A basketball fans perspective

Monday, Wednesday & Friday

“Everything Must Change”

For some who might be unfamiliar the headline is a song title recorded by several artists in the past. The names are known primarily in the jazz field, they include the late Nina Simone, George Benson, Oleta Adams and others. Change must occur in Lakerland as well, LeBron James is headed elsewhere, the belief is probably the Warriors. Let’s check the past, in 2018 when he arrived in Los Angeles LeBron had already punched his ticket to the Naismith Hall of Fame several years earlier. The Lakers one of the premier teams in the NBA were suffering at the time LeBron arrived, they had missed the playoffs six consecutive years.

Play of that type was certainly un-Laker like based on their history. In six seasons of eight with the Lakers they would be a playoff team and they added an NBA championship (2020), LeBron certainly was a key to that championship. There were missteps regarding at least two of the coaches hired at the time LeBron arrived, Frank Vogel who led them to the championship shouldn’t have been fired IMO. Darvin Ham had a winning record but circumstances proved to some in Laker Nation (me included) he needed to be replaced. The jury remains out on JJ Redick whom I believe is a good choice but must prove to everyone else. Here I am going to go fast-forward to the recent playoffs, no Luka and no Reaves, who led the way to the victory over the Rockets, it was 41-year old LeBron James. At the same time, the handwriting was on the wall, apparently the Lakers were looking down the road minus LeBron. A friend called me on Tuesday, he said something like “Did you hear LeBron James is leaving the Lakers?” I informed him the news had made its way to me earlier, he said; “You got a pipeline to the front office?” Of course that is not the case. 

I believe it was more than age, LeBron wore out his welcome in Lakerland. Despite that last statement he will forever be among the Laker favorites for me. I believe it wouldn’t end like this, my hope LeBron Raymone James Sr. would retire a Laker but that would not occur. The window is closing on his hall of fame career and I can state this with conviction, I’ve never witnessed a basketball player his age still resemble the one most of us first witnessed play at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron Ohio all those years ago. To top off his Laker career he would become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.

The house cleaning continues

NBA talent Ja Morant has almost become an afterthought, in 2019 Morant was made the second pick in that year’s draft. Almost immediately he proved his value as he was named Rookie of the Year in the NBA in 2020. Since that year Morant has mostly endured headlines that have a negative tone attached to them. Suspensions, injuries have caused his “star” to become somewhat tarnished. No one but Grizzlies management had a clue as to what was about to unfold. Management had begun moving members of the roster placing them with other teams. The biggest name prior to what you are about to read was Jaren Jackson Jr. The Grizzly Big Man along with three others was traded to the Jazz back in February. 

The team would miss the playoffs and soon after the season ended all sorts of speculation had Morant headed almost everywhere except Memphis. On Monday came unofficial word, Morant had been traded to the Blazers for Jerami Grant and Kris Murray. Despite his talent the number of injuries have severely impacted his career. The injuries are part of the game the suspensions over his career are different. There is no requirement to detail them for you except to state hopefully the trade will work in his favor, notice nowhere did I state he was lacking skill. The injuries are just that, the suspensions are his responsibility to curtail. Now the downside of this move, Dame Lillard remains a talent and is still a member of the Blazers, in addition he and Morant will represent a “small NBA backcourt.”

Deep, deep pockets 

The NBA intends to return to Seattle and also place a team in Las Vegas. For this account, the goings on in Las Vegas will be the focus. A number of you are aware LeBron James had expressed interest at one time of becoming an NBA owner, particularly in Las Vegas. Who are the players wanting to purchase the expansion franchise, well there is Bill Foley who owns the NHL Golden Knights who refer to Las Vegas home. We also have Bob Iger former Disney CEO and Joshua Kushner businessman and venture capitalist plus a guy by the name of Magic Johnson.

These are the reported parties that will vye for the Las Vegas franchise once the NBA performs its due diligence. I uncovered this while surfing the net, “The owners are looking at an expenditure of $7-$10 billion to secure a team.” What continues to amaze me, those individuals who make statements like; “Nobody is watching the NBA” WRONG! Anytime folks want to purchase a team at the figure mentioned they have deep, deep pockets. They could choose to spend their money in a number of other areas. Because I have no ability to see the books I have serious doubts if any NBA owner is “losing” money. By the way, the last communication from the camp of LeBron James indicated he was no longer interested.   

The “other” NBA team  

I realize in a technical sense the Nets can be titled “New York’s other team,” most NBA fans probably believe the Knicks are the only game in town despite the fact the Nets have referred to the Brooklyn borough as home since 2012. The franchise has suffered over the years moving from place to place since the days it first began play in the ABA back in 1967 as the New Jersey Americans. It was believed by some the new Barclays Center plus the prospect of new team in town would endear the Nets to Brooklyn and the other boroughs but alas that appears to not be the case. As an outsider to this subject I believe (and I could be wrong) winning an NBA championship or even playing for one will increase the Nets credibility.

The problem is they haven’t won anything since the glory days of the ABA, they won championships in 1974 and 1976 a long, long time ago. More recently the Nets have experienced three losing seasons consecutively, before that they were on a roller-coaster in the won-loss department. The population of Brooklyn alone (2,600,000) is equivalent to that of the Kansas City MO metro. Part of the problem lies in Manhattan, the team with New York on the front of their jerseys. We might conclude that the Nets will always remain New Yorks “other” team with the built in loyalty of that team. Now with NBA champions in front of their name do the Nets even stand a chance with an above average performance on the court? It’s a genuine problem when the Knicks number one celebrity fan continues to live in Brooklyn, need I say more?

A basketball fans perspective

Monday, Wednesday & Friday

"Take a flyer"

The headline simply implies one is willing to take a chance, the issue could be lucrative, in addition it could blow up in your face. That’s the dilemma I see for the Lakers and the Mitchell Robinson free agent talk. If the Lakers sign him it could result in a championship run, on the other hand based on his injury history it could prove to be an issue. In all likelihood according to owner James Dolan the Knicks intend to remain competitive without exceeding their recommended cap.

As for Robinson the Knicks are not going to re-sign him despite his contributions during their NBA championship run. The talk of him heading west and to the Lakers is bothersome to me and in a rare instance this time it’s got nothing to do with money. Truth is there are so many questions for me regarding Robinson becoming a Laker, as I wrote recently I’ve followed his basketball journey since his high school days in Louisiana. Robinson appears to be the last of the good guys, he performs his role in the manner his coach desires. As for the issues, check this out below.

1. He’s been a reserve player throughout his brief NBA career. 

2. Robinson is the poorest free throw shooter in the NBA, “Hack-a-Mitch” has become common.

3. A injury history, Robinson has missed parts of seasons throughout his NBA career.

4. He’s got an exceedingly high foul rate.

There is more to the story

Anytime conversation surrounded the Big 12 it was said; “Yes, Roy Williams, Bill Self and Kansas basketball.” It was domination of the conference, I’m unsure of the number without looking it up, Kansas won the regular conference season maybe 7 or 8 consecutive times. During that period, the school sent a number of players into the NBA, that was then, this is now, domination of the conference has changed. Kansas basketball remains just as viable, as evidence the 2026 draft saw Darryn Peterson chosen as the second best player in the recent NBA draft. In addition note the top high school prospect in the Class of 2026 Tyran Stokes will attend Kansas in the fall. Counting last season and this one the top potential talent in the nation both years said, “I’m choosing Kansas,” but that’s only part of the story.

