classroom and basketball will continue to develop over the next two years.

The point of the headline is simple in its intent: it simply points out basketball has evolved in many ways over time, however there is one issue that’s failed to thing changed. Growth spurts still play a major role in the development of young players. While completing this account my research uncovered seven additional high profile basketball players in the United States who stand 6-foot-11 or taller. I have no idea without further research how many other prospects might be uncovered if I explored those in Europe or elsewhere or elsewhere in the world. The forecast for all these youth are certainly not at the same skill level but the point of course is the height factor. If any or all develop a degree of down low post play is should provide them dividends and aid their future development immensely. In a manner similar to Steph Curry the game’s been impacted by Victor Wembanyama. Coaches, scouts and others have seen Wemby shots from the 3-line which is going to further degrade post play.

I’ve written this previously and will repeat it again, I certainly don’t expect a return to traditional post play of the past. What irks me to no end is seeing giants standing behind the three line jacking up shot after shot and missing. As least in the case of Wemby he is accurate despite his 7-foot 5 inch frame. Face it, no one is going to teach Kamagate or Betts for that matter the skyhook. I maintain they and others should be taught to play a low post games….but what do I know, I’m only a basketball fan.  

Little Big Man

Many of you already know I’m a movie buff who enjoys everything from old classics to current releases. The headline comes from a 1970 film. Although there was a movie with the title it has nothing to do with basketball, but it fits this piece you are about to read. Several might be familiar with the name Becky Hammon, she played in the WNBA and is now head coach of the Las Vegas Aces of the WNBA. Hammon also became the first female assistant coach in the NBA when then Spurs coach Greg Popovich made her a member of his staff. In any event this statement goes back three years, I’m going to paraphrase her statement. “A team will never win a championship with a little man as it’s leader.” She was referring to the Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson who stands 6-foot 2 and 190 pounds. After the Knicks swept the Cavs the subject of her quote returned again after Brunson was named 2026 Eastern Conference Finals MVP.

I can credit Hammond with this alone, she continues to believe in her words three years later but lets do a brief check of NBA history. Isiah Thomas of the Bad Boy Pistons was the leader of that team that won it all in 1989, 1990. Pound for pound Allen Iverson might have been one of the best all-time, the NBA listed him at 6-foot its always been my contention he was under that height. His Sixers didn’t win in 2001 having faced the Lakers who were on the road to a 3-peat. There is no argument Iverson “carried” that team throughout the playoffs. Of course more recently the Warriors won championships beginning in 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2022 do you think they could have won them without 6-foot 2 Steph Curry? That is certainly possible but they did win with Curry being the focal point of the team. Basketball didn’t begin as a Big Man’s game but in 100 plus years that’s the direction of its growth. There’s an old adage, “Little men must prove they can play the game, Big Men must prove they can’t.” With that I’m calling a foul on Hammond on this one although I still respect her opinion I just happen to take a different view.

A basketball fans perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

Rooney Rule in the NBA

I’m unsure how the question was first generated, the inquiry if there is a Rooney Rule in the NBA? The simple answer is no and there is no single reason except apparently the NBA never felt it was a requirement. The league probably had 3-4 African-American head coaches before the NFL ever hired Art Shell with the Los Angeles Raiders in 1989. The legend Celtic great Bill Russell was hired in 1966, Al Attles took on the role for the Warriors for the 1970-71 NBA season. Ray Scott became Pistons head coach in November 1972 replacing Earl Lloyd one of the first black players in the NBA. As you can see that’s four black NBA coaches hired before Shell would become the first black head coach in the modern era of the NFL.

Naturally since the Shell hiring there have been other black coaches in the NFL, the number of black coaches hired and fired in the NBA far exceeds the number hired and fired in the NFL. From AI Overview: “Approximately 55 Black head coaches have been hired in NBA history, spanning both full-time and interim roles. Black head coaches have comprised roughly one-third of all coaches in the league since Bill Russell broke the ultimate coaching barrier with the Boston Celtics in 1967.” Let’s conduct a deep dive on NFL hiring also from AI Overview: “In NFL history, there have been exactly 25 Black men hired as permanent, full-time head coaches. This includes Art Shell, who became the league’s first Black head coach in the modern era with the Los Angeles Raiders in 1989, followed by 24 others over the decades.” As you might note by the numbers and maybe intent there was no requirement for an NBA Rooney Rule, the path was less demanding by NBA owners over their NFL counterparts.  

Sweep

The Knicks are Eastern Conference champs after beating the Cavs 130-93. I’m really unsure if the outcome was ever in question, the Cavs began the game with a plan to compete but you remember the old Mike Tyson quote. “Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth,” that was the case for the Cavs in Game 4 for the win and sweep. By the time you read this the champion Knicks will be resting waiting to play the winner of the Thunder-Spurs series. Jalen Brunson was named conference finals MVP for the series but this Knicks win was a team effort, they received contributions from the starters down to the reserves.

I’ve got to give a shout out to my Kansas City homie Landry Shamet, once again he came off the bench with a 16 point effort in 19 minutes. This Knicks team has now won 11 consecutive games and I believe this statement to be correct. Tom Thibodeau was/is a good coach, he’s been a winner at a number of stops, the problem always appeared to be effective use of his bench. That is not the case for Mike Brown, most of the Knicks roster are holdovers but this is the key difference I believe. Brown more effectively utilized his bench over Thibodeau and that certainly made a huge difference. These Knicks will have their hands full playing the Thunder or the Spurs however I’m certainly not prepared to state they cannot win a championship based on what I’ve witnessed.

“They just punched us in our face early”

The headline above are the words of Thunder guard SGA and it was pretty much true for major portions of Game 4, the Thunder managed to come up short. As I have often mentioned I don’t do analytics however plain numbers speak volumes to me. The final score read Spurs 103 Thunder 82 a blowout win if we just checked the box score. The game had more to it, the Spurs came out of the locker room fired up and ready to play. They outshot, outrebounded and plain outhustled the Thunder during the early portion of the game, this was the established pattern they would continue. Of course the defending champions would not remain down for long as they played much better, it seemed to me the Spurs always had an answer for whatever hand the Thunder played.

The answer the Thunder were unable to contained is nicknamed The Alien, Wemby finished the game with 33 points, 8 rebounds 5 assists and 3 blocked shots. Play from the Thunder bench in this game was virtually non-existent versus the 76 points they scored in Game 3. Stephon Castle only scored 13 points but dished out 6 assists, the same could be said for DeAaron Fox. Fox had 12 points along with 5 assists and 0 turnovers. SGA was high scorer for the Thunder scoring 19 points for the game. The Spurs had 52 rebounds compared to 47 for the Thunder. Numbers I mentioned at the beginning of this account, for the Spurs it was 39% from the floor with 26 of it from three. The Thunder shot 33% from the floor and a meager 18% from three. The teams return to OKC for Game 5, by the time you read this it will have been played last night. Did the Spurs win again or did the return home do the trick for the Thunder?

Was he the best….you become the judge

Recently I saw a video which is the basis for this look, warning this is a revisionist examination of history. This individual chose the issue of Steph Curry (or John Stockton for that matter) being named the NBA’s all-time best point guard. He named Magic Johnson as the cream of the crop (my words, not his) and this was his statement. “Magic retired at a point he could have played several more years at a high level.” I decided to check this podcaster regarding his video, could he possibly be correct in his assessment? For many reading this they might be unaware Magic retired from the NBA due to contracting HIV, he was 31-years old. In 1991 the medical community knew very little about HIV/Aids with the exception of most who contracted it would eventually die. Magic never contracted Aids and medical advancements have allowed him to live a full life.

