A basketball fan's perspective   

Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

He’s new

Much earlier we reported on Dusty May’s move from the University of Michigan to the Dallas Mavs. Then the move of Mike Malone from the broadcast booth to the University of North Carolina. As for Malone he’s got plenty of experience as a head coach----he led the Nuggets to several years of on-court success culminating with an NBA championship in 2023. Before that Malone was head man for the Kings so the experience is certainly not a question its more the location. As a general rule few head coaches have moved from the NBA to coach college basketball.

Longtime NBA and college coach Larry Brown is the only name I can think of without conducting a degree of research. Recruiting prospects is a shared responsibility but generally the head coach takes the lead in that area. This will be a different role Malone will undertake at the college level, he’s sitting in the family room of a prospect. He’s talking to the prospect but the parents as well how their son will fit in with his program. Not difficult for Malone just a different role. As for the playbook that might be the easiest portion of the job for him in this new position, we shall monitor his job performance for the upcoming season. History points to the fact that college coaches in the NBA have not been too successful, what about the future for Malone? 

Palming

It takes huge hands and certainly a strong grip to palm a basketball. A number of players have the ability and a few were able to make it an effective part of their game. It was said Wilt Chamberlain’s hands were so huge he could palm a basketball in each hand at the same time. Legendary Connie Hawkins, in addition to his great gravity defying ability, also had enormous hands which allowed him the capability to palm the ball. Dr. J. was measured at 6-foot 7 an inch shorter than Hawkins but with a similar skill set. His hands measured 9.5 inches in length and 11.75 inches in width.

Based on that set of information you are now equipped to understand those swooping drives to the basket were far easier with such gigantic hands. The Iceman George Gervin also had big enough hands to palm a basketball, and his “patented” finger roll made him extremely difficult for opposing players to defense him. Michael Jordan was an inch shorter than Dr. J. but his hands, 9.75 inches in length and the handspan was 11.375 to 11.5 inches. The Big Aristotle a.k.a. Shaquille O’Neal had hands that allowed him to also palm a basketball. Despite this fact he claimed he would often deflate a ball in order to aid his grip. I’m sure others from this generation besides Victor Wembanyama with palming ability as well. The names listed here are only a few examples, and several are likely missing. This was not meant to be an in-depth story, just a bit of information to share.

Who are they

The 2026 NBA draft provided us proof, evidence that the early portion (1-12) might describe it as a freshman draft. Last month the first 9 players chosen were all freshman which says most were probably barely out of their teens. With that said let’s look ahead at the Class of 2026 prospects, they will be freshman in the fall and declare for the NBA draft next spring. Rated at the top for most sites is Tyran Stokes, he’s a 6-foot 7 230 pound forward enrolled at Kansas. Next up we have Jordan Smith a 6-foot 2 combo guard, Smith is enrolled at Arkansas.

Caleb Holt is headed to Arizona and is a 6-foot 5 shooting guard, right behind him is 6-foot 11 Cameron Williams power forward and a Duke Blue Devil. At 5 is Jason Crowe Jr a 6-foot 3 combo guard, he will play for Dennis Gates at Mizzou, right behind him at 6 is Bruce Branch small forward BYU and Anthony Thompson small forward The Ohio State. Baba Oladotun small forward Maryland, followed by Christian Collins small power forward Southern Cal and Brandon McCoy Jr. shooting guard Michigan. As I often state there is no method to look into the future, barring injury or deciding in favor of remaining in school in all likelihood we should hear the commissioner announce their name next June.

Meanwhile….

This was funny to me, I came across this podcaster who provided us his Top 10 Duke players he hated. What I discovered interesting the names on his list all had successful collegiate seasons at Duke. Perhaps that is the issue in itself players he named were key to Coach K. and the program being one of the most successful in the nation. Interesting that Grant Hill didn’t make his list but some of the other names you are probably familiar with. At the top of his list was Christian Laettner who all Duke haters just love to hate, Laker coach JJ Redick also made this podcaster’s list. One of the more interesting names on the list was Shane Battier, to no one’s surprise Grayson Allen earned a spot.

Occasionally, I read comments from Kansas Jayhawk fans about 2013, and I’m still not sure why it remains such a sore subject for some. Here’s the situation: Louisville defeated Michigan 82-76 to win the 2013 NCAA men’s championship. A later investigation found Louisville had violated NCAA rules, and the title was vacated. Since then, a few in Jayhawk Nation have argued Kansas should be awarded “the title.” My main question is why? Vacated or not, Louisville played Michigan for the championship not Kansas. Michigan was not awarded the title, so why should Kansas receive greater consideration?

If the Lakers ever sign Jonathan Kuminga this is fact from me, he better be prepared day one to be the second coming of former Laker great James Worthy. Worthy is the gold standard anytime Laker Nation who’s a discussion on best Laker all-time at the small forward position. There is a clear basis for my view of Kuminga, I cannot think of in recent memory a player the Lakers have coveted this highly. Is it the potential of Kuminga that has the front office so excited, I wonder? I saw several games he played while a member of the Warriors and I can admit I was impressed. Why did the Warriors trade Kuminga to Atlanta if he was so highly touted, that is my first of a series of questions regarding this wing?

You can easily determine I’m no gamer, it’s simple. I fail to understand the argument raised by several individuals including some in the media over Victor Wembanyama being the cover boy for NBA 2K. The latest, Tim Hardaway claiming it should have been Jalen Brunson. Even Andre Drummond, who was not a Knick until this summer got in on the argument but wait there is more. Who was the league’s unanimous Defensive Player of the Year? Who was the ringleader for the Spurs advancing to the NBA Finals, after all this was supposed to occur next year not 2026? I can’t hear you, you need to speak a little louder, I thought you said; Victor Wembanyama.

A basketball fan’s perspective

Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

Barometer

Prior to the main theme my intent is to pause and discuss a subject which is deep concern for me. I am reading reports regarding Lakers Adou Thiero or Cameron Carr being traded for a veteran player. Loudly I am screaming NO-NO-NO, should I scream it again? A youth mode build has long been overdue from my perspective, I’m sure this is not the pleasure of all members of Laker Nation however it is for me. Now for the main course, bet you didn’t realize LeBron James was a Laker for a longer period than any other NBA team.

Sure his tenure with the Cavs was slightly longer however it was broken into two separate occasions. Was it good for both parties, most certainly, LeBron was able to pull the Lakers from the depths of the NBA to a competitive team who managed the playoffs all but one of the years he wore Purple and Gold. I am going to make this statement for the 45th or 75th time---I forget. LeBron James was the basis for the uptick in Laker play, for that I will ever be eternally grateful. As for the other part once again it was time for him to move on, wait you say! Who do the Lakers turn to now with no LeBron, I guess we’ll all find out beginning in October.

A budding phenom

That might be the question, Duke basketball and Jon Scheyer have reloaded the program once again. I can see why Duke is hated all over but not by yours truly. In any event once practice begins next month, newcomer Joaquim Boumtje-Boumtje will appear for the first time on the team. The 7-foot-2, 250-pound center arrives in Durham, North Carolina, by a slightly unusual trek. He was born in Germany but grew up in Chicago, Florida and Delaware before moving to Spain at age 14. Boumtje-Boumtje began play for FC Barcelona youth academy once he settled in Spain.