For maybe the third season in a row Bill Self’s squad managed to finish out of first place in the conference. Two more recent developments changed the landscape: current Big 12 schools hired coaches who recruited aggressively, helping redirect many of those programs. The second, adding additional competitive schools to the conference, Arizona, Houston and others arrived with aggressive basketball programs. The proof as they say is in the production, catch this next portion out. You need go no further than check out the first round of the 2026 NBA draft. 9 of the first 30 players chosen came from Kansas, BYU, Arizona, Iowa State and Baylor. Based on my area of the nation I read and heard plenty of comments from Jayhawk Nation. A number of the Kansas faithful fail to take into account the basketball is as driven as its always been, the overall balance of the conference has become so much better than once existed in the recent past.

Guardians of the Galaxy

In keeping  with the alien theme a.k.a. Victor Wembanyama that’s where the headline came about. It was clear watching the finals the Spurs lost due to no Wemby being on the floor at times. Allow a further explanation, they were losers due to little backup for Wemby. The Spurs have attempted to address the issue in the defensive and offensive areas. With pick 20 in the first round of the NBA draft they chose Jayden Quaintance from Kentucky, he’s a 6-foot 9 253 pound bruiser. Quaintance blocks shots, rebounds the ball and can score baskets when called on. There is a downside to his story, there is a question on surgery which might prevent him from play until late January.

As this is written that is an unknown for now so we must adopt a wait and see on this development. In that same round and pick 26 the Nuggets chose 6-foot 11 260 pound Tarris Reed Jr. from UConn, his draft rights would be conveyed to the Nuggets in a trade. Reed Jr. has a better offensive game than Quaintance however he knows the defensive side of the court playing for UConn coach Bobby Hurley. A bit of irony, Quaintance wears number 21, he indicated the Spurs said no way are we issuing that jersey number to you. A short time later I realized that number belonged to All-Time Spurs great Tim Duncan. There were two additional picks however I wanted to profile the two early picks. I believe they were selected based on the outcome of the 2026 NBA Finals and the fact the Spurs aspire to get advance their game. Of course the only method is to surround Wemby with more physical talent.  

Remain unchanged and lose your place

The news indicate the Lakers have begun negotiations with LeBron James. He’s only one of several off season issues the team faces. It’s not all doom and gloom, the Lakers won their playoff series against the Rockets. Later they would succumb to the youth and athleticism of the Thunder and you heard it from Magic Johnson. “Lakers great Magic Johnson says the team needs to become younger and more athletic in order to compete for the NBA championship.”

For me that says move on from LeBron despite his value to the Lakers but there is more. As this is written there are only two “keepers” (besides Dončić) in my view, it’s okay if you disagree with my assessment. I foresee Rui Hachimura especially based on his playoffs (17.5 ppg & 56.9% from three) and Jaxson Hayes earning positions. If you’ve read me for a time you are aware I wasn’t sold on Hayes after his prior season, his backup work plus his improved paring with Dončić says keep me. I’d love for Austin Reaves to return but based on his asking price can the Lakers afford him? Deandre Ayton in the post makes my list for a different reason, his up and down play all season is a serious concern for me. When he was good he was very good….when he was bad….no need to go any further.

If the Lakers are to compete they certainly require more than three players on the roster however Dončić, Hachimura and Hayes are the only guarantees for me. I forgot that there would be a fourth on the roster, the rookie chosen on draft night. On draft night Cameron Carr was selected, a day later the Lakers managed to sign a number of undrafted athletes. Truth be told that most of them for Summer League play, a few will divide their time between the G-League and parent club. The early indications are they are athletic and defensive minded, what does that say? I have no idea at this point who stays and who goes, looking strictly at the age question they are definitely younger, are they more athletic is yet to be determined.

A basketball fans perspective

Monday, Wednesday & Friday

I’m from Missouri, you’ve got to Show Me

The 2026 NBA draft progressed smoothly until pick number 24….at least for me. Pick 24 was the Lakers choice late in the first round. A few of the names I hope the Lakers would take were chosen, as the draft began moving toward the pick the concern level would slowly rise for me. Then the confusion, the Lakers were picking 23 with a pending trade. The commissioner announced the name Cameron Carr, a name familiar to me and one I’d seen him in action for Baylor, the State of Missouri sits smack dab in the middle of Big 12 country. Carr is a 6-foot 5 184 pound guard who can play, the problem, this was not the choice I expected based on the needs I believe the Lakers were required to address. Well it really doesn’t matter what I think, several .com sites rate the pickup of Carr as excellent.

The main reason I write so highly is what was uncovered. The grading system for these sites gave the Lakers two A’s, two A minuses and two B pluses is what I discovered on six .com sites. Let’s conduct a further look at Carr and his potential, his height and weight were mentioned earlier how about the other aspects. “According to scouting platforms like Bleacher Report and ESPN, Carr projects cleanly as an off-ball, microwave-scoring threat. However, his passing limitations and physical frame mean he will likely start his rookie season in a lower-usage role while building muscle.” According to reports the NBA comparison for Carr is veterans Zach LaVine and Devin Vassell. I have presented the good and bad of Cameron Carr, only time will tell if he is the answer the Lakers are seeking, in the meantime my hope remains for a quality Big Man.

Meanwhile….

As its often been stated, “Timing is everything,” so is it fair as basketballnetwork.com has done. Recently they profiled Karl-Anthony Towns, they said; “He becomes the 4th former Wolves player to win a championship after leaving Minnesota.” KAT joins Kevin Love, Andrew Wiggins and The Big Ticket Kevin Garnett. I happen to believe it was more than timing, it was also “right place and right time” as well. KAT didn’t win right away, this was his second year with the Knicks. In my view he was in the right place last season as a member of the Knicks. The timing part was the Knicks hiring a new coach in Mike Brown and the right time became 2026. It’s your privilege to disagree with my assessment but this is what I believe. As for the others named perhaps there were additional elements at work that might have contributed to these former Wolves players becoming NBA champions.

It’s time to move on from Spurs guard DeAaron Fox, this has little to do with his subpar Finals performance although that certainly is a consideration. Before I delve into the why….a bit more detail is provided. I believe Fox is an above average NBA guard, despite my statement I am unsure if he’s valuable enough to pay him max money. That’s the path the Spurs must take if they intend to re-sign him….but wait there is more. Waiting anxiously to replace him is Dylan Harper, you remember him don’t you? Harper had an outstanding playoff series even in the Finals providing us proof that the bright lights didn’t faze this rookie performer. Pay careful attention to the Spurs front office over the summer for movement of some type.

Several years ago it was someone’s decision (I’m unsure who) to change the team sports name from University of MO-Kansas City to Kansas City. It was said those around the nation would be able to better identify with the basketball played here. Well that subject can be debated however the coach hired back in February provides proof that change is in the air. The administration by signing veteran coach Mark Turgeon detailed the intent to turn toward a new direction. Now before someone might be confused by my statement winning games has always been the goal, the lack of success became difficult for alumni, students and boosters to comprehend. As for Turgeon it appears his desire is to raise the level of play in the Summit League going forward. The coach has hit the ground running, I’m unsure what to expect this upcoming season although I believe play will show improvement.

Where does he go from here

The Spurs’ Finals loss raised plenty of questions for both the team and Victor Wembanyama. I don’t believe the sky is falling for San Antonio or Wemby, but changes are needed if they expect to compete at a higher level into the future. Some of that improvement must come from Wemby himself, while the rest must come from the Spurs’ front office. For Wemby, continued strength training is essential to his further development. He has already worked in that area, but there were moments when his 235-pound frame made it difficult for him to hold position on the block. In the Finals he appeared to labor in the middle of the third quarter on in several of the games.