Magic would eventually return to the game he loved and play one more season at the age of 36 by this time he was only a shadow of his previous self-due to lack of play and the aging process. Keep this in mind Magic was a distributor of the basketball, that was his specialty not shooting. Despite this fact he did manage to shoot 48% from the floor and 32% from three and nearly 20 points a game for his career. His last season of play he managed to total 12.5 assists per game finishing second to John Stockton of the Jazz that season. Playing a total of 13 seasons Magic averaged 11.2 assists during his brilliant career. Despite the early retirement of Magic he currently ranks 8th on the NBA’s all-time list for assists. I’m going to adopt the same stance after checking the numbers, is Magic Johnson the best ever at the point? You become the decider on this issue….my mind is clear on the matter.

A basketball fans perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

Is he next

NBA teams are no different, all want to win games. A number desire the ultimate attainment an NBA championship. How these teams go about acquiring talent varies, some like the Thunder prefer to accumulate talent through the NBA draft. My Lakers for the most part have utilized free agency and to a degree the draft to compete successfully. There are some teams whose efforts have fallen short, one of those teams is the Minnesota Timberwolves. Beginning as an expansion team in 1989 time has seen a number of players sporting their jersey but the only players owning rings are those who once played for the Wolves. The lack of a championship certainly has nothing to do with lack of effort.

It seems over times athletes they may have drafted or acquired through trade have become champions for other franchises. Keep in mind this list of names is not complete, it represents many of the high profile athletes who wore the jersey but won a championship elsewhere. I’m going to begin this exercise with The Big Ticket, Kevin Garnett. They traded Garnett in 2007, the very next year 2008 he won a championship playing for the Celtics but he’s not the only one there are others. 2014 the Wolves traded Kevin Love and in 2016 the Cavs won their only championship to date with Love playing a vital role. 2020 witnessed Andre Wiggins being traded to the Warriors, 2022 they would become NBA champions. Is there a next for Karl-Anthony Towns, he was acquired by the Knicks in 2024 from those….Wolves. Is it luck or something else impacting the Wolves inability to secure an NBA championship?

Bits n Pieces 

His name is Yann Kamagate, he’s a 7 foot 230 pound center and attends St Francis High School in La Canada Flintridge, a city in the Los Angeles metro. 247 Sports rates Kamagate a 5-star prospect and the number 4 prospect in the Class of 2028. As this is written Arizona, Houston, Baylor, Kansas and Nebraska have made offers to him, at this point it’s still early and he’s not made an announcement of a school of choice. Kamagate was born and grew up in Burkina Faso a nation on the African continent. At this point Kamagate future might not be the NBA however he could wind up playing at a college near you.

In coaching news Jahmal Mosley was fired but landed on his feet, after being let go after 5 seasons by the Magic he was hired again. He will now take over a Pelican team which has continued to struggle, the 2023-24 season witnessed the Pelicans winning 49 games. From that high point it’s been 21 and last season 26 wins. Taylor Jenkins takes over the reins from Doc Rivers with the Bucks. In other coaching moves new president of basketball operations for the Mavs Masai Ujiri decided it was time for a change. Jason Kidd is out after 5 seasons on the job as well, no mention of a replacement yet. Back to the Magic for a moment, former Bulls coach Billy Donovan has been mentioned as taking on the role of head coach although there’s been no formal announcement.

Victor Wembanyama has already shown the basketball world how talented he is, yet Stephen A. Smith argues that Wemby cannot be the face of the NBA because he is French rather than American. I don’t believe anyone needs to be labeled “the face of the NBA.” If that title is given to someone, it simply reflects how international the game has become. The NBA has spent years expanding globally through efforts such as NBA Africa, NBA Asia, the NBA Global Academy, and the EuroLeague. International basketball is growing rapidly, and more players from around the world are developing the skills to contribute in the NBA right away. As that talent pipeline continues to grow, change is inevitable. In all seriousness SAS is entitled to his own opinion regarding a variety of subjects. My problem is the adversarial stance he often takes with those who disagree with his view of a subject. 

Blue Blood basketball    

Blue Blood basketball programs continue to exist however it’s my belief a number of changes has seen their dominance ebb. 2022 the Kansas Jayhawks won the NCAA championship, before that it was North Carolina in 2017. That was then what occurs now and into the future, no longer do we expect Kentucky, UCLA, Kansas, North Carolina along with Indiana (and others) to contend for an NCAA championship. Although the road is rough at times the advent of Name, Image & Likeness along with the transfer portal plus one n done.

All these moves have changed much about how college basketball operates in the 21st Century. Several media voices have said that many high-profile coaches chose retirement rather than adapt to everything the job requirement now demands. Many colleges and universities have even hired basketball general managers to handle these new responsibilities. Some fans say they have walked away from college basketball because of all the changes. But change is unavoidable, you either accept change or reject it. I see plenty of flaws in the game of today but I still love the game.

A basketball fans perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

The bench

A few might find this next statement a slight bit misleading, the starters for the Thunder and Spurs are somewhat on the same level. As for the reserves of the teams Mark Daigneault can offer far more firepower (and to a degree the defense) over Mitch Johnson. Perhaps you read the same figure I did, Thunder reserves scored 70 plus points of the 123 the winners made. The Spurs playing at home began the game on fire, sinking shots stealing or blocking the Thunder in all areas and then came the reserves of the Thunder.

Jared McCain, Cason Wallace and Alex Caruso were the principle culprits, this trio plus Thunder starters led the way back from a possible loss to a 123-108 win. Wemby didn’t play badly but appeared a bit lethargic at times, he managed to score 26 points on 8 of 16 shooting but only contributed 4 rebounds and 3 assists. With the exception of his scoring total far less even in losses we’ve seen. Wemby’s teammates missed a great number of shots or managed turnovers at crucial times of the game. “I feel like I’m having trouble making my teammates better right now,” he (Wemby) said. “My shooting splits aren’t terrible. I need to be more of a team player, facilitate better, rebound the ball better, push their defense a little bit further and see how much the need to help with my teammates and (then) feed them.” It appeared to me every time the lead for the Thunder was whittled down to 7 points a Spurs turnover or missed shot would allow the Thunder to retain control of the game.

Now the defending champions take a 2 games to 1 lead in the series, Game 4 becomes even more critical now. If the Thunder win tonight they are at least on their way to contend for another championship facing the winner of the Knicks-Cavs series. No argument SGA is a superior talent, his love affair with the floor bothers me to no end. Maybe he played in the same manner last season I don’t remember, in any event this falling on the floor when an opposing player is near him in annoying for me.    

The line is blurred

The line has not been erased, it might be blurred a bit but it still exists. The line I am referring is the separation between amateur and professional athletes, it appears there are individuals attempting to circumvent conventional beliefs. I really cannot lay my finger on the beginning of this new view….was it Name, Image and Likeness? Some might remember Alabama signed a player who was considered a professional (at least by a judge), after playing a few games this player was declared ineligible….end of story, not quite yet. Will Wade now in his second stint as head men’s basketball coach at LSU has decided to rock the boat as well. The school has signed a player who went undrafted, earlier he signed a contract with an NBA team, then farmed out to the G-League team.

I believe there was even a trade from one NBA team to another in there, bottom line injury requiring surgery meant he played 0 minutes in the NBA and the G-League. We must guess due to the fact this player never played professionally he’s eligible to play in college. I am not the arbitrator on this matter but it appears Wade is walking on the edge of a cliff. The previous case landed in the court of an Alabama judge, this matter will be settled by one from Louisiana. The court ruling could manifest itself in a similar manner as occurred earlier or worst case scenario this player be ruled eligible to play. If this athlete is allowed to play that will create a devastating event in my view. I am prepared to follow this and will advise you of the outcome as soon as a ruling is made. Is this the future of college basketball ruling made in court rather on the court?