His father is former NBA player Ruben Boumtje-Boumtje, he was hired as head of league operations for the Basketball Africa League. In addition the Duke prospect had reclassified moving from the Class of 2026 to 2026. According to reports it’s a bit difficult to realize with the amount of world travel Boumtje-Boumtje just turned 17 earlier in 2026. Due to age he will not be eligible for the 2027 NBA draft. The birthday issue could work to his benefit, it will allow Boumtje-Boumtje sufficient time to grow his game over the next two seasons. As for the father, he once played for the Blazers along with several European teams before eventually leaving the game behind him.

Knicks Top 10

Who are the greatest players ever to wear Knicks orange and royal blue? The franchise began as a founding member of the Basketball Association of America back in 1946. Three years later, the BAA merged with the National Basketball League to create the modern NBA. Across nearly eight decades, New York Knick fans has featured many talented players who played at Madison Square Garden III and IV.

Naturally with such an extended period there are deserving names who might be missing from my list, to be fair the early years of play had to be taken into consideration. Carl Braun, Dick McGuire, Harry Gallatin, Sweetwater Clifton, Richie Guerin and Willie Naulls are just a few of the Knicks who played in the 1940s, 1950s and early 1960s. So who deserves a spot on the all-time Knicks Top 10 list? Five selections come from the championship teams of 1970, 1973, and 2026. My opinion alone, I removed Carmelo Anthony’s name and is replaced by Willie Naulls one of the all-time Knick greats from that early era of basketball.

  1. Walt Frazier-(2)

  2. Patrick Ewing

  3. Willis Reed-(2)

  4. Bernard King

  5. Earl “The Pearl” Monroe-(2)

  6. Allen Houston

  7. Dave DeBusschere-(2)

  8. Charles Oakley

  9. Jalen Brunson-(1)

10. Willie Naulls 

Ego

Wilt Chamberlain was the most prolific scorer in NBA history, he established the all-time scoring record until Kareem broke it. Of course much later LeBron James exceeded Kareem and the number will continue to increase because he remains an active player. As for Chamberlain imagine his scoring process if he was able to conquer his one pet peeve….free throw shooting. For his 14 year career Chamberlain managed to shoot a pathetic 51% from the free-throw line. His poorest season from the line, 42% from the 1964-65 NBA season, the best, 1961-62 when it was 61%, what made the difference? Rick Barry occurred, the fellow Hall of Fame athlete suggested Chamberlain adopt his style of shooting free-throws.

Barry shot his free-throws under handed sometimes described as a “granny technique.” Did it work, it certainly did for Barry, for the course of his NBA career he was 89.3% from the line. In 1978-79 Barry shot a sizzling 94.7% from the line (he missed 9 free-throws of 170 that season). Back to Chamberlain, the one season he shot his best ever 61% from the line was shooting them granny style. The truth of the matter, the game he scored 100 points Chamberlain was 28 for 32 from the line (87.5%). So what occurred for the balance of his career, he returned to his previous formula and it became an adventure whenever he went to the line. His explanation was simple, he said “the underhand technique made him feel foolish.” Chamberlain scored 31,419 points during the course of his NBA career, imagine what his point total might have been if he’d shot anywhere close to that 61% throughout his time.

A basketball fan’s perspective

Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

It was 1980

All these years later we hear this story for the first time, it was 1980, 46 years ago and this is brand new. Do we believe it, Hakeem Olajuwon arrived on these shores from Nigeria in 1980, there was no one to greet him at the airport. He went outside and the cold, cold wind of New York City hit him. He returned to the terminal and caught an airport employee who happen to be from Nigeria. Olajuwon had three tickets, one to Louisville, the other Providence Rhode Island and the third Houston Texas. He asked the question, “Which location is closer to the weather in Lagos (Nigeria).” Olajuwon was informed it was Houston so he boarded a flight for Texas.

Thus begins the story of his time at the University of Houston. Let’s dissect the story a bit, we must transport our minds back to 1980, at that time not a single player from the African continent had ever played in the NBA. NBA scouting is at a different level now, a name might be unknown to most basketball fans but not scouts. Talent from the continent has been thoroughly scouted unlike back in 1980. Of course Olajuwon would go on to become a two time NBA champion, MVP (1994) and twice be named Finals MVP. Retirement would see Olajuwon enshrined in the FIBA and Naismith Hall of Fame all this due to Houston being a warmer climate than Louisville or Providence. Of course talent and a work ethic certainly impacted Olajuwon as a professional. The question in closing, do you believe the airport story?

If it occurs

As a member of Laker Nation the ongoing drama surrounding Jonathan Kuminga has driven me bonkers. Is this power forward worth the phenomenon that swirls about him? This is written early Monday morning July 27, by Wednesday will the Lakers have signed him or maybe Friday? I have no idea however I thought it might be a good idea to understand the holdup on Kuminga signing with the Lakers, Cavs or anyone else. What you are about to read below is from Lakers Buzz PH. I cannot verify the accuracy of however it certainly sounds plausible based on the series of events that appear to be swirling about, check it out.

Jonathan Kuminga Saga Explained

— Lakers are willing to pay around $15–16 million per year in a sign-and-trade.

— ATL are willing to facilitate a deal centered around Vando + draft compensation.

— Trade Structure: Vando (via TPE) + 2 second rounders to the Bucks, Dalton Knecht + 1 second rounder to the Hawks, and JK to the Lakers.

— But Kuminga wants over $20M, and if he takes less money, he only wants a 1-year deal.

— Trade talks have paused because NBA sign-and-trade rules require a minimum 3-year contract, preventing Kuminga from signing the 1-year deal he prefers.

— Jonathan Kuminga needs the Lakers as much, than the Lakers need Jonathan Kuminga.

Who is really at fault

There are complaints about basketball skills no longer being taught in this nation, is it true? Probably depends on who you ask the question. I have no inside information only answers from several sources, most believe the biggest offender is AAU basketball. A young co-worker of mine claims that view is in error so that is the basis for the differences in opinion. An individual claims that for every AAU coach attempting to teach fundamentals there are others who simply roll the basketball onto the court expecting play, there is no strategy and little teaching.

Let me take that back, there remain old school coaches, the problem there are more Millennials/Gen Z coaches on the scene than ever. Is it possible to begin teaching the fundamentals of the game….of course it is however there is a problem. That problem is winning, the shoe company sponsors desire a winning product be exhibited. Until American coaches decide to change an increasing number of Euro players skilled in fundamentals of the game will continue to arrive on these shores. There will be no point when American players no longer comprise the bulk of college and NBA talent. These American players are less likely to dominate the game in the same manner their grandfathers and fathers once did, better be prepared for the future unless there are changes.

What didn’t work

Our focus has been planned arenas but how about the one’s that didn’t work? A number of these former homes for NBA basketball have been demolished while others have found different usage after the NBA left. The few to be covered are the “football stadiums,” as you are aware the NCAA championship game is played in a football stadium but that’s only one game. How about playing 41 home games in a building built for football? For a brief period that was the Sonics, Pistons and Spurs.