The Spurs also need a physical presence alongside him. Luke Kornet is a solid backup center, but he does not fill the role of a heavyweight protector. Wemby will continue to face tough matchups throughout his career, and he needs a bruiser to aid his cause. Finally, Wemby must develop a stronger low-post game, his three-point shot is adequate for a Big Man, but depending on the defense, a 10- to 15-foot shot is usually more reliable than one from 20 to 23 feet. I’m not suggesting he become Shaq in the paint or Kareem with the skyhook; I’m thinking more along the lines of Hakeem Olajuwon’s “Dream Shake.” Wemby had a strong overall playoff series, in 22 games it was shooting nearly 49% from the floor with 34% of it from three and 85% from the free throw line. There were 11 rebounds, nearly 4 blocks along with a 24 ppg average in those games played. “I found myself rooting for Wemby, who reminds me a little of myself at that age”….Kareem Abdul Jabbar. NOTE: It appears based on the draft moves the Spurs are seeking “protection” for Wemby and to dish out some punishment.

A basketball fans perspective

Monday, Wednesday & Friday

NBA draft, youth will be served

“With the first pick in the 2026 NBA draft the Washington Wizards select AJ Dybantsa from BYU,” with those words commissioner Adam Silver kicked off the start of the 2026 NBA draft night activities. This account only covers those athletes chosen as lottery picks (first 14). The second pick chosen could be a surprise, on the other hand maybe not. With the second pick the Utah Jazz selected Darryn Peterson from Kansas, there was conversation these two might be reversed however that would not be the case. At three the Memphis Grizzlies chose Cameron Boozer who played at Duke, up next was the Bulls and they selected Caleb Wilson from North Carolina.

They were selections by the Clippers, Nets, Kings and Hawks, who chose Keaton Wagler, Mikel Brown Jr. Darius Acuff Jr and Kingston Flemings. They played at Illinois, Louisville, Arkansas and Houston. With pick nine the Mavs and new head coach Dusty May selected Morez Johnson Jr. At ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen and fourteen we saw Brayden Burries, Yaxel Lendeborg, Aday Mara, Nate Ament and Hannes Steinbach who close out the lottery portion of the draft. A few additional notes, the first eight picks were all freshman that’s why I said youth will be served. Keaton Wagler was not a Top 100 prospect from high school and this college freshman finds himself the fifth pick in the 2026 NBA draft. Darius Acuff Jr. and the late Pete Maravich are the only two in SEC history to lead the conference in scoring and assists.

There might be an issue

LeBron James has made it known that after he retires his desire is to own an NBA team, in addition he wanted that franchise to be in Las Vegas. As you are aware earlier in spring the NBA announced plans to explore adding two franchises, one to be located in Seattle and the other in Las Vegas. On Monday came this bit of news, Bill Foley owner of the NHL Golden Knights announced he would be a bidder for a Las Vegas team.

Foley has a net worth of $2.6 billion and besides his NHL ownership also possesses several other sports franchises. According to reports the price for the Las Vegas and Seattle franchises are stated to be in the neighborhood of $7 billion to $10 billion. Foley indicates if he is the owner his plans are for the team to play in T-Mobile Arena, the building which opened in 2016 seats 18,000 spectators. The question now becomes how LeBron James and his team will manage to respond to this breaking news. Naturally, I intend to follow this story with interest.

It’s now official

Fresh off Dusty May’s NCAA win at Michigan another move has occurred for him. This move is a slight bit different because it leaves a number of players in its wake. May has been hired as the Mavs new coach replacing Jason Kidd, as most are aware besides the NCAA championship won at Michigan he was also successful at Florida Atlantic. Despite the accolades there is a downside to this hire, sorry I am forced to mention it but a small number of college coaches have managed to attain success in the NBA. There is that issue than the other….the players remaining at Michigan May recruited. Without checking I am sure May began recruiting portal players and high school talent to aid the school’s effort in the 2026-27 Big 10 schedule. This is a two-fold approach, what occurs for those athletes May added to the roster?

Shouldn’t the school release them immediately if they desire to play elsewhere, the same would apply to portal transfers. There is part I of this breaking news story, part II is slightly more difficult to determine. As mentioned when this account was first begun how about college coaches and their NBA resumes? The chief reason the NBA fails to look at colleges is the low success rate. We could use Billy Donovan as an example, outstanding college coach at Florida, average NBA coach. Brad Stevens appeared successful however the Celtics “kicked” him upstairs to a front office role before we could determine how good he might have become. Those are the most recent examples I can think of from memory but I hope this is not considered a doom and gloom report. On the surface May appears to have all the tools for success, the question can he translate that success to an NBA team? The question will require time in order to provide an answer.

I agree with him

Over and over I have attempted to reinforce the opinions expressed in this blog are mine alone. They are influenced at times by what I read or hear on radio/television. My hope is to never spread false or misleading information regarding anything or anyone. Recently I watched a portion of ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith’s podcast, in it he (imagine this) was critical of some of the podcasters that have come about many on social media. This is one of those rare instances I agree with him. Anyone paying attention to the recently concluded playoffs are aware Dylan Harper should probably be starting for the Spurs. Mitch Johnson chose a different path for this combo guard.

This podcasters headline read: “Dylan Harper is fed up with the San Antonio Spurs.” He goes into detail indicating “Dylan Harper’s growth is being stunted sitting behind DeAaron Fox.” Despite my disagreement with the tone  the podcaster had nothing but praise for the Spurs guard, most of what he stated in his video I agree with. The portion that causes me concern, who is this podcaster and what are his credentials? You might ask the same question about me and that’s okay, my bio is included on the front page. Off the Dribble is written from a fan’s perspective….not an expert. I realize you find a portion of this amusing me agreeing with Stephen A. Smith. There is an old saying “A broken clock tells the correct time twice a day.”

Basketball fans perspective

Monday, Wednesday & Friday

Welcome to summer

June 21 marks the first day of summer, and this is the first summer edition of Off the Dribble. Publishing on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, I hope to cover as much basketball news and information as possible without much delay. With that said, I have this matter for many of you. If you enjoy the blog, please share the link (https://larry-laker.blogspot.com) with family or friends who might enjoy it as well. Thank you in advance.

There is more to the game

In one of those numerous basketball discussions we often hold this subject came up. Whenever the game is discussed we always want to know “How many points did Jalen Brunson/Wemby/KAT score.” We realize defense is important but it’s often overlooked in these discussions of a particular game. A player likely to be drafted tomorrow night has limited offensive skills but boy does he make up for it with other aspects of his game. A bleacherreport.com account claims “Ugonna Onyenso is a mobile shot-blocker who covers ground quickly and can make plays outside his immediate area.” Reading that I’m sold on the 6-foot 11 inch 245-pound Onyenso who finished his college at the University of Virginia.

Born in Nigeria he began play at the NBA Academy in Senegal and later attended the Putnam Academy in Connecticut. Onyenso spent one year at Kentucky, Kansas State and Virginia before declaring for the NBA draft. He was one of 73 players invited to the NBA Combine in Chicago where he displayed his shot-blocking skill and physical profile. This is the disclaimer on my part, its clear to me Onyenso must be drafted or signed as a free agent by the “right team.” A team expecting him to be the next Embiid or Wemby will be in for a rude awaking, he ain’t that guy. If you are looking for a lob threat and capable defender Onyenso is your man, he will score for you on occasion but that is not his primary skill. Just in case he’s not drafted late in the first round or perhaps in the second round expect to see a free-agent signing by some team.

Do you believe him….sorry, I don’t!