3-1

NBA teams have won series after being down 3 games to 1, most recently the 2020 Nuggets who accomplished the feat twice. Before you begin scratching your head thinking “The Cavs are not down by three games” and your response would be correct. The issue, Thursday evening they found themselves on the losing end of a 109-93 Knicks win, the Cavs find themselves in a 0-2 hole in this series. Game two was nothing similar to the first one, the hometown Knicks did fall behind but not by much. An 18-point explosion would see the Knicks take command of this game.

Jalen Brunson led the way but instead of by scoring it was directing the offense, Josh Hart led a balanced scoring attack with 26 points. All five Knick starters scored in double-figures (including Brunson w/26 pts). Donovan Mitchell along with Jarret Allen and Evan Mobley performed the best they could in managing to contain the Knicks Thursday but it was not to be. The Cavs James Harden presented a good game however even it fell short as the aggressive and defensive minded Knicks managed to throttle efforts by the Cavs. So what occurs now, by the time you read this the game will have been played Saturday evening in Cleveland. I certainly am not bold enough to predict a winner.

Show Me the Way to Go Home

The headline is the title of a 1925 pop tune, it’s been recorded by a number of artists over generations. If you are a movie buff you might have heard it sung in the 1975 classic Jaws. By now you are wondering “how is that connected to basketball?” I’m going to introduce a number of you to Bobby Marks, he’s the NBA Front Office Insider for ESPN, prior to that he spent more than 20 years working in the NBA most recently assistant GM of the Nets. Regardless of how the Thunder-Spurs turn out both teams are fixtures for the future, Marks indicates the two teams are most prepared for the future in the NBA,

These two have a combined 20 first-round picks and 30 second-round picks over the next eight years. We certainly have no ability to peer into the future, it’s quite probable neither will hold all these draft picks, in some instances they are likely to be utilized in trades to shore up deficiencies each team might foresee. If the Thunder-Spurs continue this pattern they will be polar opposites in the manner of operations of most NBA teams. Not in all instances, however, a significant number of teams appear content to focus on signing free agents. It’s several who believe they can attain success in this manner while the Thunder-Spurs are on a different pathway. As the pop tune might indicate is the method utilized by these teams the most effective manner to compete for a championship? Only time will provide the answer to that question for both teams.

A basketball fans perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

You can’t get here from there

After losing in double overtime in Game one the Thunder would be “breathing fire” on Wednesday. That was indeed the case, as a team they played a much improved game. The final score read Thunder 122 Spurs 113 and it says the turnovers committed by the Spurs certainly impacted the final outcome. SGA led the way for the Thunder with 30 points and shot the ball much better than in Game one. Isiah Hartenstein played more minutes in an attempt to limit Wemby’s game, he scored but 10 points but contributed 13 boards to the Thunder effort. Once again Alex Caruso emerged from the bench, he scored 17 points along with 5 assists. Stephon Castle led for the Spurs with 25 points but had 9 TOs which certainly aided the cause for the Thunder, by his standards Wemby had a modest game.

He contributed 21 points scored along with 17 rebounds and 6 assists. Near the end it was a slight bit closer than expected if we just check the numbers. The winning Thunder shot 48% from the floor and 36% from three, and 41 rebounds. The Spurs outshot them 49% from the field and were able to shoot 40% from distance, they also had 44 team rebounds. That provides evidence why the 21 TOs (9 by Castle) were so critical to the Spurs in the loss. The Spurs Dylan Harper left the game with a hammy issue, for the Thunder it was Jaylen Williams with a similar injury. As this is being completed I have no idea if either plays in tonight’s game, DeAaron Fox for the Spurs is still sidelined and his status is also unclear. A few of my co-workers have claimed “This Western Conference series between the Thunder and Spurs is the NBA Finals.” As for the headline, the Spurs cannot hope to win an NBA championship unless they play better.

Mike Brown

The Knicks coach did not sink a single basket, he didn’t defend actual Cavs player. Brown failed to grab a crucial rebound, I could go on but I hope you understand the general direction. This becomes evident of the difference over last season, unlike Tom Thibodeau this coach utilizes his bench effectively. It’s difficult to conceive the Knicks fell behind by 22 or more points at a stage. The contributing factors could have been many including the layoff waiting for the Cavs-Pistons series to conclude. In any event the Knicks turning up the defense operating the bench plus poor shooting by the Cavs saw this occur in the 4th quarter, 32 points by the Knicks to the Cavs 18. This led them to tie the game and force an OT, once that began it was a matter of how much would the Knicks score in the win.

In the OT, the Knicks recorded 14 points to 3 for the Cavs….imagine that in an OT the Cavs could only score 3 points in 5 minutes of play. Singled out for exceptional play point guard Jalen Brunson along with Mikal Bridges who came to life in the second half. Did I mention the bench, there was Jordan Clarkson and the guy whose shot  tied the game basically forcing the OT was hometown guy (Kansas City, MO) Landry Shamet. He too emerged from the Knick bench and sunk the shot that tied the game, he would go on to score only 9 points but they were key to the victory for the Knicks. In closing I must admit there was a point where I believed this match was over and the Cavs would be winner in Game one. The Knicks informed me and everyone else no matter the location, “It ain’t over till it’s over.”

“If you ain’t cheating, you ain’t tryin”

The headline is one that I’ve read recently, a statement of that type is certainly a concern. We had a story break locally, the Kansas City metro is no different from any other part of the nation. Recently a story broke indicating a high school had fired their entire football coaching staff. The report claimed students resident addresses didn’t match one’s submitted to the school, this is an ongoing investigation with no closure yet. The rules regarding recruiting have always been unique to private schools, they had the ability to recruit all over. As for public schools they operate totally different. This was a football story however a similar situation exists for high school basketball as well. A basketball player attended a public high school and later a parochial one, there were two more prep schools on his bio prior to him heading off to college and later the NBA.

This is a public record, when contacted by the local newspaper his coach was unaware the athlete had withdrawn and enrolled at an out of state prep school. In another instance we had a basketball player who attended a metro high school yet his home of record was 90 miles away. Was he living with a relative or was this another case of a fake address? This next athlete is no longer in the NBA, Willie Cauley-Stein lived in Spearville Kansas over 300 miles from the Kansas City metro. Desiring to play against better competition the AAU team he played on contained a roster member who lived locally. So Cauley-Stein moved in with his teammates family and played the balance of his high school basketball prior to briefly at Kentucky. He continues to play professional basketball however he’s no longer in the NBA. This is just a brief look at an issue that’s been evident for quite a time now, I have no suggestion how to address this effectively, this is simply a report.

His name continues to be reappear

There are some names of basketball greats of the past that continue being discussed, that is the case here. The late Nate Thurmond was Akron Ohio long before LeBron James, Thurmond was born July 25, 1941, he later played his college game at Bowling Green. The 6-foot 11 Thurmond was drafted in 1963 by the San Francisco Warriors, after being the starting center in college he became a backup to Wilt Chamberlain then starting center for the Warriors. On occasion he played alongside Chamberlain becoming the first twin towers in basketball history. In January 1965, the Warriors traded Chamberlain to the Sixers and Thurmond became the starter at center. Once he became the starter Thurmond began to develop and demonstrate his NBA talent.