The Kingdome in Seattle was built for Mariners baseball and Seahawks football, the basketball team had difficulty in one home for a time. The Kingdome would be home from 1978-1985, the Sonics would move to Key Center and the Kingdome would be demolished in March of 2000. On the other side of the country we had the Silverdome home of the Pistons, it was actually located in Pontiac and not Detroit. The building could hold 60,000 for basketball although most times the Pistons had fewer numbers, the Silverdome was the Pistons home from 1978-1988 and was replaced by The Palace at Auburn Hills. As for the stadium it was eventually closed and demolished in two stages the first occurring in 2017 and then 2018. The last football stadium is the only building still in use, the Alamodome in San Antonio. The stadium was built with the hope that the NFL would place a franchise in the city which never occurred.

The Spurs played their basketball at the HemisFair Arena (now closed) beginning with their ABA days (1973), once they moved into the NBA the team continued play in the building until 1993. The Spurs moved to the Alamodome in 1993 and played there until 2002 when they moved to the SBC Center (now Frost Bank Arena). These buildings were not terrible, the issue was simple, they were designed for football/baseball play not the close up play of basketball. In addition as indicated earlier a single game (NCAA championship) is workable, 41 home games makes for a tremendous difference.

A basketball fan’s perspective

Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

He said it much better

Although I went on record indicating it was time for LeBron to move on I am not upset with him. I’ve listened as members of the media have criticized the move voicing the belief Bron was “ring chasing.” One of the loudest media voices has been that of former player and media guy Charles Barkley. Well I happen to not share the same view as Barkley. Of course he’s a well-known former NBA player and television media member, my view in defending Bron comes from a fan, what might another player say? The word came, it was uttered by former Laker guard Derek Fisher recently while being interviewed on 97.1 The Fan LA.

Fisher said; “You’re not ring chasing when you’re the guy that creates the rings. Go back in NBA sports history, It’s not about what team the guy is on, it’s about where he is, not the city or the team. Lou Alcindor (or) Kareem Abdul-Jabbar — he didn’t chase rings. Where he went, the rings followed. When you look at the history of all of the greats, it’s where they are that the rings go. It’s not the other way around. It’s not like a ring is sitting in Philadelphia and he’s going to chase it. His addition will increase the chances of them getting it. Yeah, they look good on paper without him, but they may not win it without him either, and they could also come up short with him.” There is the brief response to Sir Charles and others. 

The House that Ruth built

I didn’t bother checking the history of the previous stadium however the headline refers to the old Yankee Stadium under Babe Ruth. It was said the home run hitting Ruth was responsible for construction of the stadium. Of course that’s an oversimplification of how and why the stadium was erected. Fast forward some 70 years or so, the United Center opened in Chicago and it too was nicknamed “The House that (Michael) Jordan built.” In a manner similar to what occurred in the past the NBA Bulls had tasted a great deal of success thanks in part to the exploits of MJ. Where am I headed with this story, at the feet of Stephen Curry Warriors point guard.

All of us realize Curry is on the downhill side of his NBA career however there is a “but.” The but, Curry is eligible to sign a two-year, $136.7 million contract. Curry’s been among the principle reasons why the Warriors have been so competitive the last decade. Chase Center located in San Francisco could also be titled “The House that Steph Curry built.” If the Warriors had succeeded in signing LeBron James the team might have held championship aspirations. With a still vital Curry and Draymond they certainly could earn a playoff berth but it’s highly unlikely they would be considered in the championship category. With LeBron headed to Philadelphia he might have been a difference maker however all that’s changed now, it does make for a question---do the Warriors extend 38-year old Steph Curry?

A Simmons surprise

Many readers may already be familiar with the name Bill Simmons, he’s a longtime media figure whose focus has largely been the NBA although he’s an admitted Celtics fan. Even so, a recent podcast comment from him surprised me. In his latest episode, Simmons said Kansas City should be considered for either an NBA expansion franchise or a relocated team, citing the city’s recent success on the world stage as evidence it is ready for another major professional sports franchise.

Of course, he was referring to the metro’s role as a World Cup host. A newspaper headline like that naturally produced a flood of letters, and while I didn’t read them all, the ones I did see were generally supportive. I had not planned to revisit the subject of the NBA, or professional basketball, returning to my hometown because I thought the idea was dead on arrival. Apparently, that may not be the case. What many people fail to realize, even those in the Kansas City metro, is that times have changed. We shall see whether the Blazers, Pelicans or Grizzlies might relocate to my home town.

kansascitystar.com

This is a little different

It’s been mentioned in the past of the Washington Capitols were the exception. The Capitols head coach was Red Auerbach, yes that Auerbach whose claim to fame would occur later as head man of the Celtics. In 1948 they would join with the NBL forming what became the National Basketball Association. In their five seasons of existence the Caps finished in first place twice and earned playoff berths twice. The 1948-49 season they played in the BAA Finals but lost to the Lakers 4 games to 2. Time plus limited information has failed to provide a clear photo of what caused the Caps eventual demise.

The history indicated Auerbach wanted to retooled the team and the owner declined his proposal whatever it involved. Based on this issue the coach resigned and would later take on the role of Celtics coach. The Caps went out of business in January 1951 but wait there is more. The franchise played the 1951-52 season in the American Basketball League but closed for a second time. This portion of history is documented; *“The main reason why the team folded for the second time was related to them and the ABL being sued by the NBA if the new Capitols tried to take the NBA team name’s history from them as well.” So there you have the history of Washington professional basketball prior to the Wizards.

*Wikipedia

A basketball fan’s perspective

Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

Chicago in the NBA

If you are a certain age you probably believe the Bulls are the only NBA team to represent the Windy City. This is a repeat from an earlier account and some might be surprised by what they are about to read, the count of NBA teams for Chicago is three. The first team that referred to Chicago as home was nicknamed the Stags, they were an original member of the Basketball Association of America and began play in 1946. The Stags lasted from 1946 through the 1950 season, despite compiling a 145-92 regular season record and making the playoffs every season they went out of business. Annals indicate in spite of a winning record the Stags low attendance caused the team to suffer financially, which is why they closed shop.  

It would be 1961 before Chicago had another team, the Packers an expansion team began play in the 1961-1962 season. The Packers suffered on the court as most expansion teams, their second year the team was rebranded as the Zephyrs for 1961-1962. In 1963 the Zephyrs moved to Baltimore and began play as the Baltimore Bullets. So once again Chicago lost a second NBA team, the city would remain without a team until 1966. Once again the NBA would expand and the NBA saw another team being placed in Chicago again, the expansion Bulls were born and began play in the 1966-1967 season. Why do we suppose the NBA continued to return to Chicago after losing two teams? I believe the metro population played a role, over the time we are discussing the metro has contained the second or third highest population in the nation.

Big Man lessons

The world is familiar with Spurs center Victor Wembanyama, fewer recognize the name Kel’el Ware who plays for the Bucks. What ties these two together, Victor assumed to be the world’s best Big Man and the lessor known Ware ascribing to the same level. From Little Rock Arkansas Ware attended the University of Oregon and a year later transferred to the University of Indiana prior to submitting his name for the 2024 NBA draft. Ware was selected by the Heat in the first round as pick 15, despite being named a McDonald’s All American his limited play in college meant reduced time on the court for the Heat.