I hesitate to write this for fear some of you will become upset. Okay, I’m going to take a chance anyway, you either accept it or reject it. Does anyone pay attention to stuff ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith says? This is not just lately but going into his past, at least one of the tales he spins is difficult for the most die heart fans of his to maybe believe. I hope you remember the story, in any event I will relay it to you. This revolves around the basketball exploits of SAS and the legendary Clarence “Big House” Gaines, he coached Winston-Salem State basketball for 47-years. In any event lets set the stage, for sake of this discussion the fall of 1986 would have been SAS’s first year. The story he details for us the claim he and a friend traveled from New York City to Winston-Salem North Carolina arriving on a Sunday for a tryout for the basketball team.  

Some mysterious person who remains unidentified to this date “persuaded” Big House Gaines on a Sunday no less to check out this young basketball prodigy. SAS after demonstrating his passing skills the coach requested he display his shooting skill. According to the info provided by him he sank jumper after jumper evidently impressing the coach. After his tryout he was offered a basketball scholarship but later an injured knee requiring surgery changed his basketball journey, he was unable to return to the form he previously demonstrated. His bio takes a strange turn here, while still a member of the team he wrote an article for the student newspaper claiming Big House should retire based on health issues. But wait, there is more at least 5 former teammates have indicated SAS was indeed a member of the team however he saw no action due to his injury. So what’s the verdict….does his story appear valid to you? It sounds suspect to me on so many levels.

We are there

Every year at this time the NBA holds its annual draft, a number of teams hope they are choosing the next MJ or perhaps the next Cooper Flagg or Wemby. The scouting staffs have done their  job, they have traveled all over the nation and world in an attempt to uncover that hidden gem. A few NBA playoff teams believe they will secure a Dylan Harper or someone near the Spurs guards ability. Many of the teams at the bottom of the standings desire that one player to raise the level of play and allow them to compete successfully. We can also explore rookie free agents, some players (Austin Reaves) preferred to choose which team they want to unite with.

In the case of Reaves its proven quite lucrative and will again once he signs with the Lakers are elsewhere. Lu Dort of the Thunder went undrafted and has proven to be a valuable asset for the Thunder, the same could be said for the Raptors and Rockets Fred VanVleet. In the past we could mentioned retired players such as Udonis Haslem, Bruce Bowen and Ben Wallace. Each of them had a long and storied NBA career. As for others it’s an attempt to improve the team through NBA free agency, teams can begin negotiations on June 30, on July 6 they can begin signing many of those free agents but this can be misleading for some. NBA teams can sign their own free agents to higher salaries and longer contracts than other teams can offer. There is little basketball played with the exception of Summer League but numerous business is being conducted during this period.

A basketball fans perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

The decision

With the conclusion of the NBA championship a lesser amount of basketball activity remains for the balance of summer, based on this fact there will be changes in the publication dates. For the duration of the summer the schedule will be Monday, Wednesday and Friday publishing dates. At an undetermined date in mid-September Off the Dribble will return to a full publishing schedule Monday through Friday. I appreciate you loyal readers for sticking with me over time.

Here we go again

This time the conspiracy theory comes from former Piston Bad Boy Isiah Thomas. He claims (without offering us any proof) the NBA is “attempting” to make Victor Wembanyama the face of the NBA. In a basketballnetwork.net story, Zeke claimed during the period Michael Jordan played the NBA made him the face of the league. Time out….as with most issues Thomas and others are entitled to their opinion regarding a matter. His belief the NBA is viewing Wemby as the face of the NBA is impossible to prove. As for the MJ thing, for reasons most of them unknown Jordan lives rent free in Zeke’s mind.

I could make a similar statement regarding Magic and Zeke, the two were described by the media to be best friends at one point. This belief existed despite the fact they played on teams that were fiercely competing for NBA domination at the time. Since their playing days ended the friendship that previously existed between Magic and Zeke has all but disappeared and for reasons unknown. As for Zeke and MJ apparently a friendship never existed only a rivalry, with that said change eventually occurred. The MJ Bulls outshined the Zeke led Pistons and perhaps that’s where this conspiracy theory might have begun, it appears to be old fashion bad blood between Zeke and MJ.

It’s been awhile, for others it’s a never

This is written ahead of the conclusion of the Knicks-Spurs series, if the Knicks won it this will be their first NBA championship since 1973 (56 years). They played in the 1999 Finals however the Spurs won the championship that year. There are several teams that have a longer drought than the Knicks, for example the Kings last won an NBA championship two cities ago, they were the Rochester (NY) Royals back then 75 years ago (1951). Sacramento is home at present but the franchise also had stops in Cincinnati and Kansas City prior to its latest home.

In 1958 the St. Louis Hawks interrupted the NBA championship winning streak of Bill Russell’s Celtics, that was 68 years ago. Later the franchise would move to its present home in Atlanta Georgia. The remaining NBA teams have never won a championship and the years of their existence is adjacent, Phoenix Suns (58 years), Los Angeles Clippers (56 years) and their previous incarnation the San Diego Clippers and the Buffalo Braves when they came into the NBA. We close this exercise with the Charlotte Hornets, this franchise has operated for 36 years. There are other franchises without championship on their resume however they are nowhere near the drought of the teams noted.  NOTE: Of course the Knicks did win and are 2026 NBA champions.

 Generational talent: Part Deux

99% of you reading this are aware Cooper Flagg was named NBA Rookie of the Year. The NBA began awarding the honor to a rookie after the 1952-53 season, in that length of time a great number of players have displayed their basketball ability. A few of those names who landed have been deemed generational i.e., they brought a unique skill set into the NBA. That is the case for Flagg, all aspects of his game are light years ahead of several grizzly veterans but the 19-year old Flagg is not alone. Prior to Flagg’s entrance into the NBA came another generational player. Appearing before Flagg was now 22-year old Victor Wembanyama, LeBron James hung “The Alien” tag on Wemby because he too does stuff few players his age have been able to accomplish and he’s only in year four.

These two are not alone there have been others, in 1956 the St. Louis Hawks drafted Bill Russell but traded him to the Celtics. With the Celtics Russell became the driving force to multiple championships with his defensive prowess. A few years later Wilton Felton Chamberlain was drafted by the Philadelphia Warriors and the NBA would never be the same, his game might have supplanted Russell’s in that he was a scoring machine who could play defense too. The 100 point game Chamberlain scored against the Knicks in 1962 remains the single game scoring record….but wait there are more. Michael Jordan was a different kind of cat, for me it was his will to win at all cost. A standout game for me was Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals against Utah. He was dehydrated and had food poison symptoms yet played 44 minutes leading the way to victory with 38 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists. Next we arrive at LeBron James, he was fully a man at 6-foot 8 and 245 pounds at the time his hometown Cavs (technically) drafted him straight from high school. He set a standard which will never be duplicated by another four NBA championships on his resume.

The next name will surprise some and they might question why I’m including Shaquille O’Neal as one of my generational players but there is a basis. 7-foot 1 350 plus pounds, no one ever played the power game in the manner of Shaq. Steph Curry might have a bunch of nicknames, mine is “Lights out,” no one ever in the history of the game shot the ball from distance like Curry. I informed a friend 5-10 years ago I’d see Curry shoot from distance and believe….that ball will find the bottom of the net. A number of NBA All Pro’s considered generational were left off my list. The only explanation I can provide they missed the cut but barely, who are they? Kobe Bean Bryant, Oscar Robertson, Larry Bird are just a few of the names. 

A basketball fans perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

Nunca

If you’ve read Off the Dribble any length of time you are aware of my belief. The Lakers require a legitimate Big Man in the middle, they don’t need him to score simply do those things which make for quality play at the five position. I thought at one point Deandre Ayton might be the answer but his inconsistent play has become a concern for me. As this is written I remain unsure if the Lakers intend to resolve this issue in the 2026 NBA draft, in the meantime allow me to explain what I don’t want.