Although he could score baskets his focus became defense, at least two players of that period attest to his prowess. Thurmond was an NBA All-Star 7 times, twice he was named All Defensive First Team. Three times it was All Defensive Second Team, Defensive Player of the Year was not established until the 1982-83 season. There is no doubt he would have won the award numerous times during his career if it had been featured. Although the Warriors drafted him Thurmond spent time with the Bulls and Cavs retiring after the 1977 season. Two giants of the game, Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain are witnesses to his defensive proficiency. In addition Thurmond was named to the 50th and 75th Anniversary NBA team, he is enshrined in the Naismith and College Basketball Halls of Fame. In 2016 at the age of 74 Thurmond passed after a short battle with leukemia.

A basketball fans perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

An instant classic

I borrowed the headline from ESPN, they use it often when an outstanding game occurs that will be replayed into infinity. Before I begin allow me to explain this is not firsthand, circumstances beyond my control worked to force me to miss the game. This is a collection of YouTube video plus perusing the box score, before beginning this allow this explanation. I experienced a trifecta of events, the first inclement weather forced the local NBC affiliate to place the game in a “tiny box” next to the weather map.

There was no audio so I was unable to gain an understanding what was occurring, I went to Peacock but had buffering issues. Finally the storm in the KC metro caused an area wide outage so no picture period. The final score was Spurs 122 Thunder 115 in 2 OTs, after sweeping the Grizzlies and my Lakers the Thunder faced a team on or at least near their championship level. The Alien had a game that would become an instant classic (the game and his game) too. 41 points 24 boards 3 blocks in 48 minutes on the floor. It wasn’t Wemby alone there was help in the name of Stephon Castle, rookie Dylan Harper and Devin Vassell and others. Veteran DeAaron Fox was sidelined by an ankle injury. The young Spurs certainly made youthful mistakes but were able to overcome them by playing sparkling defense, as evidence Harper had 6 steals. SGA scored 24 points but was only 7 of 23 from the floor. Alex Caruso emerged from the bench for the Thunder scoring 31 points 8-14 from three, and Jalen Williams managed to produce 26 points for the Thunder.

The Thunder outshot the Spurs from three, which aided the cause after falling behind by as much as 10 points. The teams return to the floor tonight for Game two in OKC, it’s not a “backs against the wall” for the Thunder but they must win this game. In closing, as for Wemby the line he uttered last week continues to reverberate for me. Prior to this series a member of the media pointed out the young Spurs lack of veteran experience, Wemby said; “We don’t care.” That might sound arrogant to you but it didn’t strike me in that manner. If you don’t play at this level how do you gain experience?

Oh, really

The last time the Knicks won an NBA championship was way back in 1973 exactly 53 years ago. Generations of residents and fans of the team have no memory of a Knicks team winning it all. In the 1990s they reached the Finals in 1994 losing to the Rockets and again in 1999 this time to the Spurs. More recently they have advanced in the playoffs but always managed to come up short until now. This is going to upset Knick fans but the question was once stated; “You need a successful team in New York City for the NBA to be prosperous.” My comment to that is provided by the headline, I believe the NBA at least to this point has survived without a Knicks team “saving the NBA.”

I am not going to assume anything at this point, the Cavs could muck it up as they did in their previous series against the Pistons and win the series. Let’s take a quick look on how the teams managed the 2025-26 season. October and December the games were won by the Knicks while the last game played in February was won by the Cavs. I don’t wish for anyone to read what is not there, all that is necessary for me to do is point out the last series. You remember the Pistons were the top seed in the East and were matched against the fourth seeded Cavs, how’d that turn out? With the match up information its now time to begin play. The teams’ played last night at Madison Square Garden,  this is written Monday morning for a Wednesday publication, I have no idea who won the game, despite that fact an after action report will come forth soon.

Someone had to win the series

I’m not shocked or even surprised at the outcome, someone had to win the series. In this instance the visiting Cavs performed a beat down on the Pistons 125-94. On second thought I guess it is surprising the Pistons suffered such a substantial loss on their home court. Do to my scheduling issues I was unable to view all the games however what I did see in Game 7 was a repeat in a sense, with the exception of Cade Cunningham, the Pistons have 0 offense aptitude. The Cavs scored 30 plus points in every quarter except the fourth quarter then it was 26.

As for the shooting, the Cavs as a team shot 51% from the floor with 32% of it from three. Sam Merrill came off the bench for the Cavs scoring 25 points on 70% shooting, the trio of Allen, Mobley and Mitchell also aided the team win. As for the Pistons they shot a pathetic 35% and were outrebounded 50-41. The Pistons are certainly not the first number one seed to lose a playoff series so yes maybe I was surprised. Next up the Cavs will face the Knicks Thursday May 21 at Madison Square Garden. I’ve not read anything but must believe the Knicks will be favored for a number of reasons chief among them consistency. Finally if you are a fan of the Cavs or Pistons my apologies, this was beyond a doubt the worst series I’ve seen so far.    

Another Tiger on board

Over the weekend Cord Stansberry who played at Western Carolina announced on social media he was signing with Missouri. A closer look uncovers vital bits of information on Stansberry, at the top of the list he’s a guard. He becomes roster member 15 and the last added for 2026-27. He’s a 6-foot 4 guard who averaged 14 points a game last season, unclear at this point if Gates intends for him to assume the role of shooting guard or the point. Naturally with all the new faces plus the holdovers most of the Mizzou faithful including the coaches have no idea how this team manages to come together.

In addition the Southern Conference of which Stansberry played bears little comparison to the rough and tumble play of the SEC, certainly a concern. The front court for Missouri appears to be complete the question is asked how is the backcourt? Holdovers Aaron Rowe along with Annor Boateng return, new guy Jason Crowe Jr. joins, also added to the roster are newcomers Kennard Davis Jr. and Jordan Crawford. I’m not going to coach this team just conclude one or more of the newly arrived prospects along with returner Boateng could find themselves in the front court at small forward. This is only my projection of the Missouri backcourt in the middle of May, once fall rolls around these adjustments and others will be fine-tuned.

A basketball fans perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

How this series turns out

The Thunder are betting favorites to beat the Spurs after sweeping the Grizzlies and my Lakers. What about during the regular season you ask, the Thunder practically invincible winning 64 games and posting a winning record against every team in the NBA with the exception of four. They were .500 (1-1) against the Celtics (1-1), Pistons (1-1) and Nuggets (2-2). The Thunder experienced a losing record against only one team.....the Spurs. The teams faced one another 5 times with the Spurs winning 4 of the games.

It was not only the height of Wemby, the trio of Fox, Castle & Harper (sounds like a legal practice) were key contributors to their victories over the Thunder. We shall see how this series plays out beginning with tonight's Game one in OKC. It should be of note that Wemby and Chet Holmgren have an adversarial history, they have often been matched against one despite growing up two continents apart. It was July 11, 2021, when they played in the FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup Final held in Riga Latvia. Team USA won the game 83-81 although Wemby had 22 points 10 rebounds and 8 blocks prior to fouling out. As you can see there is that history between Holmgren and Wemby.    

Is there a curse

I’m not a superstitious person, despite that fact I’ve encountered individuals who are. Some have expressed a belief in curses. AI claims “A curse is a solemn invocation of misfortune, harm, or supernatural evil against a person, place or object.” A few have expressed their view that the Clippers have been operating under a curse, I guess they could be an object. What is unclear is who placed the curse on the team and will it ever be lifted? This is no curse of the Billy Goat or is it, I’m going to leave the story of that for you to research? 