July 6, 2026, Ware along with several others was traded to the Bucks in exchange for Giannis Antetkounmpo. It’s my guess but I believe Ware decided additional tutoring was required, he decided to join Wemby in seeking out Hakeem Olajuwon for lessons. This becomes the second consecutive summer Olajuwon has made himself available to tutor young players in techniques to play in the post. In my view, Wemby has a strong perimeter game but remains limited in the paint. Of course everyone is limited by their ability to absorb the lessons. As for Wemby, if he gains just a small degree of improvement in the post I can only imagine what his game will eventually prove to be, he’ll truly dominate the NBA.      

There have been four  

The building is advertised as “The World’s Most Famous Arena” which practically everyone realizes we are discussing Madison Square Garden. This arena serves as home for the New York Knicks of the NBA and the New York Rangers of the NHL. Did you realize the building located at 33st and 8th Avenue in the borough of Manhattan is actually Madison Square Garden IV. Madison Square Garden I opened in 1879 and was utilized until 1890, long before the NBA Knicks and NHL Rangers, the circus of PT Barnum might have been the prime tenant. In 1890 Madison Square Garden II opened and remained in use until 1925.

Madison Square Garden III (1925-1968) would become a home of college basketball, boxing, concerts and would host the New York Knicks first season 1946-47, Garden III was located on 8th Avenue between 49th and 50th Street. In 1968 Madison Square Garden IV was inaugurated and in addition to serving the Knicks and Rangers there was an increased  number of concerts, boxing and other events. Because space is limited on an island such as Manhattan no parking lots exist for patrons to attend Garden events. Attendees for arrive primarily by public transit via Penn Station, walking from surrounding Manhattan streets, or taking taxis or rideshares. The Worlds Most Famous Arena was certainly packed to the struts for the Knicks playoff and championship season.

Television impacted the game’s growth

The game we love on television has progressed light years beyond that original broadcast. At one time mass communication for any sport meant a radio broadcast. While radio had fans and grew the sport it could only be described as the voice of the game. Popular as it was fans were unable to visually see their teams in action, change would be delayed by World War II however the first televised game occurred February 28, 1940. A double-header from Madison Square Garden broadcast a game between Pitt and Fordham. NBC station W2XBS (now WNBC) was the source to an audience estimated 400-1000 viewers.

Since that first game advancements were made for college and later the NBA, as for the NBA not as popular as the college game lagged behind in coverage. It would be 1953 before the NBA began a limited national broadcast, the defunct Dumont Network broadcast 13 Sunday afternoon games during the 1953-54 season. The following year (1954) NBC took on the responsibility of broadcasting for the league. The next few years would see coverage expand and so did the networks. As for the college game during this period the predominate coverage was by the CBS broadcast network but it would be 1969 before the Final Four was broadcast. The responsible network for the NBA would travel from NBC to ABC then CBS and back and forth until the advent of cable television. The NBA would move to the USA Network, WTBS and later TNT, during this period CBS was the primary broadcaster before the debut of ESPN which has covered the college and NBA games.

We now have streaming being added with Prime and Peacock being added as NBA broadcast partners. Technology has seen innovations such as instant replay, then slow-Mo replay, use of drones and television cameras have been moved to the corners. Digital broadcasts allowed for ever greater picture quality, in closing this tidbit of information is incomplete, time and space will not allow a complete work. What is even more interesting is the future of NBA telecast, there are innovations planned for the future we cannot envision currently, this is not complete, the intent was to provide you a generalized view of the game’s growth on television.

A basketball fan’s perspective

Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

Hold on for a moment

I’m unsure if these are Sixer fans or those of the NBA, the excitement is over the top. One letter writer claimed, “This team (Sixers) averages 121 points (last season’s numbers) and could win 74 games during the regular season.” That was an example of the types of letters I’m reading from fans and you are as well, the excitement is understandable but hold on for a moment. This letter writer that I just mentioned and others appear to believe all coach Nick Nurse must do is roll the ball onto the court and this collection will come together as a competitive team. Before someone accuses me of being a “Doug Downer” allow a further explanation.

There are keys to the success of these Sixers, the first is the health of Joel Embiid. I happen to believe that he is one of the best centers in the NBA and at times excels over The Joker. As most are aware he’s had difficulty remaining on the court for an extended period, hopefully that changes. The other four starters (Maxey, Brown, Edgecombe and Bron) must adjust their game to the new teammates. It will be imperative for Sixer reserves to do their part to raise the level of play to championship status. I will end this exercise on an up note, this new Sixer team appears exciting and very capable of reaching the highest of heights. The question can they mold themselves into that championship team? That subject and others can only be fully answered once we begin regular season play.

Meanwhile….

Despite the name, TJ St. Louis has no connection to St. Louis, Missouri; he hails from Brampton, Ontario, Canada. Brampton lies in the greater Toronto metro, as for the athlete he’s a 7-foot 266 pound post player and a Rivals 3-star prospect. On July 20 St. Louis committed to play for Alabama and coach Nate Oats, he will head to Tuscaloosa next month and prepare to undergo the rigors of playing college basketball. St. Louis becomes the 5th commit joining 4-star prospects small forward Qayden Samuels along with Jaxon Richardson another small forward and shooting guard Tarris Bouie.

It’s  only Summer League play so I try not to become too excited but the 2026 Laker team might be one of the best since their 2017 squad. That team contained Lonzo Ball who would be named MVP for the summer and introduced most of us to Kyle Kuzma. Injuries severely handicapped Ball’s NBA future however Kuzma has continued to play good basketball all these years later. The 2026 team contained Arthur Kaluma who’s already been mentioned but there were two others who played outstanding basketball. Keep the names Adou Thiero and Chris Carr in your memory, although once the season begins the minutes will dwindle for all three however expect them to make significant contributions to the 2026-27 Lakers.

I’m sure those in Jayhawk Nation will not be pleased with what they are about to read. I checked AI Overview for the Way Too Early Basketball Rankings and it reads Houston, Arizona, Kansas, Iowa State and Texas Tech. That is how AI Overview looks at the race in July 2026. The displeasure for Jayhawk Nation is evident, no longer is Kansas the dominant basketball program in the Big 12 Conference. Am I surprised Houston and Arizona both are ranked above Kansas prior to the start of the season----the answer is no. The real test has nothing to do with AI or rankings, it’s how these teams match up against one another when the on court action begins.

The beginning

There’s a proverb that says; “The journey of 1,000 miles begins with the first step.” That’s what occurred for a number of NBA players who would become stars in the league, their journey toward the NBA began at smaller sometimes lesser known schools across the nation. There are several names although several names might be more familiar than others but here goes. Larry Bird arrived in the league from Indiana State, from Southeastern Oklahoma State came Dennis “The Worm” Rodman and then we have Dame Lillard from Weber State.

Steph Curry perfected his shooting form at Davidson College and we knew Scottie Pippen as a star with the Bulls before most of us knew where Central Arkansas was even located. The basketball world first took notice of Ja Morant at Murray State an institution most of us were unfamiliar with. Although both would finish at four year institutions Jimmy Butler (Tyler Community College) and Ben Wallace (Cuyahoga Community College) traveled the community college route first prior to finishing their college careers at 4-year institutions. Paul George Fresno State, Derrick White Division II University of Colorado-Colorado Springs along with Duncan Robinson Division III Williams College. The bottom line; it doesn’t matter where you begin the journey, the reward can often be viewed at the end of the race.