This story emanated from a Laker fan website so it’s certainly not set in stone by any means, this .com site indicated the team should take a thorough look at Knicks center Mitchell Robinson. Now this requires a second look, I first became aware of Robinson while he was still in high school, the numbers he displayed gave me the impression he was a walking double-double. I speculated that type of play would continue once Robinson enrolled at Western Kentucky. He never played, he withdrew as a freshman and prepared himself for the June NBA draft. In 2018 he was chosen in the second round by the Knicks where he’s become a capable defender. The offensive game he exhibited in high school never materialized at the NBA level, in addition we discovered he is a horrible free throw shooter.

In all his years as a Knick Robinson remains a capable but backup post player despite the fact missing games due to injury, despite these issues change is in the air. Robinson is a pending free agent who the Lakers should look at according to this site. From my perspective please no, the Knicks need to pay him and he should remain on the east coast and not the west. Espero que él permanezca en Nueva York y nunca en Los Ángeles. Much later you will come across a more detailed assessment of what the Laker roster as I believe it should appear for next season.

Dropped in out of the sky

Keaton Wagler’s former high school Shawnee Mission Northwest is a 20 minute drive from my home. The reason why I am providing the information is simple, most of us in the Kansas City metro had never heard of Wagler. We were unfamiliar with his name until he burst on the national scene at Illinois. The youngster will be an NBA lottery pick soon after his freshman year at Illinois, what occurred before this? There is no indication the 6-foot 6 inch 185 pound combo guard distinguished himself at Shawnee Mission Northwest except he was rated a 4-star prospect.

There were offers for Wagler to attend and play basketball, for the most part they were from smaller schools across the nation. I’m unsure how Illinois came into the picture but that would be the school of choice. He made the Big Ten All Freshman Team and was Big Ten Freshman of the Year, in addition First-team All-Big Ten, Second Team-All American. Wagler topped off his outstanding 2026 being named the Jerry West Award winner. So how did Wagler move from an unknown to a possible NBA lottery pick in 2026? We know this for sure, he didn’t drop in out of the sky. I’m sure hard work plus talent and the fact he was a late bloomer is really the why.

Historic events

Over the course of time many world events and those in this nation have stood out for a variety of reasons. The world of sports is no different, these occurrences have often been so earth-shattering they changed the course of history. One of those events I’d like to point out occurred March 19, 1966, Texas Western (now UTEP) won the NCAA men’s championship 72-65. The significance of the event, many schools in the deep south were yet to integrate their sports programs.

The University of Kentucky basketball roster that year was all-white, not a single black player on the roster. On the other hand the Texas Western team did include white players however the championship game would witness 5 black players matched against 5 white players. Unlike other schools in the deep south prior to Don Haskins arrival Texas Western had recruited and their lineup contained black players. What you are about to read further is from Wikipedia not me. “Later asked about his decision to start five African American players Haskins downplayed the significance of his decision. “I really didn’t think about starting five black guys. I just wanted to put my five best guys on the court,” Haskins was later quoted as saying. “I just wanted to win that game.”

Of course in winning “that game” as he stated the basketball landscape of the nation would later change. In 1969 Adolph Rupp longtime Kentucky coach added the first black player to his team, other schools throughout the south began recruiting black athletes for their programs. Sometimes history is influenced by those who simply believe the best course of action is to win. That might have been the case for the late Don Haskins, he wanted to win not realizing his accomplishment would help change the course of American history and basketball.

A basketball fans perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

It’s that time of the year

Most reporting doesn’t stop completely; instead, it sometimes shifts to a slower pace. That is the case with basketball, the NCAA championship concluded the first Monday in April, the Michigan Wolverines won the Division I Championship 69-63 over the UConn Huskies April 6. The order for the NBA draft lottery was outlined for the 30 members, all that remains is for the draft to occur. June 13, the New York Knicks won the NBA championship over the Spurs 4 games to 1. On Tuesday, June 23 and Wednesday, June 24 the draft will occur at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. As the calendar turns to July NBA Summer League play begins (July 9-July 19). NBA fans will have an opportunity to see a number of those drafted in action on their new teams.

Moving into August, the 14th through the 16th activities related to enshrinement in the Naismith Hall of Fame will occur. Saturday August 15th the Enshrinement Ceremony will occur in Springfield MA. Although generally at work already, the fourth week of September will witness college basketball players begin official practice. NBA training camps officially open in late September. My plan was to provide you some detail over the summer months ahead. There will be a smaller number of events to cover which calls for Off the Dribble to begin a reduced publishing schedule. As this is written I’m thinking twice a week published dates however the days is yet to be determined. As I close this is my hope you remain faithful during this time of the reduced publication. Beginning in mid-September a 5-day a week schedule will be implemented.

Chip(s) off the old block

Spurs guard Dylan Harper has played outstanding basketball during his rookie season, his sparkling play continued into the playoffs. A number of you reading this account might remember his father Ron Harper, the father had a long and distinguished 15-year career playing for the Cavs, Clippers, Bulls and Lakers. “A devastating knee injuries (particularly a major ACL tear in the early 1990s) fundamentally altered his NBA trajectory, transforming him from a high-flying, explosive 20-point-per-game scorer into a vital, defensive-minded orchestrator who won five NBA championships.” The championships won by Ron occurred while he was a remember the Bulls and Lakers. Injuries made him a single digit scorer for the balance of his NBA career after the 1995-96 season.

As for the other chip, it’s his mom Maria Harper, she played Division I basketball at the University of New Orleans. She was Dylan’s coach from elementary school through high school at Don Bosco Prep, that driving ability….thanks to mom. She would allow her son to shoot jump shots a youth. Seeing Dylan in action we see evidence of the game his father displayed and the tutoring of his mom. Proof of his significance to the Spurs, the 6-foot 5 215 pound guard is the first reserve off Mitch Johnson’s bench. Currently DeAaron Fox is blocking Harper’s path toward a starting role, at some future date Dylan will move and began playing starter minutes. Dylan played his freshman season at Rutgers University and was a teammate of Ace Bailey of the Jazz.

They are not returning  

It’s apparent the NBA not only has an issue with returning to Kansas City but that is the case for St. Louis as well. A brief look back at the history, the Milwaukee Hawks moved to the city in 1955 where they remained until their 1968 move to Atlanta. In between there were a few high water marks, the 1958 team ended the Celtics streak of championships although it would continue the following year. Bob Pettit remains with us at the age of 93, he is enshrined in the Naismith and College Basketball Hall of Fame. The history indicates the Hawks owner wanted a new arena which the city never complied. The NHL might have been indirectly responsible for the demise of the Hawks. The arrival of expansion Blues and their success on the ice indirectly led to the Hawks departure for Atlanta. The Hawks made a decision that would likely haunt them for years much earlier.

This from AI Overview: “While the racial climate of St. Louis and the Hawks’ lack of Black players contributed to their willingness to let him go, the Hawks did not technically “pass” on Bill Russell; they drafted him (1956). They immediately traded him to the Boston Celtics in a pre-arranged deal for white stars Ed Macauley and Cliff Hagan.” Years later there would be an issue at the time the Grizzlies planned move from Vancouver Canada. Bill Laurie, who owned the Blues (yes, the hockey team) had an agreement in place to purchase the Grizzlies until then NBA commissioner David Stern stepped in. The basis for voiding the sale. according to the NBA, a requirement existed that an expansion team remain in its original location five years. After the proposed sale was rejected Michael Hensley stepped in purchased the franchise kept it in Vancouver for one more season before moving it to Memphis after entertaining several other locations. There’s been no serious St. Louis effort since 2001 and that is likely to remain for the immediate future.