The Clippers began the 2025-26 season well under water, things changed and they began to play improved basketball. At one point they were one of the hottest teams in the NBA and then came this. Southern California guy James Harden wanted out despite his huge salary, the Clippers complied trading him to the Cavs. Kawhi Leonard took the lead and they were on the way, the day after Christmas might have been the low point of the season, that date saw the Clippers end the day with 9 wins and 21 losses. They would qualify for the play in having finished the season with 42 wins and 40 losses. Facing the Golden State Warriors this writer figured victory in favor of the Clippers and they would move on. I didn’t figure Steph Curry would heal so quickly, I didn’t figure Draymond Green still had “gas” in the tank. I didn’t figure Kristaps Porzingis would play such a vital role, final scored Warriors 126 Clippers 121.

With the Clipper season coming to an abrupt stop there is much soul searching required, allow a brief check. As this team is constructed it’s the oldest (average age) in the NBA, there might be a degree of difficulty reducing the age issue. Due to the Ivica Zubac trade they will have the 5th pick in the 2026 draft, that pick is not likely to impact the team immediately. I’m not going to detail the “body count” however the Clippers  have a number of restricted and unrestricted free agents on the roster, the franchise is certainly one with questions leading into the off season. The Kawhi Leonard investigation remains in question for now as the NBA has not announced a resolution.

Wanna be startin’ somethin’

This is no reference to the 1982 pop hit tune by Michael Jackson, despite that fact many will become upset with me after reading this. Recently I came across a list containing a Top 10 NBA All-Time list of centers and one name I thought was questionable. At this point whenever a discussion is held on centers it can be a little perplexing. Are we discussing play in the time of Chamberlain or present day? In today’s game there are few centers with low post skills, at times when fully healthy Joel Embiid might be the only low post center of which I can think, all others generally operate some distance from the basket.

As for the Top 10 list it contained the names of the usual suspects, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Nate Thurmond and others. Smack in the middle of this list was the name Nikola Jokic. Of course The Joker is a walking, talking triple double, there is no disagreement. Drafted in the second round and the 41st pick has certainly justified himself in the NBA. The problem for me is including his name (despite the 3 MVP’s) in the pantheon of NBA great centers is a stretch. In today’s NBA I have no difficulty arguing he is the best of the current crop of centers, all-time is an entirely other discussion. I realize my take will not sit well with some, in this instance I’m calling it as I see it, there is no requirement for you to agree with me.

Where is he

The headline is asking the question regarding LeBron James, where does he stand in my list of all-time Laker greats. He’s not at the top…at one point names have been switched around. Currently the name at the top is Kobe Bryant, should someone come along and lead the Lakers to a new version of Showtime there might be a change. The league’s all-time points scoring leader is a member of my Lakers however exactly where he stands on my list varies. This is the part I know, after watching him play for the Cavs, Heat and especially the Lakers I’ve managed to view him up close so to speak.

I remember Vince Carter and others, their hall of fame skill had all but disappeared by the time they reached their 40th birthday. That fact alone makes LeBron one up on anyone who played past the age of 39. LeBron James's career as a Laker may not yet be settled, but regardless of what happens next, his tenure with the team has been outstanding—even during seasons when the outcome wasn't what Laker Nation wanted. This is written after the series win against the Rockets, they are facing the defending champion Thunder. Whatever the outcome LeBron James has an NBA and Laker legacy, no one can take that away from him.  

A basketball fans perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

Who takes his place

This is certainly no secret and is going to create a problem for several reading this, the 2025-26 season is liable to be the last for Bill Self at Kansas. He’s been one of the most successful coaches in basketball history and certainly the very best in the chronicle of Kansas basketball. Across State Line Road a number of fans want Dennis Gates replaced however that might be more difficult than many imagine. Although some oppose my view Missouri is not a national power when it comes to replacing its men’s basketball coach, there are several schools a national search would be undertaken to replace a coach, Kansas is one of those schools.

Assistants Jacque Vaughn and Norm Roberts might be interviewed but would not be hired. No head coach from a highly successful unknown basketball program would be considered no matter how successful. There are exceptions and a closer look is required, take for example Ben McCollum. Although his record was outstanding at Northwest Missouri State it represented NCAA Championships won at the Division II level, after one winning season at Drake the University of Iowa came calling. As it stands currently I could see the possibility of Kansas conducting an interview with McCollum, if this were 5-7 years ago no-way would the school consider hiring him. Of course all this becomes moot if Kansas basketball has the type of season most expect and it rejuvenates Self he could remain.

What he said was….

If you’ve read this blog any length of time you are aware I love quotes and this one is special. At some point prior to Game four a member of the media must have mentioned the youthful age of the Spurs and their lack of playoff experience with Wemby. The Alien’s response became an instant classic at least for me, he said: “We don’t have the (NBA) playoff experience but we don’t care.” Some reading the statement might consider it arrogant, for me there is a huge difference between confidence as opposed to arrogance. So what did the “baby” Spurs accomplish, they blew out the Wolves despite the fact they were playing on the road. It might be of note in this game Wemby actually took a back seat role to Stephon Castle,

Spurs guard Castle scored 32 points and grabbed 11 rebounds but also dished out 6 assists. It wasn’t a one person performance by him alone there was plenty of help by other teammates as they swamped the Wolves 139-109 closing out the series 4 games to 2. Meanwhile in the other game the Cavs lost their opportunity at least in Game 6 to slam the door on the Pistons. From my point of view the game was almost even the first half of the game, the second half would prove far different. The Cavs only managed 19 points in the third quarter to the 30 of the Pistons, it was even worse in the fourth quarter. Point total by the Cavs increased to 24 however they yielded 31 resulting in a final score of Pistons 115 Cavs 94. For the most part it was Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren who were the driving force behind the victory for the Pistons. We must now prepare ourselves for a Game 7 in Detroit, who wins this series….I have no idea. For me this series has been “who wants to win this thing?”

Meanwhile….

It appears they are serious this time, the IT in this instance is the University of Missouri-Kansas City. First it was the hire of Mark Turgeon former KU player and college coach, his last job was head coach at Maryland. That says, “We are ready to become competitive,” on Monday came the second announcement a new-old location to play. The Kangaroos games are being moved from the campus to venerable Municipal Auditorium. For those outside the Kansas City Metro or unfamiliar with the history this brief explanation. Up till the NCAA began playing its championships in football stadiums there was the auditorium. The building is old by today’s standards but its basketball history is rich, with a new coach and this change everything is looking up for the basketball program.

Forgive me if you’ve read something similar from me previously. I have asked the question at draft time should a team fill a need or draft the best athlete? In the case of the Spurs it was the athlete, these Spurs have a trio of the best young guards in the NBA. Did I say young, DeAaron Fox age 28, Stephon Castle last year’s rookie of the year he’s 21. Finally the rookie drafted in 2025….Dylan Harper who just celebrated his 20th birthday. Wemby leads this young Spurs team, but without this trio of guards, their regular season and playoff record would be no place close to what is in front of you. One site indicates the Spurs have pick 20, 35, 42 and 44 in the 2026 draft, its likely one or more of the picks might be traded

Although it has not been finalized, reports indicate that Missouri and Saint Louis University will play at Enterprise Center in St. Louis on November 6. The programs have not faced each other in more than 20 years, even though their campuses are just over 125 miles apart. What stands out to me is that the game is being labeled a “neutral-site” matchup, even though Enterprise Center is only a short distance from Saint Louis University’s campus. For those unfamiliar with the history, longtime Missouri coach Norm Stewart refused to schedule Saint Louis University for a simple reason: if Missouri won, it was the expected result; if Missouri lost, it would be seen as a major upset for Saint Louis University.

There are times we have no ability to critique a situation or an individual and that is the case with this story. Former Kansas guard Darryn Peterson was recently seen demonstrating his basketball aptitude at the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago. Peterson expressed this belief to an ESPN reporter, his game closely resembled that of Thunder guard SGA. I have no argument with his statement, however, most of us had limited opportunities to see him in action while at Kansas. Of course he would continue to view himself as the top pick in the June 2026 NBA draft we should expect that. What is most important for Peterson….to back up his comment with similar play to SGA.