A basketball fan’s perspective

Special Edition

The news regarding LeBron James occurred after the Friday edition of Off the Dribble was published. This event is so important it called for an immediate edition rather than wait for Sunday. This is written with bare minimum news, I hoped to not be influenced by anything read, 99% of what you are reading are my own thoughts alone. The schedule makers can now began to look toward next season now that we are aware of where LeBron James will play. There are two standout issues, the team and the money for me. He’s signing with the Sixers, I speculated late it would be the Cavs, Warriors or Sixers. I have a friend who grew up in Kansas City but was born in Akron. 

I informed Alex two weeks ago “LeBron is headed back to Cleveland." As you can see by my take the Sixers were in third place but that's not what occurred. Now for the money, It’s reported this is a 2-year deal at $8 million which is the minimum salary. Working backwards its clear by this amount money was not an object, rather it was the opportunity to leave the Lakers for greener pastures. As an outside observer there was an indication LeBron was not pleased with how this team was comprised over the last several years. For the Sixers Christmas has arrived twice over the summer, the first gift was securing the services of Jaylen Brown----of course adding LeBron to your lineup was the second. After the dust settles what do we have in Philly, maybe the best team in the Eastern Conference? At the center position is Joel Embiid, perhaps the best center in the league when healthy. At the three is Jaylen Brown a perineal all-star forward along with guards Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, LeBron slides in at the four.

On paper this is the strongest starting five the Sixers will have presented in quite a time, the question of course can they win a championship? All the cards must be played properly, in addition the reserves must play a key role in the success of these "new" Sixers. My chief question revolves around the bench bunch, can they play meaningful minutes allowing the starters periods of rest. I’ve mentioned this previously but it bears repeating, it was time for LeBron to leave the Lakers in my view. 

A basketball fan’s perspective

Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

What about the Spurs

They have The Alien, Victor Wembanyama case closed. That was meant to be a joke, although Wemby stands 7-foot 5 (or 7 maybe) and is tremendously talented more is required over just having him on the roster. The Spurs will look a bit different this upcoming season, during the free agent period they managed to sign Tobias Harris who played for the Pistons last season. Harris is not going to wow anyone but he is a heady veteran able to slide between the 4 and 5, it’s not determined if he starts or not. The draft saw the Spurs secure two legitimate Big Men, one who might miss the season and the other possibly squeezing Kornet for minutes.

Pick number 20 became Jayden Quaintance a 6-foot 10 255 pound forward from Kentucky who could slide over to center in a pinch. Quaintance underwent a surgery procedure so there is a question if he plays in 2026-27 but wait there’s more. Pick 26 is Tarris Reed Jr. also a wide body at 6-foot 11 and 265 pounds, he played at UConn. In the second round the Spurs chose guard Ja’Kobi Gillispie and forward Maliq Brown. Did I tell you Wemby didn’t did not sign for the max, his move will allow the Spurs to extend Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper at the time their rookie extensions end. There is no method to determine how the season turns out for the Spurs however prior to the start most sites rate them at the top in Power Rankings. Even more interesting because the Spurs lost the 2026 NBA championship to the Knicks. If I’m buying stock I’d say the Spurs are a good purchase right now.

Located in the metro

The news on Wednesday contained a story regarding the Chiefs planned stadium in Kansas City Kansas. I realize this is a basketball blog and the Chiefs are an NFL team, bear with me a couple more minutes and I will explain the basketball connection. The $3 billion domed football stadium will be built about 10-15 miles straight line miles from Arrowhead, of course this is a move from Kansas City MO to Kansas City KS. I realize some might not realize there are two cities one located in Kansas and the other in Missouri with the same name. How this came about is a story for another time and place. In any event Mancia Architects were chosen by the Chiefs to design their new stadium.

As for Mancia they are no strangers to projects of this type however what about the basketball connection you ask. Well the NBA Thunder’s new arena Continental Coliseum which is replacing Paycom is a Mancia project, as for other examples we could cite three NBA arenas. The Toyota Center in Houston, Chase Center in San Francisco is another. In China there are two basketball arenas, the Guangzhou Arena located in Guangzhou, China and Wukesong Arena in Beijing, China. Mancia has also designed Allegiant Stadium home of the NFL Las Vegas Raiders and other projects omitted due to space. This portion you might find even more interesting, the firm was started in 2007 by David Mancia. Mancia previously worked at HOK which is also a sports architect firm and is located in the Kansas City metro.

Did you hear this story

I haven’t shopped at a thrift store in two or three years, but this story might send me rushing back to thrift store shopping again. A 19-year-old Portland Oregon shopper paid $3.07 for a basketball warmup jacket that made him a wealthy young man. It belonged to Wilt Chamberlain and, as it turned out, was the jacket he wore during the 1972 NBA Finals. Once authenticated, it sold at auction for $90,000—a remarkable return on a $3 purchase, plus whatever it cost him to travel to that thrift store.

I’m certainly interested in sports memorabilia, but I had no idea some of it might end up in thrift shops. Beginning this weekend, I have a plan: visit the three nearby thrift stores, then three more the following week, and keep going until I uncover my great fortune. Is this a pipe dream on my part, probably but can you blame me? I’ve often wondered about sports memorabilia, it’s become a multi-million dollar business although my guess 99% of sales are nowhere close to what this teen shopper received. On the other hand maybe there is a piece out there somewhere close or perhaps exceeding the dollars this teen received.

The Silver medal

What if I told you a team never bothered to seek their Olympic Silver medals? Well this occurred in the 1972 Olympics held in Munich Germany, for the first time in basketball Team USA faced a formidable foe. The game was a nailbiter down to its controversial ending, the team representing the former Soviet Union “lost” the game, then they won it! There is YouTube video of the last few seconds of the game, check it out and see what you think, below is the AI overview of the game’s end.

“The Soviet Union defeated the Americans 51-50 in a highly controversial gold-medal game, ending the USA’s undefeated 63-game Olympic winning streak. The dramatic and disputed finish involved the final three seconds being replayed twice due to scoring table errors and timeouts. On the final attempt, Soviet player Aleksandr Belov caught a length-of-the-court pass and scored a layup, securing the win. The U.S. team, entirely composed of college players at the time, was so outraged by the officiating that the players voted unanimously to refuse their silver medals, which remained locked in IOC vault.”

Reports indicate that several team members included provisions in their wills instructing their families not to petition the IOC for the silver medals after their deaths. And so ends the story of the Olympic medals never presented to members of the 1972 U.S. team. Never presented because team members believe they were bilked out of Gold Medals at least twice during one of the most bizarre endings witnessed by all at the time.

AI overview

A basketball fan’s perspective

Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

Meanwhile….

Preparing Off the Dribble I’m unsure if you read all of it or selected stories. Most times I attempt a headline to entice you to read an account, I hope you’ve not been misled by a headline because I was. I don’t remember the website but above the account was a photo of Wemby kneeling over apparently suffering an injury. Below the photo read “_________ of the Spurs will likely miss the upcoming season.” Seeing the photo and miss the upcoming season my thought what occurred to Wemby? After re-reading the account it wasn’t about Wemby at all, it was about the Spurs draft pick last month. This is what I should have read; “Jayden Quaintance of the Spurs will likely miss the upcoming season.” Quaintance’s name was in the sentence but seeing Wemby apparently hurt I omitted his name in reading the story initially, say it with me “Click Bait!”