“Sore loser”

There are occasions members of the media might report an incident without being aware of the fact this was not the first time an incident of this type may have occurred. The person reporting the story is too young, the previous time a similar incident occurred was prior to their birth or when they were in their youth. On the other hand they could have just forgotten the incident had occurred previously. I am guessing one of those scenarios would be the case for ESPN NBA analyst Alan Hahn. After the NBA championship was resolved Wembanyama left the court without acknowledging the fact.

Hahn referred to Wemby as a "sore loser" because he didn't shake hands with Jalen Brunson at the conclusion of Game 5. How about a little NBA history for Hahn and those who might unfamiliar with two events from the past, here goes, in 1988 most of the Celtics left the floor without shaking hands after losing a 7th game to the Pistons. Three years later (1988) Isiah Thomas led most of those same Pistons off the floor after being swept by Michael Jordan and the Bulls. Wemby should have acknowledged Brunson and the Knicks’ win, but he didn’t. I’m not making excuses for any player’s actions, but I also don’t agree with Hahn’s view that his action makes Wemby a bad guy. I just love the reaction of Hahn and others in the media, it sure would be ideal if they could transport themselves into the shoes of Wemby (and others).

A basketball fans perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

First choice or last….does it matter

I have no method of verifying this account one way or another, a writer claimed Mike Brown was not the first choice as coach of the Knicks. Does that really matter, this I believe to be true he will never have to pay for a meal in New York City again. Brown has proven he can coach, however, a couple of stops where he was fired have hung like a millstone around his neck. In Cleveland with LeBron and his stop at the time he was head coach of the Kings. What is most interesting about the time spent in Sacramento this little jewel. The team went 16 consecutive seasons missing the playoffs before Brown led them to a berth in the 2022-23 season.

Consider this, Brown is an NBA championship coach 18 months after the Kings fired him. How many active coaches are NBA champions, I will save you time it’s seven, Mark Daigneault with the Thunder was added last season becoming number six and Brown this month makes the count seven. One of the most difficult tasks in life is to never lose faith in yourself. I’m really unsure how Brown accomplished this but consider the fact, he was fired at Cleveland, fired at the Lakers and fired at the Kings. Was New York the last gasp of hope for a job, probably not. See he’d been an assistant on Steve Kerr’s staff and was a 4-time winning NBA championship coach. So we have the brief account of Mike Brown who should never pay for a meal in New York City again, do you hear me New Yorkers?

I plead guilty

Quite often I will mention a headline to my wife, she then says, “What about ________________ and _________.” I am then forced to confess I didn’t read the article only the headline. That is the case with the story I’m about to convey to you. A well-known celebrity who claims to be a Knicks fan was critical of another well-known celebrity attending the Finals. I thought for a moment this is interesting because I’ve never seen this particular celebrity offering the critical commentary on my television screen.

On the other hand I can say in truth I haven’t seen every Knicks game from MSG however I have seen a significant number. Despite that fact it seems the television camera almost always provides us video of Spike Lee, he’s the only celebrity who always appears at Knick games. This made for a larger question, who are you….a bandwagon fan someone who only follows a team when they attain success? On the other hand you could be the fan who sticks with the team through the good and bad times. This is the truth, I once held a discussion along these lines who is your favorite team or which one do you follow? The answer, “I followed the Bulls until Michael Jordan retired.” My thought, you are no fan of the Bulls your interest lies strictly with the play of Michael Jordan. My point is simple, its far easier to follow and root for a team when they taste success, I imagine over the next few weeks and months we’ll see a legion of folks emerge pledging their loyalty to the Knicks.

In this instance I wonder who’s been there since 1973, I’m sure quite a few excluding the bandwagon fans. The question could be posed to me as well, am I a loyal fan? Am I willing to remain a fan of the Lakers no matter if they win or lose? I think that might be the case for me, what about you and your favorite team, doesn’t matter if its college or the NBA? In the case of this celebrity shouldn’t they be allowed to attend a game without being a fan of that particular team, I say yes.

Where do we go from here

The guy in the apartment above you turns on his television at 3:00 a.m. blasting you out of a sound sleep every morning 5 days a week. That might be the plight of the Los Angeles Clippers, they are awaiting a judgement that could sink the franchise or allow it to float successfully. The Aspiration debacle is partially over, you remember that was the company that filed bankruptcy and the owner sentenced to prison recently. Were the Clippers involved in an unscrupulous arrangement with this company? The law firm hired by the NBA must wrap up its investigation regarding the company and a supposed payment arrangement to Kawhi Leonard circumventing the salary cap. That’s one story, the other is the 2026 NBA draft upcoming and how it will impact the franchise.

The trade to acquire Paul George in exchange for SGA left the Clippers with no draft picks like forever, I’m exaggerating of course. The February trade to the Pacers would lead them to the first round and the lottery guarantees they will have the 5th pick in a few weeks in the 2026 NBA draft. With that said the Clippers find themselves in a position they probably would not have believed, even at the close of the season, who do they choose with this pick? Two of the mocks I normally use has them choosing talented point guard Darius Acuff Jr. 6-foot 3 from Arkansas. A third mock indicates the choice will be Illinois combo guard Keaton Wagler 6-foot 6 while a 4th site has them choosing Mikel Brown Jr. a 6-foot 5 point guard out of Louisville. This is certainly not written in stone but do you see the common theme here….point guard. Based on these four mock draft sites I can state we might be surprised if the pick is another position other than someone to play the point.

“Danger, Will Roger!”

That was the phrase uttered by the robot from the iconic television series Lost in Space. What I discovered it was only said once the entire the series ran on television but will forever be a catch phrase. The connection here, the danger expressed by the courts whenever there is a ruling affecting sports. The latest, the Texas Tech quarterback okayed to play after evidence he bet on games. A Texas court judge made the ruling it would be okay for him to play, of course the following day the NCAA took action. This issue has not been resolved as this is written but it follows a pattern.

Last season an Alabama judge made a ruling allowing a professional basketball player to return to college in….you guessed it….Alabama. I’m not going to detail that or the Texas Tech quarterback, all I intend to ask is WHY? Has the issue of Name, Image and Likeness driven us to this point? I realize its difficult to refer to several athletes as amateurs while they are being paid huge sums of money for attending a particular university. Unfortunately (or fortunately) that is the world we live in today. Would a commissioner of university sports resolve these issues, I am unsure. I feel compelled to make this statement, we cannot have Washington D.C. politics involved in any resolution of this magnitude. Once again yours truly has raised an issue without providing you an answer, the simple truth is I don’t have one.

A basketball fans perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

The Finals 

My apologies, inclement weather in the KC Metro prevented me from providing you a critique of the game. The Knicks won, they are 2026 NBA champions thanks to a 94-90 victory over the Spurs. 

Shameless behavior

Have you seen any video surrounding the Knicks comeback victory in Game 4? Naw, I’m not referencing the game I’m discussing the aftermath that occurred. The property destroyed, the objects thrown at Spurs players upon returning to their hotel, that and other stuff. Based on the actions of several individuals—not all—they gave New York City an ugly black eye for the world to see. Watching the aftermath, you might have thought the home team had lost rather than completed a thrilling 29-point comeback victory. I’m writing this Saturday morning before Game 5 on Saturday evening.

It is quite possible the Knicks have since won both the game and the series. My hope is citizens and property have been saved from the destruction we saw occur previously. I can offer you little proof but those who participated in the violence and destruction are not basketball fans. I make that statement by saying how does this reflect on the win your team just accomplished. I am a party of one however any victory in a team sport in my view lessens the value of that win. Are the Knicks condemned by me, how about the city itself, of course not that would be ridiculous. I will however make this mental note, any victory celebration of this type in New York City, Los Angeles or Kansas City will forever be tainted by me.