A basketball fans perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

Sometimes it’s a “I think!”

I came across a video on a social network platform and it was insightful. Although there was no indication the narrator of the video was a Rockets fan but that would be my assumption based on his comment. He didn’t say as much but appeared to blame Reed Sheppard for the Rockets lost to the Lakers. A closer look detailed this fact, the Rockets complaining because they drafted Reed Sheppard when they had an opportunity to choose Stephon Castle. The passage of time forced me to check the fan, the NBA draft of 2024 saw this order occur, with pick number 3 the Rockets would choose Sheppard.

That move would be followed  by the Spurs who chose Castle at 4, first of all this certainly no intent to disparage Sheppard. The Rockets’ guard has time to grow his game but it’s clear the Spurs were the winners at this time. This is based on the fact Castle was named Rookie of the Year, in addition to the fact he’s become a vital part of the Spurs rotation. Now we realize Castle was coming off a year his UConn team would win a national championship but apparently there was a belief Sheppard had a better upside. To date the career of Castle has exceeded that of Sheppard by light years, that’s not to flatly state Sheppard has no NBA in his future, there is talent although it might not be at the same level of Castle.

He’s proof

This is written May 13, earlier in the week I checked Rivals.com to determine which prospect might be seeking a school. As I scroll down the list it appeared everyone had either verbally committed or had already sign. I found the only exception to be was a new name to me; Boyuan Zhang. He played his basketball at Veritas Prep which is located in Ontario, California. Zang stands 6-foot 8 and weighs 205 pounds, he is projected as a wing at the collegiate level.

Among the list of schools with offers were Illinois, UC Berkley, Oregon and Minnesota. Those schools were active in securing players during the transfer portal, he decided instead on Louisville. As you might be aware Louisville is clearly intent on bringing large numbers of talented players into its program. As for a little background on Zhang he is new to the United States, having arrived from China for his senior year of high school. The headline further reflects a broader point: basketball continues to grow as an international game. I have no intention to place Zhang’s name in front of you as a future NBA athlete however the thought is certainly possible.   

What does the future hold

My Lakers were swept by the Thunder 4-0, not much comfort with that fact. Would a healthy Luka have made a difference in the outcome, possibly but that excuse will not be lodged here? Instead I am going to look toward next season. At the top of my list to not return….Deandre Ayton, it’s difficult to see now of course, he was the top pick in the 2018 NBA draft by the Suns. This Laker shortfall was not on Ayton alone but here this from Shaq. “He don’t play hard all the time” plus “He can’t complain about his role if he isn’t producing.” I will allow that to marinate with you for a period, as for LeBron that’s a different story.

At a point during the season he appeared okay with Austin Reaves and Luka Doncíc being the focal point of the offense. Who knows what next season looks like, LeBron practically carried this Laker team through their series win over the Rockets. Maxi Kleber must go because the team received little in return from him since his arrival in the Luka trade. Two players who will be gone are Dalton Knecht and Jarred Vanderbilt both for obvious reasons, Luke Kennard slumped against the Thunder but took on the role intended for Knecht. As for Vanderbilt his defense was good but his shooting ability disappeared. Are there others, they sure are but this is how I see the Lakers prior to next month’s draft and possible free agent acquisitions.

The return

What do we expect with the return of Victor Wembanyama? You remember he’d been ejected in Game 4 after throwing an elbow connecting with the Wolves Naz Reid. The incident occurred in the second quarter and it led to a Flagrant 2 and his first NBA ejection. Despite the fact a large number of fans appeared to believe a suspension was in order the NBA chose to recognize the ejection as punishment enough. Of course the indirect result of the ejection for Wemby was a win by the Wolves 114-109. I can’t say this for certain, but given how cerebral he is, I expected him to have an outstanding game on Tuesday.

The final score read Spurs 126 Wolves 97, Wemby led the action scoring 18 points in the first quarter alone. He filled up the box score with 27 points 17 rebounds 5 assists and 3 blocked shots, this on 56% shooting with 40% of it from three. Despite the accolades on Wemby the game remains a team effort and there was plenty of company for him, it should be pointed out Keldon Johnson was there. After winning NBA Sixth Man of the Year he’d virtually disappeared, he came off the bench for the Spurs scoring 21 points and playing tough defense. The series returns to Minnesota for Game 6, will the Spurs prevail tonight or Wolves return the favor? If you are an NBA fan this game will be must-see television.

A basketball fans perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

What is a dynasty

What constitutes a dynasty depends largely on one’s definition. For me, it means winning consecutive championships over a sustained period. By that measure, the San Antonio Spurs deserve tremendous respect for capturing titles in 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2014, but they would not qualify as a dynasty because none of those championships came in back-to-back seasons. Keep in mind the championships you are about to read are not in any order of winning years. The strongest example remains the Boston Celtics, who won eight consecutive titles from 1959 through 1966, albeit in an NBA with far fewer teams.

Other notable examples include the Minneapolis Lakers, who won three straight championships from 1952 to 1954; the Chicago Bulls, who completed title runs from 1991 to 1993 and again from 1996 to 1998; and the Los Angeles Lakers, who captured three consecutive championships from 2000 to 2002. The Lakers also dominated much of the period from 1979 to 1988, consistently reaching or winning the Finals, including back-to-back titles in 1987 and 1988. More recently, the Golden State Warriors reached the Finals every year from 2015 through 2019 and won consecutive championships in 2017 and 2018, while the Miami Heat followed their 2006 title with back-to-back championships in 2012 and 2013. That is my standard for a dynasty, though others may define it differently and that’s okay.

“Nobody roots for Goliath”

The headline above is a statement once uttered by the late Wilt Chamberlain. When he arrived in the NBA in 1959 the league had never experienced such a prolific scoring machine. Naturally, something had to be done to curtail the high volume scoring of Chamberlain, opposing teams began to contest his effort with physicality. He complained stating game officials offered little protection for him, he believed they overlooked this due to his size and ability. Chamberlain’s frustration regarding opponents finally boiled over and resulted in the headline you read at the beginning of this account.

Basketball Network reminded us of an elbow by Ron Artest in an April 2012 game which resulted in suspension. Artest then playing for the Lakers had swung his elbow connecting with James Harden Thunder guard. The result, a 7-game suspension by the NBA for his action, part of the reason the league indicated was the role Artest played in the Malice at the Palace in 2004. Fast forward to last Sunday, Victor Wembanyama pulled down a rebound and Naz Reid along with Jaden McDaniels double-teamed him. Watching the game on television I was unable to determine at what point officials blew the whistle, Wemby then threw an elbow striking Reid in the jaw/neck area. After a review Wemby was assessed a Flagrant 2 which is an automatic ejection plus free throws awarded to the offended team. I hope no one assumes my view is the correct one but hear me out. In addition, I’ve read several fan letters claiming to “get inside Wemby’s head,” they have provided us what he was thinking. Friends I ain’t that good to make such a claim, despite that fact there is a bit of knowledge I wish to convey to you.

I have viewed enough games over his brief career to understand Wemby is a force to be dealt with, based on that fact alone opposing teams are going to manage all kinds of attempts to inhibit all aspects of his game. Did I say physical play on the slender built Wemby? As for the suspension fair or unfair Ron Artest had a history of aggressive play, no one is capable of making a similar statement regarding Wemby. As this is written I have no idea the outcome of further punishment however I believe a one-game suspension is more appropriate than suspension for the entire series. What do I know, I’m only a basketball fan?