Mike Boynton Jr. is not new to serving as a head coach, he served in that role at Oklahoma State from 2017-2024. In April 2024 he was the first hire by head coach Dusty May at Michigan. Boynton Jr. served as an assistant coach specializing on the Michigan defense. His role would change after May departed for the NBA Mavs, this occurred after Michigan won the 2026 NCAA championship. June 23, 2026, Boynton Jr. was named interim head coach by the school. On July 10 he was hired as head coach and signed a two-year contract. Apparently he’s off to a good start prior to play in the fall, the entire roster remained in place despite the departure of May.

Imagine a shadow so huge you shut down a league. Well, that statement over simplifies what has occurred as this is written. The NBA family of television networks are yet to release their schedule for the 2026-27 NBA season. They are waiting for LeBron James to make a decision which team he is likely to finish his career. Rich Paul agent for LeBron has mentioned television, so has commissioner Adam Silver. I am unsure of the wait time for a decision but surely it should come soon. If you remember the teams vying for LeBron’s services include the Heat, Cavs, Warriors and Sixers. On the other hand we might see the Spurs or Knicks sneak in the backdoor.

I’m going to introduce to some of you the name Arthur Kaluma. This 6-foot 7 225 pound forward went undrafted in 2025 after finishing play at Texas. He spent last season with the South Bay Lakers after signing with the parent club as an undrafted free agent. His stellar play for 2026 Summer League play saw the Lakers sign him to a two-way contract. Of course you are aware these types of contracts allow for a player to divide time between the G-League and parent club. These are summer stats however they are impressive, 18.6 ppg, 3.6 rebs, 50% from three.

Who remains

The Lakers have 16 players under contract one over the league limit. Now begins the task of finalizing the roster, one member must be traded, cut or waived. These roster members are attempting to determine their status with the Lakers:

Dalton Knecht

Jarred Vanderbilt

Jake LaRavia

Bronny James

I’m going to speculate on those named with this statement, this is a best guess. I could very easily be wrong and I can acknowledge that, with that here goes. Dalton Knecht despite his reputation as a shooter has fallen out of favor with the head coach, he played infrequently this past season. He’s followed by Jarred Vanderbilt who also rarely played, Vanderbilt’s defensive prowess is evident but his offense is practically non-existent.

Jake LaRavia in the lineup as a starter was up and down all season, what I’m not sure….did his responsibility change game to game by the coaching staff? Finally we arrive at Bronny James, no Summer League, which in my view was not a good thing. I thought his summer play would further develop the skill he’s displayed in the G-League. So there you have my thoughts, the most logical candidate to be moved would be Bronny James. He could very easily be moved to whatever team signs his dad, truth is the Cavs have reportedly opened a roster spot for him.

Big Man basketball

Whenever I mention the term “Big Man basketball” some around me are quick to respond. “The game will never return to that style of basketball” is the response I’m greeted with. Then I must go into this explanation, “I’m not talking Shaq bully ball more like occasional low post play. We are in the age of 3-point shooting and that great until a team begins missing….ask the San Antonio Spurs? The sky-hook Kareem Abdul Jabbar used was practically indefensible. I’ve often wondered why in the intervening time the shot wasn’t taught by shooting coaches for Big Men. Of course the “Steph Curry” effect changed the offense for many NBA teams.   

Opposition post players would often attempt to push Abdul Jabbar off his mark, that was the only method they could use to curtail the shot it was rarely blocked. I saw video of Wilt Chamberlain blocking Abdul Jabbar twice in one game. At one point I remember seeing post players and a number of those in the front court shoot a jump hook. Although Shaq certainly preferred a power game his arsenal contained a somewhat accurate bank shoot. Listen folks I get it, I truly like the “Wemby factor” but there are games where it might began practical for him to develop a front court game. While viewing a Summer League game one of the announcers said; “If Wemby played in the post every team would return to Big Man basketball!”

A basketball fan’s perspective

Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

The Boston Strangler

He should be in the Naismith Hall of Fame, his name is Andrew Toney. As for the headline it’s the nickname given this former Sixer shooting guard due to the prolific scoring games he registered against the Celtics. Toney played in the NBA for 8 seasons but only 5 of them was he healthy but he was a lights out scorer for the Sixers during those years. Consider this fact, the starting lineup for the Sixers contained 4 hall of fame players. Julius Erving, Moses Malone, Maurice Cheeks and Bobby Jones. This quartet along with Toney was a juggernaut and would win the 1985 NBA championship thanks in part to the scoring ability of Toney, the question might be why is Toney a virtual unknown? The injury, although there were issues proving it to the medical staff of the Sixers he’d suffered stress fractures in both feet.

Toney was unable to exhibit his prior scoring ability on the court due to the injury, he would retire at the age of 30 and move to Atlanta where he began teaching elementary school. His issues with the Sixers medical staff caused a huge rift for him, bitterness kept him apart from any connection to the team. Toney would remain away from anything connected with the Sixers for 24 years only returning when the 1985 championship team was honored. His coach Billy Cunningham said, “He had a hall of fame career,” it, so did teammate Dr. J., He would have been enshrined in the hall of fame if not for the injury.” Charles Barkley says “He (Toney) was the best player he ever teamed up with.” Pat Riley said; “Toney was the greatest clutch player I’ve ever seen. I’m unsure if Toney is still teaching he’s 68-years old now, I’d bet money few of his students over the course of his tenure as an educator had any idea of his previous life.

I believe this is true

The Lakers have been my favorite NBA team for more years than I can count, I guess by now you are aware of this. Despite the fact I am a card carrying member of Laker Nation I’ve always had a second team. Another NBA team I root for except when they play my Lakers, I believe this is true. This subject is being discussed due to the recent NBA Finals, I was squarely in the Spurs corner for the Finals. I have a friend who is just like me a loyal member of Laker Nation, when I mentioned my love affair for the Spurs his response was quick.

“I can’t root for them (the Spurs), not with the history between the two teams.” He was referring specifically to the Tim Duncan/Manu Ginobili/Tony Parker Spurs. Those Spurs were always in an MMA match against the Kobe Bryant/Shaquille O’Neal/Rick Fox Lakers, later subtract Shaq’s name and replace it with Paul Gasol. Those were exciting playoff series between the two teams. For me that is the past, this is 2026 and old grudges no longer apply from this corner. I enjoy the skillful manner of play plus the mental aspects of Victor Wembanyama’s game. It’s not just a single player on the Spurs roster, it’s also Stephon Castle and I’ve added Dylan Harper to the list. I will have no problem rooting for them or the Lakers until they play one another.

Arena update

I thought it time to update you on developments regarding new buildings in the NBA. Earlier you might remember reading a report on the Continental Coliseum in Oklahoma City. This project is moving along smoothly and if there are delays I will attempt to update you, it has a planned opening of late summer 2028. As for other arenas this is the latest information I have available and we begin in San Antonio. The timeline for the Spurs to begin play in their new arena is the 2032-33 season, it appears from this outsider that the $1.3 billion arena will not be impacted by Project Marvel.