Another alien sighting

Victor Wembanyama has a “baby” brother, his name is Oscar. He doesn’t have the cache of his older brother yet, truth is he might never acquire it. In addition he is nowhere close to his older brother in stature, Oscar stands 6-foot 7 inches and a slim 205 pounds, he’s got a 6-foot 11 inch wingspan. He spent this past season playing for France’s LNB Élite for SIG Strasbourg. As for his NBA outlook we must check first with Jonathan Givony. According to Givony *“has made a big jump in ability in the past 12-18 months.” The 6’-8, 19-year-old wing averaged 10.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.8 steals, and 1.0 block for Strasbourg in the French Espoirs league this season.”

Some reading this will look at the numbers and indicate they are not that impressive. I can agree the stats are only average however it becomes a beginning. If Oscar has the work ethic of his big brother he will continue to progress on an upward plane. While Givon provides his observation I also checked nbadraftroom.com. This sentence stood out for me; “Despite his raw game he’s got good physical tools and of course the great pedigree.” As for the future it will be a surprise if his named is announced in a few weeks. More than likely that will occur in the 2027 NBA draft should he decide that is his ultimate destination.

*X Jonathan Givony

Meanwhile….

I didn’t give Marcis Ponder the nickname “Baby Shaq,” there is a starting point for this comparison to Shaquille O’Neal. The first is his height, he’s a Big Man and second to that he is comparable to Shaq at a similar age. Ponder is listed on most sites standing between 6-foot-11 and 7 feet, he is reported to weigh 310 to 330 pounds. Gillion Basketball Academy in Springfield, Virginia was his school, he plays for AAU Team Breakdown from Miami Florida. The 4-star prospect will suit up for Florida State this fall and winter. Videos of him in action highlight his raw power, but we must keep in mind he’s likely competing against 6-7 220 pound centers. This is for informational purposes only and certainly is not intended to indicate Ponder is going to be the next Shaq or if the NBA is in his future.   

I found this interesting, Julian Champagnie has been one of the Spurs who’s become quite valuable to them. He’s what I like to refer to as a “glue guy,” he will play defense for you, in addition when called on he manages to score timely baskets. How he arrived in San Antonio is untypical for the majority of players throughout the NBA. The 6-foot 7 Champagnie played his college basketball at St. John’s, he went undrafted in the 2022 NBA draft but began his NBA career on a two-way contract with the Sixers. In 2023 the Sixers would release him and the Spurs would claim him off waivers. This is probably the most interesting portion of the story, the Sixers cut him in order to provide roster space to add Mac McClung. As for Champagnie, we know where he ended up.

Be bold, that’s my contention for my Lakers! The Spurs and to a degree the Thunder have clearly laid out the path for obtaining a great team. My belief is not going to please 90% of Laker Nation but I wouldn’t write this if I didn’t believe it. I don’t know whether the Spurs win the championship but if not this year maybe next year. As for the Thunder they were missing two key roster members, if those two were able to play perhaps the outcome of the Western Conference Finals might have turned out differently. This has been mentioned previously but both teams were constructed primarily through the draft. I realize the Clippers had no idea SGA would blossom into a two-time MVP, as for Wemby it was different there were questions but it was believed he was the real deal. I will close this with words at the beginning…..be bold Lakers at draft time.

A basketball fans perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

The NBL

This is not a reference to the former basketball league that eventually became part of today’s NBA. Here, the focus is the National Basketball League, or NBL, in Australia. While the number of NBL players reaching the NBA has not been overwhelming, the league has produced NBA talent for several years. LaMelo Ball, for example, played for the Illawarra Hawks, earned NBL Rookie of the Year honors, and the following season was named NBA Rookie of the Year with the Hornets.

Others have followed similar paths. Rayan Rupert, who played for the New Zealand Breakers, was drafted by the Blazers and is now with the Grizzlies, splitting time between the parent club and the G League Hustle. Bobi Klintman, formerly of the Cairns Taipans, now divides his time between the Pistons and the Motor City Cruise. AJ Johnson, another former Illawarra Hawk, was drafted by the Bucks and is now with the Mavericks. Josh Giddey reached the NBA after playing for the Illawarra Hawks and Melbourne Tigers, while Alex Sarr played for the Perth Wildcats before being drafted by the Wizards. This list is not complete; I may have missed several players. Still, even if the numbers are modest, the NBL offers clear evidence that Australia remains a source of basketball talent.

Was he blackballed

We use the headline above on those occasions when an athlete is generally ignored by a league for political, racial or other unnamed reasons. That is the case for the late Raymond Lewis, he was drafted in 1973 by the Sixers but never played in the NBA. From what I have been able to gather it had nothing to do with his ability….it was said at the time his attitude. Where did this story begin, Lewis had distinguished himself on the basketball court for Verdum Dei High School in Los Angeles. While enrolled at Verdum Dei he led the school to an 84-4 record and three consecutive CIF titles from 1969 through 1971. It was said the 6-foot 2 175 pound Lewis received over 250 offers but decided to attend Cal-State L.A., according to the history Lewis was a scoring machine while enrolled. Was he ready for the NBA, the Sixers believed that to be the case.

In 1973 he became the 18th pick in the first round of that year’s draft. The next portion of the story becomes who do you believe? Reports are Lewis had played outstanding during rookie camp even outplaying Doug Collins the Sixers number one pick. At this point “the water becomes a little murky,” the Sixers contend Lewis walked out of camp over a contract dispute. According to Lewis he was told “to sit out a year and mature,” he claims the Sixers tore up the original agreement and informed him he had to earn a spot on the team. Back then there were 12 players on a team under contract, he attempted to go to the ABA but the Sixers threatened him with a lawsuit. In 1975 he was invited back for the third year of his contract but didn’t make the team. The story of his potential NBA career ends at this point, Lewis would battle alcoholism and depression for the latter part of his life. February 2001 he died after complications developed from amputation of his leg and a stroke. Raymond Lewis drafted into the NBA but never played a minute….was he blackballed by the league?

It’s my belief

You probably read or heard many of the same stories as me. The claim there is more emphasis on recruiting portal transfers than high school prospects. This is easy to understand, a portal player has played at the collegiate level already and the only adjustment required is a new team/conference. Notice I didn’t include the coach/coaching staff in our account, I would guess the athlete would be okay in that department prior to committing. Despite what you just read it’s my belief high school remains more fertile than portal transfers for a single reason….length of time. Often portal players have no more than two seasons of eligibility remaining, a high school prospect not NBA driven could provide a coach four quality seasons. With that statement let’s check out the ranking ESPN assigns several colleges for the 2026-27 season. They rank John Calapari’s Arkansas Razorbacks having the top rank group of high school prospects in the nation.

At number two they place the Duke Blue Devils which says to me Jon Scheyer has continued to funnel talent to Durham. At three the Bill Self and his Kansas Jayhawks managed to secure the number one prospect in the country Tyran Stokes, he is headed to Lawrence Kansas. Number four, the defending NCAA champion Michigan Wolverines are placed here. Number five at Southern Cal the Ratliff twins arrive and demonstrate the recruiting prowess of the university. Number 6 the Michigan State Spartans, Tom Izzo is still on the job coaching and beating the bushes for talent. At 7 we find the Missouri Tigers making the cut for the first time under Dennis Gates. Number 8 is Alabama while number 9 is Oklahoma State, we close the Top 10 with BYU which intends to continue its winning ways despite no AJ Dybantsa. There is no guarantee that any of these schools will have successful seasons or with the NCAA championship, ESPN happens to believe these schools have added the best crop of incoming freshmen.  