Is it time

The NCAA or some entity needs to step up and address the issue of Portal Transfers. I believe it is vital for athletes to change schools, this is necessary for a variety of reasons. Before fully deviling into the issue let’s take a look at what I view as the problem. I’m not going to pull any punches here, Shaw Phillips Jr. who played for Missouri is the example I wish to cite. He spent his freshman year at LSU, his sophomore and junior season at Arizona State and his senior year at Missouri. The question becomes why so many transfers, he’s not the only athlete this profile fits but it provides evidence of a growing problem. Earlier we had a player actually drafted by an NBA team, he played in Summer League.

Because he never signed an NBA contract initially he was allowed to return and play college basketball before another judge said no. I am sure there are cases where a player arrives at a school and decides there are issues with the coach or how many minutes he’s promised versus what really occurs. In closing at the beginning of this exercise I indicated there was no issue for me regarding players transferring. This is my proposal (which ain’t going anywhere but here) a player is allowed ONE transfer unless there are extenuating circumstances. I have no idea what those occasions might be, however, for those cases this is what should occur. An independent adjudicator with no connection to either school should be the decision maker. I don’t know if it works or not however on paper it sure appears superior to what we see at present.

A basketball fans perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

Show me….don’t just tell me

By now I believe I stated enough times in this blog the motto of Missouri is The Show Me State. A classic statement made by some is “I’m from Missouri, you’ve Got to Show Me.” That is the case for Dennis Gates and crew, headed into the 2026-27 season the school located in Columbia has its most competitive team maybe in the history of the basketball program. All components point skyward, an outstanding incoming crop of freshman, a competitive bunch of portal transfers plus the holdovers. As most are aware the NCAA Tournament will be expanded next spring, based on that fact Joe Lunardi ESPN Tournament guru looked ahead and began placing teams in various slots around the country. As for the tournament, the floor would be reaching the round of 32, while the ceiling would be a trip to the Sweet 16. Either outcome would place the team in the kind of territory Mizzou Nation has hoped for years. As the headline suggests, results matter far more than cheap talk on my part.

How did they do it

We’ve discussed the various methods of NBA teams acquiring talent, some teams like my Lakers in recent years it’s been a process of free agents. Other teams such as the Thunder and now the Spurs have built their teams to success through acquisition of talent in the draft. At the same time, every prospect in the draft is not prepared for all pro play at the beginning however a number are, the Thunder have done an excellent job in this area. It would appear the Spurs have tasted much of their success by the same method.

Reviewing the first-round draft selections reveals their significant contributions to the Spurs current competitiveness. The list below represents a starting five, though not every individual regularly assumes that role. While there have occasionally been less successful picks, overall trends suggest strong organizational practices. The Spurs' exceptional scouting has enabled them to assemble this impressive group of players. Regarding the 2023 choice of Wemby, his performance in France made him an obvious and well-considered selection following thorough evaluation.

Devin Vassell-2020

Victor Wembanyama-2023

Stephen Castle-2025

Carter Bryant-2025

Dylan Harper-2025

Meanwhile….

I don’t have permission to provide renderings of the arena however I can advise you they are available. Mancia Architects among the number of Kansas City MO sports architecture firms has released renderings of the planned Thunder arena which will replace Paycom Center. Continental Resources an oil and gas company has secured naming rights and it is now the Continental Coliseum. The current timeline has Continental Coliseum opening for the 2028-29 NBA season. You can check it out for yourself, Google either the architects or the naming rights company.

It was never about the money, I don’t know Steve Kerr personally however I believe what I just wrote. After contemplating his future for the last past two weeks he’s decided to return as head coach for the Warriors. Kerr will sign a 2-year extension that will continue to make him the highest paid coach in the NBA. Two considerations I believe might have impacted his decision. The possibility of re-building a new Warriors team without Steph Curry soon and weary of the daily grind associated with coaching in the NBA.

Not quite ol Skool

If you are a seasoned NBA fan or one who is familiar with the history you are aware of this fact. Rivalries existed between teams and more specifically several players. Back in the day there was Russell-Chamberlain which later became Abdul Jabbar and Chamberlain. Later it was Magic-Bird, intense rivalry on the basketball court. Although it’s not there yet there is at least one rivalry I can point towards, it’s the one between Thunder power forward/center Chet Holmgren and Spurs power forward/center Victor Wembanyama.

Perhaps most of you fail to realize it exists and truth be told maybe it only exists from the Spurs side. Basketball is a world-wide sport however its more popular in the U.S. than other nations of the world. Chet Holmgren 7-foot 1 and then less than 200 pounds burst on the scene as a high school athlete, those who follow the game were familiar with his name, as for Wembanyama that was a different story. After Jonathan Kuminga reclassified Holmgren would become the number one college prospect in his senior year of high school. He would go on to play one season at Gonzaga before declaring for the NBA draft. As for the other guy, prior to college Wembanyama and Holmgren would meet on the basketball court in an under 19 championship game. It was clear to all Wembanyama had outplayed the more well known Holmgren, Team USA won the game with Team France coming in second despite the fact Wembanyama was clearly better at least that day than Holmgren.

With Holmgren being a year older and playing for the Thunder it would be a time before the two opponents would face each other again. It’s my belief and I offer you NO PROOF Wembanyama wants to best Holmgren every time they face one another. With the Thunder having the best record in the NBA and the Spurs the second best it would prove interesting if these two giants face one another on the basketball court in the playoffs. Wembanyama is bound and determined to prove to the world he is the better of the two.

A basketball fans perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

Draft order

Due to the fact this account is written Saturday morning prior to Sunday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. ET you already have the answer. By the time you read this today you will be aware of the draft order and which team will receive the top pick in the 2026 NBA draft. No worry this time around there should be no drama with the Mavs sneaking in the back door similar to last year, as for this year the Wizards, Pacers and Nets have the best chance at 14% each. They are followed by the Jazz and Kings at 11.5%, of course a few teams will find themselves on the outside.

The Pelicans pick will be conveyed to the Hawks or Bucks, the Clippers pick goes to the Thunder since the SGA trade is still impacting the Clippers. Other teams in the lottery include the following, the Grizzlies, Mavs, Bulls, Warriors, Heat and Hornets. Last year we knew ahead of time Cooper Flagg would be the number one pick, the same could be said three years ago when Victor Wembanyama was considered the top prospect. We cannot be sure but it appears AJ Dybansta from BYU is most likely the top pick although I cannot make that statement with certainty. Darryn Peterson number one on mock draft sites all season could supplant Dybansta at the top. We shall discover the answer June 23.

Number 1 is number 1

I have no idea how the Spurs-Wolves series might eventually turn out. Friday evening Victor Wembanyama or The Wall of Wemby would prevail as his game could only be described as one for the ages in his team’s 115-108 victory over the Wolves. Last week prior to this series beginning I asked a friend, “What do you think about Wemby?” He said; “A friend of mine said,” and he began dialogue on some of the common complaints we’ve all heard about his game. I’m not going to detail them only repeat the line from the pop tune by The Heavy; “How you like me now?” Much later you are going to read an account where the discussion centers on generational talent, Wemby is certainly one of those generational talents.

As for the Friday victory it was 35 points 15 rebounds and 5 blocked shots, Wemby shot 72% from the floor with 60% of it from three. His block shot total for the three games stands at 19, the number of rebounds total 45. Rest assured there are probably aspects of his game that could be improved but to not recognize the talent in front of us is ludicrous. Over time following basketball at all levels I have attempted to see the BIG PICTURE. Getting buckets is only a portion of what one might do….its playing a complete game. Wemby does that in spades, does he shoot to many three’s over developing a low post game, perhaps but does that impact his overall bearing? Wemby versus the Blazers and Wolves thus far has pulled down a total of 80 rebounds and blocked 35 shots, the number of missed attempts altered by his presence is an unknown number. This game allowed Wemby to join a club with an exclusive list of members. 