If you remember from an earlier reading Project Marvel is a major downtown redevelopment plan, the arena will be separated in some manner from the greater project. As was noted earlier Las Vegas will see an expansion team begin play by 2028, Las Vegas is different in that two proposals exists. One proposal is for a 21,000 seat arena while the other will seat 25,000 souls. The last update is in Philadelphia and the new home of the Sixers, this arena will be located in South Philadelphia rather than the original location in the Chinatown entertainment district. There are upgrades either begun or planned for existing arenas around the nation. What I find most interesting there are no plans to replace Madison Square Garden, the oldest arena in use first opened in February 1968.

12 championship rings

His name is never mentioned anytime all-time greats are discussed. It’s probably due to several factors, he wasn’t flashy and his scoring average was subpar, despite what you just read he was a winner. The late KC Jones arrived in the NBA with the Celtics, he brought along an NCAA championship and Olympic Gold Medal. He played in 8 Finals with the Celtics and was a winner in all 8 but wait there is more. Once he retired he added two championships as an assistant, he was the coach of Larry Bird’s two NBA championships.

When the counting was complete Jones had a total of 12 rings as a player and coach, a number few can touch. In addition he is a triple-crown winner, NCAA champion, won an Olympic Gold Medal and is an NBA champion. That’s a resume fare beyond what most might believe possible but he accomplished this. In addition to all the accomplishments detailed previously Jones has been enshrined in the College and Naismith Hall of Fame. That is quite a summary for a former player nobody ever discusses as an all-time great.

A basketball fan’s perspective

Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

Meanwhile….

The Kawhi Leonard-Aspiration fiasco should be over by the end of summer. That’s the deadline commissioner Adam Silver has placed on the investigation of the work around method of paying the former Clipper forward. I believe (and I could be wrong) if the judgement is rendered in favor of the NBA the Raptors should face no penalty. It’s the Clippers who will face punishment. Whatever occurs I believe the trade will be consummated and Leonard will play for the Raptors again. 

The Wizards shut down No. 1 draft pick AJ Dybansta after only two games, but the decision was not injury-related, it was simply a matter of caution. The Wizards had already seen enough of him to know Dybansta could handle himself on the court. His brief showing offered all the evidence needed that he was ready for the rough-and-tumble world of the NBA. Of course Dybansta’s play is in Summer League but it does provide us a degree of his ability.

Da Bulls, some might be surprised with this news, the Bulls have the 4th best NBA championship record. If we begin a count of NBA championships it’s the Celtics (18), Lakers (17) Warriors (7) and Bulls (6). Each of the teams has won it all more recently than the Bulls, who last won an NBA championship in 1998. Since Michael Jordan and company left the Windy City the team has changed coaches 7 times, drafted and traded for a number of players but has failed to compete for a championship. During this time the best record by the Bulls was the 2010-11 season, they won 62 games but lost in the Eastern Conference Finals. Are they a historic NBA franchise, I believe they are based on the number of championships?

There are times you have the opportunity to do good without expectations of a return. That is the case with this story, the Lakers drafted Ronny Turiaf in 2005 from Gonzaga. During training camp it was discovered Turiaf had a heart condition, according to Gary Vitti longtime Laker trainer the team was yet to sign Turiaf to a contract. Despite this issue Dr. Buss owner of the team paid for the surgery out of his pocket close to $1 million according to Vitti. Turiaf recovered from the surgery played for the Lakers three seasons and a total of 10 years in the NBA. This from Wikipedia, “In August 2009, Turiaf set up his “Heart to Heart” Foundation to provide medical care to children who do not have health insurance and cannot afford the care they need.” Turiaf began paying it forward after his retirement.

NBA Europe 

Speaking of the Lakers comes this brief bit of news I found quite interesting. We discussed NBA Europe and the indication the league will begin play in the fall of 2027. The news report indicated the league was seeking owners for its franchises and the Buss name made the news. As most are aware the late Dr. Jerry Buss purchased the Lakers and they remained in the family after his death with daughter Jeanie heading operations. A little over a year ago the Buss family sold the team to Mark Walter of TWG Global a diversified holding company.

Jeanie remained in the role of NBA Governor despite last year’s sale. Regardless of the fact the Lakers are now in the hands of a new ownership group it appears the family is not out of the basketball business altogether. Joey and Jesse Buss brothers of Jeanie have placed an ownership bid to purchase the London franchise. Locating a team in the capital of the nation should prove interesting from several aspects. I’ve read (and maybe you as well) basketball is not as popular in England as teams on the continent, perhaps the indirect connection to the NBA will grow the game. Check you “Why UK is So Bad At Basketball” from The Hoop Files on YouTube.

What’s the best path

As we’ve discussed the college basketball landscape is ever evolving. Almost immediately after the end of the college season a significant number of athletes announce they are transferring to other institutions. With the advent of portal transfer and immediate eligibility we’ve seen an increasing number decide the “fit” at a particular school is not good for them. In checking the resume of several players it is not unusual to discover by their junior year they have played at three schools. Of course the chief reason portal players have become so important there is little if any lag time. Unlike a former high school senior making the leap to Division I it’s quite different.

Portal players have experienced one to three years of collegiate play, there is still adjustment required but nothing close to what an incoming freshman player might face. With that said how about recruiting high school talent, does it remain paramount for coaches? Only a coach can truly answer that question however my belief is simple, it’s a 50-50 proposition. A coach needs to place equal value in both areas of recruiting, portal and high school. I have been an advocate for a commissioner of college sports for a time, one person at the top will not resolve all the ills of college sports however it can began a very serious study on how to fix stuff. That’s one area not presently being covered in my opinion, what do you think?

A basketball fan’s perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

Who’s at the top now

Marcus Spears Jr. was the number one prospect in the Class of 2027. As noted here and in other accounts Spears Jr. reclassified and is now headed to the University of Texas next month, who takes his place in the top position now you ask? Well it depends on which prospect site you decide to check. Spears Jr. has been replaced by Beckham Black a 6-foot 3 point guard who is playing at Southeastern Prep Academy in Orlando Florida. Black hails from Duncanville Texas in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro.

247 Sports and ESPN place Black in the top slot for 2027 however Rivals has another player in its top position. Rivals ranks CJ Rosser, a 6-foot-9 power forward, as its number one prospect. In an interesting twist, Rosser is Black’s teammate at Southeastern Prep, though he calls Rocky Mount, North Carolina, home. As whether this duo remains in the present position is another matter, classes begin next month, with basketball season soon to follow. There you have it, the top prospect for the Class of 2027, its either Beckham Black or CJ Rosser depending on your source.

I don’t do money

If you’ve read this blog any length of time you are aware of this fact, I don’t do money! Correction, it is a topic from time to time but never from the point of stating an athlete needs to be paid a certain amount, in addition I’ve never stated a team regardless of the sport should pay a specified amount to an individual.  Despite my love affair with basketball those in the NBA are vastly overpaid compared to first responders, medical and law enforcement including educators. This is where I’m headed, Victor Wembanyama signed an extension and essentially left money on the table, i.e., he failed to secure the max of what he could have received.

Plenty of folks have decided “in their minds this sets a dangerous tendency for others in the NBA.” Wemby is not the first athlete to take less money at contract time, we could use Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes as our first example although he is unlikely the first as well. Over his time in the NFL the Chiefs have continued to reward him financially as it seems every season. The Chiefs indicate this tactic has been utilized to allow the team to secure additional talent. This type of financial arrangement was also used in the NBA in the past up to the present, the Spurs Tim Duncan did it so did Dirk Nowitzki of the Mavs. The most recent example to check would be Jalen Brunson, his move in taking less money is reported to have allowed the Knicks to acquire additional talent. The Wemby move is objectionable to former NBA player and current ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins and he's voiced as much. 