The NBA (international) draft

In a few short weeks at Barclays Center the NBA draft will be held once again. The vast majority of names will be known college players, included in the number will be a few international athletes. I checked two mock draft sites and both place 5 international athletes in the first and second round, of course that’s not to state it will occur. There are at least two college prospects in this draft who played at American universities, this is liable to increase the number even greater. Will this 2026 draft contain the next “Wemby or SGA” that’s highly unlikely but certainly not beyond the realm of possibility.

Unlike other American sports basketball has exploded on the international level for a variety of reasons. Other American sports are yet to reach that level and a few might never reach the level of basketball. I can state with confidence the NBA and basketball in general is the only American sport with an ever increasing international flair, allow a brief explanation on the others. Major League Baseball has long contained international athletes the majority of athletes coming from Latin American nations. More recently we’ve seen an increase from other parts of the world too, those who follow the game closer than me might disagree with my next statement. It’s my belief the best baseball player in the world is the Dodgers Shohei Ohtani who hails from Japan. Although the NFL is the sport most popular on these shores the following is smaller on an international level. As for football/soccer in this nation I am unsure of the count but believe the sport contains a smaller number of American athletes compared to international one’s.

In any event back to our sport basketball, it shouldn’t come as a surprise for a variety of unexplained reasons the game has grown overseas at a greater level than other sports. On an international level there are probably more Little League baseball teams than peewee football played throughout the world. I continue to take a world view of  basketball, all those arriving on these shores will not be noteworthy in the NBA as Wemby has become, however, quality athletes will continue to land in the U.S.  

A basketball fans perspective

The Finals   

At the end of the evening all were treated to a meltdown of epic proportions, final score Knicks 107 Spurs 106. These youthful Spurs got off to a swift start shooting lights out creating havoc all over the court for the home team. The Knicks looked totally lost as the Spurs ran around and over the top of them. It didn’t help that KAT got in early foul trouble and was in and out of the lineup. At the end of the first quarter the Spurs were shooting 65% from the floor with 100% from three, as for the Knicks it was 29% and 40% from three.

The first quarter ended with the Spurs holding a 41-22 advantage on the score board, Wemby with 13 and Vassell with 12 points led the way. For the Knicks it was Anunoby with 7 and Bridges 5 points, they played slightly better in the 2nd quarter however half-time saw them trailing 76-49. In addition to the hot shooting the Spurs took care of the ball having only 2 TOs for the half. I’m unsure what Mike Brown said to his Knicks at the half but they returned to the court with fire in their eyes playing much better, at one point they made a 10-0 run. At the beginning of the 4th quarter the Spurs still held a 90-75 lead and the thought was that even if the Spurs score every other time down they should cruise to victory. That was not quite the case as the Knicks began playing inspired basketball, the Spurs were either missing shots or making TOs. It was difficult to believe the Spurs had a 29 point lead as they slowly but surely came apart and began playing poorly. The Spurs as hot as the Sun could only score 14 points in the 3rd quarter and the critical 4th it was 16. The Knicks scored 26 and 32 which allowed them to successfully compete and thus win the game.

The Knicks take a commanding 3 games to 1 lead and journey to San Antonio for Game 5 on Saturday night. The Spurs committed a number of bad plays down the stretch (TOs and poor shot selection). As for the shooting discrepancy the Knicks finished the night outshooting the Spurs from the floor and the three line. These young Spurs must learn to play the second half of championship games. Brunson, Anunoby and even KAT despite his foul problems were key to the victory for the Knicks.

A basketball fans perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

The television eye

I’m unsure if it was the Wemby factor or something else, Game 1 of the NBA Finals set all kinds of viewership numbers. According to figures released nearly 17 million viewers were tuned in, it was the most watched Game 1 Finals since 2018 when LeBron James then with the Cavs faced Steph Curry and the Warriors. The number represents viewers in the U.S., the world-wide audience might be difficult to project. Perhaps it was more than The Alien being in the Finals it was the presence of the Knicks. For the first time since 1973 the Knicks were playing in the Finals.

I’m unsure how to accurately gauge a broadcast, it’s claimed the networks desire large television markets (i.e., New York, Los Angeles & Chicago). What occurs if its an Oklahoma City as it was last season and a San Antonio this season? There is no reliable method to prove my hypothesis however I believe NBA fans will arrange their schedule when possible to see the games. The NFL loves to brag about its numbers swamping those of the NBA and there is no disagreement from this corner. I could turn this television thing around and report there are more eyeballs worldwide on the NBA Finals than on the Super Bowl, notice I expressed around the world.  

A brief look

A continued survey of a few lottery picks in the 2026 NBA draft. This athlete will likely be compared to his father which isn’t fair, that’s the fate of former Duke power forward Cameron Boozer. For those who might not be aware his father Carlos also played at Duke, dad was a 2002 draft pick and spent 13 years in the NBA. Most mock drafts project the 6-foot 9 255 pound Cameron between 3rd and 5th so that provides you an idea that most scouts project him so highly. Caleb Wilson who played at North Carolina is probably the most unknown lottery choice.

Wilson is 6-foot-10 and 210 pounds with tremendous leaping ability. He suffered a broken thumb in practice on February 10 and missed the rest of the season, but the injury is not expected to hurt his draft stock. Another projected lottery pick is Houston point guard Kingston Flemmings, who stands 6-foot-4 and weighs 185 pounds. Scouting reports say he affects the game at both ends of the floor and has drawn comparisons to De’Aaron Fox and Derrick Rose. Illinois’s Keaton Wagler will be covered individually in a forthcoming piece. That wraps up this brief look at several projected lottery picks. Could an unheralded player still move into the early lottery? That is certainly possible.

Help is on the way….maybe 

A number of players decided to return to college, based on that fact I decided to check the latest revised mock draft sites. Naturally, I hope to help my Lakers draft a post player, nbadraft.net introduced me (and maybe you) to an unfamiliar name. He’s 19-years old and his name is Luigi Suigo, measures at 7-feet 3 inches and 245 pounds. This past season was spent playing for KK Mega Basket in the ABA League. Suigo’s got a 7 foot 5 and ½ inch wingspan and a standing reach of nearly 10 feet.

Naturally, the YouTube video I could locate focused on the offensive side of his game. The negatives, perimeter defense, “He struggles with lateral quickness and burst, meaning he can get exposed when forced to switch out onto smaller, quicker guards and wings on the perimeter. He has a tendency to foul at a high rate (nearly 6 fouls per 36 minutes), largely due to positioning struggles against older, more physical pros.” After reading the scouting report is this a game changer regarding him being drafted in the first round. I don’t have an answer for that question, I do believe NBA coaching can address concerns raised in a scouting report. If an athlete on my radar is chosen ahead of the Laker pick so be it if they should pass over him that’s another matter to me. 

A portion of the schedule   

Mizzou has posted back-to-back winning seasons and earned NCAA tournament bids in both years, but many including me in Mizzou Nation—have questioned the strength of the nonconference schedule. I understand that coach Dennis Gates is trying to build a cohesive team, yet that part of the schedule has felt too light, with too few challenging opponents. In my view, there is little value in entering SEC play undefeated if the nonconference slate has not truly tested the team.

Kansas, on the other side of State Line Road, consistently schedules strong nonconference opponents. Mizzou’s schedule is not complete, but so far I think most fans will see an improvement. The teams have been scheduled however several of the dates have not been finalized. Based on this fact alone I am going to only list the teams, here are the opponents announced to this point: Buffalo, Saint Louis University, Marquette, Kansas, Nebraska, and Illinois. In the SEC/ACC Challenge, Pitt will travel to Columbia to face the Tigers. That’s not necessarily a knockout opposition lineup however in my view that is much improved over what was witnessed in past years.