NBA Draft
CORRECTION-It will be covered in a special edition of Words on Tuesday.
NBA draft
Wanna know how fluid the draft is at times? On
NBA TV Ronnie Thompson former 76er scout revealed an interesting draft story.
Thompson said "we (76ers) were looking for a complementary guard to
pair with Allen Iverson. We also wanted someone who could play the
point. We selected Larry
Hughes (8th pick), the Bucks chose Dirk Nowitzki (9th pick)
later traded to the Mavs. With the next selection the Celtics chose
Paul Pierce." This is not intended to degrade Hughes, this former St Louis
University player had a 12-year 14.1 point per game NBA career. Nowitzki and
Pierce have had Hall of Fame careers, many forget a player with an average
career was drafted ahead of both. Take a glance at the NBA Draft of 2000,
almost makes you want to cry. Yahoo profiled
the class and the first five draft choices. "Kenyon Martin, Stromile Swift,
Darius Miles, Marcus Fizer and Mike Miller. Widely considered as the worst NBA
Draft of all time." Both Martin and Miller certainly didn't come close
to expectations as for the others they left after brief
and rather unsuccessful careers. The celebration in South Beach last week many fans probably overlooked the contribution of Patrick James Riley. Pat Riley was just as key to this championship as a LeBron drive or a Battier 3-pointer. I've followed Riley's NBA career as a player and coach, he led my Lakers to several NBA championships. While serving as Laker coach he exorcised the Celtic mystic which had haunted Laker teams for so many years. It's my belief there were two reasons he didn't win with the Knicks--Reggie Miller and MJ. After serving as Heat coach Riley became president and general manager, he later returned to the sidelines to led the Heat to their first NBA championship in 2006. Riley managed to secure the services of LeBron and company last year the team played below the expectations of several fans and "experts." The "vultures" began circling coach Erik Spoelstra after they lost to the Mavs last season. Riley ignored the blab, blab, blab of sports talk radio, he ignored the pontificating crew on ESPN 1st Take. Riley stuck with Spoelstra when all about him said "fire the guy." We can take one lesson from this championship, having Pat Riley on your side provides a tremendous boost in your confidence.
I'm curious, I wonder if metro KU fans read any publications beyond the Kansas City Star? They might be able to gain basketball insight if they would occasionally check Rivals or one of the other web recruiting sites. A 2014 prospect Marlon Jones a 6-8 200 pound power forward has indicated a desire to attend Mizzou. This Chicago native states "I really like Mizzou the best," said Jones. "I think I would really fit in well with their style of play. I feel like I'm skilled big man who could play either one of the post positions. If Mizzou were to offer there is a good chance that I would commit." This is null and void unless Jones eventually heads to Columbia, the point Mizzou is out there recruiting. Several Jayhawk faithful continue to delude themselves into believing Mizzou will be unable to recruit without a Big XII connection, keep dreaming. A sidebar to this, four-star prospect Willie Cauley will play his college ball for John Calipari and Kentucky Wildcats, although undecided at this point Duke is at the top of the list for four-star prospect Semi Ojeleye. The 7-0 Cauley is from Olathe 29 miles from KU's campus and 6-6 Ojeleye is from Ottawa 27 miles from Lawrence. I would appear Kansas fans should concern themselves with closing their own borders rather than worry about Mizzou recruiting. Incidentally Mizzou has an offer on the table for Ojeleye, it would be quite a coup if manages to play for Mizzou. (Rivals.com)
Do you remember the name Kelvin Sampson? Sampson has served as an assistant coach at a number of NBA stops, currently he's an assistant for the Houston Rockets. Previously he was head coach at Oklahoma and later Indiana University, he was fired at both stops. He violated an NCAA rule which just this month changed. College coaches can now text and call a prospect as often as they wish the only stipulation the prospect must have completed his sophomore year of high school. Is this a good or bad move by the NCAA? I really haven't formulated an opinion one way or another.
Observers and fans alike take turns pointing the finger of blame. They play the blame game as to whose at fault for the Lakers downturn. Some point their finger at Kobe while others call out Bynum. A number say it's Gasol or coach Brown or both. Certainly players and the coach are keys to any teams ability to compete and all parties share blame equally. I've always been a top-down guy, if you are having issues at the bottom of the pyramid it usually emanates from the top. In this instance the top of the pyramid lies the office of Jim Buss. Dr. Buss always had "basketball" people in place to run the franchise, it was Jerry West and staff and later Mitch Kupchak and staff. Owner Buss has stepped away, he's turned much of the day to day operations of the team to son Jim. Stories circulated Jim didn't want Phil Jackson to return, once PJ left long-time assistant Brian Shaw interviewed to become head coach. Former Cavs coach Mike Brown was hired to replace PJ and word circulated Brown was his hire. In fairness to Jim Buss the NBA salary cap will not allow for a number of personnel moves. In addition, proven or unproven reports indicate Jim was key in the Lakers drafting Andrew Bynum. Perhaps it's the age we live in, I don't ever remember Dr. Buss responding to media stories. When first Magic Johnson and later Phil Jackson made critical statements about this Laker team Jim Buss thought it his duty to respond. Dr. Buss is not going to fire his son but he needs to take him aside, he needs to explain the facts. Micro-manage owners have no more success than those who allow the basketball people to run the operation.