Unlike the dinosaur

Science claims a meteorite was responsible for decimating the dinosaur population that once ruled the earth. Fast forward a few million years, we find ourselves at the point of extinction of the Pac-12. A number of teams managed to escape as if a meteorite were about to strike the western portion of the United States. A strange thing occurred with someone or somebody associated with what was left of the Pac-12, “We are not going to become the latest conference to dissolve like the Southwest and Metro Conferences did. We intend to stay and fight” and fight they did, after longtime members such a Southern Cal, UCLA and others departed replacements were located.   

Holdovers Oregon State and Washington State have been joined by Gonzaga, Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, Utah State and Texas State. The revised Pac-12 now has 9 members and though some are referring to the conference as a “mid-major” those words have little meaning to me. I have no intention to project a conference leader, however, it should be pointed out the successful won-loss record of Gonzaga and coach Mark Few. I would be remiss if I failed to mention Boise State as well, they certainly have tasted on court basketball success too. If I overlooked your school forgive me, space and time will not allow me to conduct a deep dive discussion. The Pac-12 ain’t going nowhere and will continue into the future.

Retired numbers

There are several players with retired jerseys despite the fact they never played for that team. As an example you would expect the Bulls to have retired Michael Jordan’s number however the Heat have also retired his jersey. The same could be said for Kobe Bryant, his Laker jersey is retired but so is one the Mavs retired. Pete Maravich has three retired jerseys one each from the Hawks, Jazz and Pelicans, he first played for the Hawks and the Jazz while New Orleans was home, of course he never was a member of the Pelicans.

Wilt Chamberlain also has three retired jerseys however he played for the Warriors, Lakers and Sixers. Oscar Robertson is interesting in that he never played for the Kings yet they retired his number. He was drafted by and spent a major portion of his career playing for the Cincinnati Royals, by the time the team moved to Kansas City becoming the Kings he’d been traded to the Bucks who retired his jersey as well. Bob Lanier, Julius Erving, Clyde Drexler, Charles Barkley and Kareem Abdul Jabbar all have two jerseys retired. They competed as players for each of the teams they represented.  

A basketball fan’s perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

Movin’ On

The headline references a 1978 tune by jazz artist George Duke, it could easily apply to LeBron James as well. LeBron probably saw the handwriting on the wall, the Lakers were moving on from him. I happen to believe it was more an age thing, it certainly wasn’t production, especially in the playoffs. I’ve said over and over never in the history of the game has there been a 41-year old play at the skill level of LeBron James. The Lakers were building for the future, this was a transition to the Lakers becoming Luka Dončić’s team.

Added were Cameron Carr in the 2026 draft, Adou Thiero from 2025 and maybe two-way rookie Arthur Kaluma appear to be the future, the issue of course can these rookies raise their level of play to the NBA. Each of the three appear to have an offensive game, my chief concern do they have a defensive posture? The Lakers are in a “win-now” attitude based on the free agent and trade moves that have been made thus far. I am looking beyond the 2026-27 NBA season, are the trio (and others) prepared for the long haul? With Luka and AR-15 plus others I believe the Lakers have no issue scoring baskets it’s the defense….defense….defense. Can the trio play defense as reserves plus score aiding the team in the tough Western Conference?

This is different

Once the basketball season begins in the fall we’ll see new coaches in unusual positions. Sure they will be head coaches however the location is what is significant in Dallas and Chapel Hill (NC). The Mavs will have a veteran but first time NBA coach….his name Dusty May and he was the head man at the University of Michigan. Although May is a first timer in the NBA as mentioned he’s spent 8 years as a head coach most of it at Florida Atlantic.

A basketball bounces across the floor in the same manner however there is a vast amount of difference between the college and NBA game. North Carolina always hires family but went outside this time hiring Mike Malone former Nuggets coach. Malone has over 20 years of NBA coaching experience with 12 years of it serving as head coach with the Kings and the Nuggets, in 2023 his Nuggets team won the NBA championship. In the case of May and Malone both have extensive coaching experience on their resume. The question, can they translate their college and NBA success to this new venue?

Meanwhile….

NBA fans, don’t be concerned if the names Aaron Nkrumah and Bryce Harris are unfamiliar. Both guards went undrafted in the 2026 NBA Draft, but Nkrumah, from Tennessee State, and Harris, from Howard, signed free-agent deals with Denver and Oklahoma City, respectively. If either earns a roster spot, they will help renew the NBA’s connection to HBCU programs. HBCUs once produced large numbers of NBA players, but over time fewer prospects have developed their basketball skills at those institutions. The last few seasons have seen no NBA players from HBCUs on any NBA roster.

There is frequent discussion about how many NBA players began under Coach Cal. John Calipari has sent numerous players to the league from UMass, Memphis, Kentucky, and now Arkansas, and his long coaching career brings him plenty of attention. Jay Wright, though retired, also built a strong NBA pipeline at Villanova. Knicks Finals MVP Jalen Brunson played for him, as did teammates Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges. Donte DiVincenzo, Collin Gillespie, and Kyle Lowry are also part of a group that referred to Wright as coach. This is not a complete list, but it offers a brief look at Wright, a two-time NCAA championship-winning coach and one I believe could still lead young men if he desired.

It’s just me, as reported here a number of times Jason Crowe Jr. is the second highest rated Mizzou prospect since Michael Porter Jr. arrived at the school back in 2017 as the top prospect in the nation. Based on my belief Crowe Jr. is a one n done athlete I began checking 2027 NBA mock draft sites. They are all over the map, as an example 2-3 mock sites fail to list Crowe Jr. in either the first or second round. I located his name and ranking in several others however, Jeremy Woo ESPN places him number 8 while nbadraft.net has Crowe Jr. at 3. Cameron Salerno cbssports.com specifies him at number 17 while another mock site, nbadraftroom.com fails to list his name but claims and I quote; “he is a possible first round pick.” As a card carrying member of Mizzou Nation it’s likely he returns for his sophomore year….In truth that is only a hope!

Too much….maybe

I’ve covered arena plans throughout the NBA, one of the number of new buildings being planned is in San Antonio. Much of the new construction involving stadiums/arenas says, “we must build an entertainment district surrounding the building.” That will be the case in San Antonio however there is additional information for us outsiders to ponder. Dell Technologies is one of the larger corporations in the world producing computers, printers and associated hardware. Several years ago Michael Dell purchased 10% of the Spurs which is an unknown dollar figure.

The planned arena for the Spurs will be part government and part Spurs ownership to underwrite construction. Recently Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones created a shock when she suggested Dell fund the arena in a substantial manner. I don’t have the amount of money the Spurs plan on providing, this I know, the arena is projected to be in the neighborhood of $1.2 billion. Michael Dell is reported to have a net worth of $249 million, the mayor didn’t indicate she wanted Dell to pay for the entire cost of the construction….she wants him to provide more money. My question for you, do you think the mayor exceeded her authority or do you believe rich people like Dell need to step up and assume responsibility?