The NBA first began officially tracking block shots in the 1973-1974 season, since then there have been only three players with at least 35 points, 15 rebounds and 5 blocked shots in a playoff game. They are Hakeem Olajuwon three times, Shaquille O’Neal who accomplished it three times and Kareem Abdul Jabbar with two games. What is most important to me besides his obvious talent, Wemby is analytical in his approach to the game. Only a portion of last off-season was spent strength training the other portion was further developing his mind. As for the headline, most are aware Wemby’s jersey number is 1 and he is the number one player in the NBA in my mind.

June 23

The date above is night one of the 2026 NBA draft, on that date we discover if the mock sites have been correct all along. We learn if Darryn Peterson is the number two pick or he is further down on the list of talent. Some might remember he arrived on campus last fall at Kansas, he was the potential top draft pick in the 2026 draft. He would hold the top slot until near the end of the college basketball season. An assortment of injuries or missed games caused this predicted number one draft pick to drop, as this is written Peterson is rated the number two pick on multiple mock draft sites. It should be of note, Peterson’s made news related to him missing time and games during the season.

He claims a medical check uncovered this, he was utilizing a supplement titled Creatine. This from the internet; “Creatine is a natural compound produced in the body and found in meat/fish that provides rapid energy to muscles during high intensity exercise, with 95% stored in skeletal muscle.” Peterson indicates the check indicated he was taking an excessive amount of Creatine thus producing cramping. Other than an injury this is what impacted Peterson’s play in his lone season at Kansas. The missed time (mostly due to cramping) continued a pattern of incomplete games. He is holding steady at the number two mock draft position, we shall see June 23 if he remains there when the evening is over. At this point we are left with numerous questions regarding Peterson which for now will remain just that….a question and mystery.

Says who     

From time to time I’ve read letters from fans, also heard this from a few in sports media. It starts out; “Nobody is watching the NBA,” it really never made sense to me. Why were broadcasters literally fighting one another to secure rights to NBA games? The proof is here in case you want to believe it, on the other hand maybe you don’t. With that here goes, the league claims viewership was up 86% as 170 million viewed games during the season. The number of viewers represent the best in 24 years.

As most are aware the league has four primary packages: ABC/ESPN, Amazon Prime, NBC/Peacock and NBA TV. I was somewhat surprise in that no TNT and with the focus on streaming the numbers would be at the level they were. The NFL was in a bragidous mood after their broadcast of games swamped the NBA’s on Christmas Day and evening. That’s easy to understand, the NFL remains the most popular. I have no desire to bore you with the balance of the details. Let’s just say “the glass is half full rather than half empty” as some of the doom and gloom folks would have you believe. Yes, just as with any organizations involving humans there are issues, there will always be issues. Are they serious enough to “sink the ship” of state….I doubt it.            

A basketball fans perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

Okay, we hear you

A member of the media has gone on the record, I’ve mentioned his statement previously. He says; “Victor Wembanyama cannot be the face of the NBA because he’s not an American.” If that’s your opinion too so be it however I don’t agree with your take on the matter. Firstly, is there really a requirement for someone to be the face of the NBA….I’d ask that question first? Let’s say there is a need for a superstar (or budding one) to be that face, there are several candidates who in one way or another were never reported to have been considered. At the beginning of this exercise I could mention the defending champion Thunder and their star SGA. Last year’s MVP and there are other adjectives we could add behind SGA’s name. 

We then move on to Nikola Jokic, NBA champion and four time league MVP we could also consider Giannis Antetokounmpo but then we discover a problem, those named are foreign born, SGA a Canadian citizen and The Joker from Serbia while Giannis is from Greece. Surely there must be others to consider as the face of the NBA. Looking back over time in 2023 Joel Embiid (born in Cameroon) now an American citizen was MVP, from 2008 through 2018 a native born player was named MVP and we guess the face of the NBA. This proves little in my opinion, if this media person chooses to ignore generational athlete Wemby so be it, that’s not me, I believe he is already the face of the NBA. More on generational talent in related accounts.

What about him

I live about 45-50 miles from Lawrence Kansas but on the Missouri side. Although a longtime member of Mizzou Nation I thought a check of 5-star prospect Tyran Stokes might be meaningful. Allow me to correct some stuff, because a recruiting battle existed between Kentucky and Kansas once Stokes made his decision known this is what we read. “Kansas was able to succeeded in recruiting this native Kentuckian,” which is not quite correct. It’s true Stokes was born in Louisville but his bio indicates he grew up in San Diego, Napa and Atlanta.

Stokes was born in Kentucky but left the state during his elementary school years. He attended two prep schools in California, ultimately completing his high school basketball career at Ranier Beach in Seattle. Stokes arrives in Lawrence the number one high school prospect in the nation just as Darryn Peterson had done the previous year. That’s where the comparison ends, Peterson is a 6 foot-6 inch 205 pound guard. Stokes stands 6-foot 7 and checks in at 230 pounds. He is projected to play small forward however his weight might allow him to slide over to the power forward position on occasion. There is no question regarding his talent the chief issue for him will be the same one that Peterson faced….adapting his game to his teammates and the college game.

I don’t know

Did the Lakers win their playoff game against the Thunder last night? I have no idea because this is written Wednesday morning after they were losers on Tuesday 108-90, an 18 point difference. This is a little misleading in a sense….check the box score. For the most part the numbers are close, if you hadn’t witnessed the game you might question who was the winner. For fans of the Thunder this is no attempt on my part to minimize the loss in Game One, this was not the outcome this member of Laker Nation desired.

Chet Holmgren led the way for the Thunder scoring 24 points along with 12 rebounds and 3 blocked shots. SGA only scored 18 points but had 7 assists. On the Lakers side LeBron James led the way with 27 points along with 6 assists, this 41-year old had but 2 TO’s in 36 minutes of action. Rui Hachimura and Marcus Smart tried to aid the effort but that was about it, AR-15 had an ineffective game, hopefully he bounced back in last night’s game. Look, there is no intent on my part to downplay the Thunder victory, as I indicated this was not the outcome I planned on occurring. Did the Lakers play better in last night’s game, I don’t know because this reminder….once again this is written ahead of the game. 

Several moves since season end 

Missouri’s basketball season did not finish in the manner most in Mizzou Nation hoped. With last season in the rearview mirror we look ahead. A portion of the groundwork for the 2026-27 season was already complete with high school recruits arriving in the fall. As for the transfer portal Missouri appears to have made great strides in that area. Naturally, the results will be unknown until the season is completed and the NCAA tournament. Since his arrival four years ago Dennis Gates has assembled his most complete roster ever. The most recent addition Kennard Davis Jr. a 6-foot 6 inch combo guard/small forward, he arrives from a BYU team that managed 23 wins and a 6 seed in the NCAA tournament.

It is quite necessary that this assembly of talent from various programs establish cohesive play in order to attain success on the basketball court. It’s clear the national media views this Missouri team quite different from those of the past. It’s my belief the vast majority of Mizzou fans are ready for basketball season to begin in June or July, that’s how excited most appear to be. As for the naysayers I will not make any effort of encouragement, you must secure approval for yourself. Recently coach Gates indicated with the NCAA tournament being expanded Missouri might look at its schedule differently. For several years it’s been my belief that the schedule was somewhat light, there were a few tough teams in the mix but for the most part the non-con was not too difficult. It always prepared Missouri to begin conference play with a winning record.