Is he a relative

The last name jumped off the page at me as I read the story, the name was Okafor. His last name caused me to think "I wonder is he related to Hornets center Emeka Okafor?" In all my searches Tobe Okafor was a name I was unfamiliar with. Reader further in the article I found out he's a 6-11 230 pound small forward from Maine Central, Class of 2012. Earlier in the year he'd made a commitment to Loyola Marymount. The news that caught my eye he'd de-committed from Loyola Marymount, there was no indication or word where this Okafor might be headed. The answer to my question and yours the only common threads between the two, both have a Nigerian connection. Emeka's parents immigrated from Nigeria, Tobe's family still lives in Africa. I am going to attempt to follow his career just as soon as he makes a decision.

He's in pretty exclusive company
Laker center Andrew Bynum tied an NBA playoff record yesterday, 10 blocked shots. Former Jazz center Mark Eaton originally set the record which was later tied by Rockets center Hakeem Olajuwon. It's possible Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain or some another player might have exceed 10 blocked shots in a playoff game. We have no method to determine if the number might have been eclipsed, the NBA did not begin tracking blocked shots until the 1973-74 season. Bill Russell was certainly not the first NBA player to block a shot but it would become his mantra. He became the pre-eminent shot blocker during his career which ran from 1956 through 1969. Another game changer Wilt Chamberlain played from 1959 through the 1973 season, we have only the last year of his brilliant career as a barometer. Bynum's triple-double, 10 points 13 rebounds and 10 blocked shots, sometimes it's difficult to realize he's only 24 years old. Injuries and a lack of maturity at times have delayed his development as an NBA player. We tend to forget sometimes Bynum was in the last group of high school players entering the NBA, it should be noted he managed to miss only one game this past season due to injury. One other note, the last Laker with a triple-double in a playoff game was recorded by Magic Johnson in 1991.

One more top recruit

I had stated earlier I thought the UCLA program was on the road to recovery. A portion of their issues might be attributed to the teams youthful roster. The late Al McGuire Marquette coach was prime candidate for quotations, one particular one speaks to this story. McGuire was was once asked what what best about his freshman players. He said, "the best thing about freshmen is that they eventually become sophomores?" McGuire's point, a number of high school players have difficulty adjusting to the college game. UCLA managed to attract the the number one player in the Class of 2012, 6-6 Shabazz Muhammad. UCLA gained another high profile Class of 2012 athlete. Tony Parker gave his verbal commitment to UCLA, no, not that Parker! This Parker is a 6-9 270 pound center from Lithonia Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta.

A dubious record

The prevailing thought might have been a shortened NBA season would produce few records. I don't think anyone could have figured the won-lost record for a team would be broken, after all only 66 games would be played. Thankfully for the Bobcats and Charlotte fans the season concluded last Thursday. In December we had no idea how terrible this team was to become. The losses begin to pile up one on top of the other, as Bobcat losses mounted many begin to speculate this team might be worst than the 72-73 76ers. That 76er team finished 9-73 with a .110 winning percentage, it had been 39 years since the record was set it would never be broken!!! Little did we figure the Bobcats would be this bad, they finished the season 7-59 and a .106 percentage they lost their last 23 games in a row. Earlier in the week Larry Brown made several critical statements regarding Michael Jordan's ownership. Brown said (I paraphrase) "Jordan surrounds himself with yes men, people who will not say no to him." Others could state Brown has a vendetta since his was fired as the teams coach and that could be the case. Jordan was questioned on Brown's comments, he did defend himself which we thought would occur. As for the coaching situation I had made glowing statements regarding coach Paul Silas at a point, I'm going to take some of it back. I had to be reminded by a member of the media Silas took off a game. No family emergency or illness, he simply allowed his son to take the reins as head coach, what was that all-about? If there ever was a case for a team to be "blown up" this is it! If I'm Jordan, Silas is gone, general manager Rod Higgins is history, the talent scouts and anyone else associated with scouting talent should be replaced.

Tell me what you really think

Last Monday the Nets played their final game in New Jersey after 35 years. ESPN.com took the opportunity to conduct person in the street interviews, they stopped several people and asked them "their greatest moment in Nets history." Their responses varied but the location of the interviews was quite interesting. Don't you think it might be more conducive to pose the question in Newark rather than New York City? In any event the battle for the hearts and minds of basketball fans in New York will begin in earnest next fall. The Nets have probably been an afterthought for most basketball fans in New York City, during the Jason Kidd years they were pretty competitive but after he left they have been on a downward slide. I feel reasonably sure Brooklyn will embrace the team but how about the rest of NYC? As for the other side New Jersey Governor Christies comment. "I'm not going to the Nets game (Monday night) and my message to the Nets is 'goodbye,' " Chris Christie said Monday. "They want to leave here and go to Brooklyn? Good riddance." The governor doesn't sound as though he's very happy, LOL. (Associated Press)