It continues
The “it” was the injury to Kobe Bryant in Friday nights win against the Warriors. The injuries---the injuries! I’ve said I wasn’t going to use it as an excuse and I’m not. I pointed out in all my years as a Laker fan I’ve never seen the team this devastated by a continuous pattern of injuries. Every starter has missed games; Gasol and Nash have missed an even greater number. In addition key reserves Blake and Hill have suffered injuries as well, Hill is out for the season. Antwan Jamison is playing with a damaged wrist and Metta World Peace returned to the lineup last week. We now come to Kobe; reports indicate he suffered a torn Achilles tendon which was confirmed. Surgery was completed on Saturday and through trainer Gary Vitti. The “timetable for healing is 6-9 months” and Kobe indicates “he hopes to be ready for training camp.” I would never say never to the warrior mentality of Kobe Bean Bryant. I often stated there is no medical training in my past history but I would venture a view. I anticipate his return closer to the 9 month timeline. Early January would be more feasible for the healing process of such a difficult type of injury. We shall see what the future holds for Kobe when it arrives. I cannot imagine KB ending his career with an injury he will return. 

I cannot document this
I’ve heard a number of folks in St. Louis debated who was the better player Bradley Beal or Ben McLemore? Beal arrived at Florida last season had and outstanding freshman year and was off to the NBA. McLemore enrolled at Kansas but was ineligible to play as a freshman; McLemore is in his sophomore year but a red-shirt freshman. These two were teammates on the St. Louis Eagles AAU team. They say Beal overshadowed McLemore on the Eagles roster. He decided to not return for his sophomore year and Beal was chosen the third pick by the Wizards in the June draft. The 6-3 Beal had a steady rookie year in the NBA, nearly 14 points and 4 rebounds a game. His NBA rookie year was cut short by a leg injury however all indications point to his return next season on time. As for his AAU teammate the 6-5 McLemore led Kansas basketball in scoring. McLemore will be a lottery pick in the June draft, he could be picked anywhere from two through five. I wonder if folks are still questioning if its Beal or McLemore, they could just state both are talented athletes.

He feels slighted
The name Spencer Haywood might be unknown to the majority of readers. I briefly glanced at the headline recently that read; “Spencer Haywood elected to the Hall of Fame.” It turns out the story was incorrect, Haywood claims he’d received a call indicating he’d been elected. After failing to secure enough votes he claims there is a conspiracy against him being elected, I say baloney. Early in his ABA-NBA career Haywood might have made a claim as one of the best ever, he stood 6-8 and was 225 pounds of chiseled muscle. In college ask him to score the ball he did that to the tune of 32.1 points per game during the 1968-69 season. How about grabbing a rebound, he did that as well at a 21.5 per game clip that same season. With numbers like that you can understand why he left the University of Detroit after his sophomore year. Haywood played in the ABA one year but wanted to play in the NBA. At that time an athlete could not play in the NBA until his collegiate class had graduated.

Haywood would sue the NBA and his case would eventually reach the U.S. Supreme Court. The court ruled in his favor and he signed with the Seattle Sonics. Haywood had excellent years in the NBA however drugs and personal issues would impact the latter stage of his career. His ABA-NBA numbers were 20.3 points per game and 10.3 rebounds. The skeletons in Haywood’s closet have delayed HOF entry for this 63-year old former athlete. The Supreme Court decision changed the landscape of professional basketball. Does Haywood belong in the Hall of Fame? His numbers are as good as many of the HOF members so I think he belongs. A key would be to quit blaming everyone around for his exclusion from the HOF. Over the years Spencer Haywood has often been Spencer Haywood’s worst enemy.

I’m taking sides
My reporting of the events have been one-sided, I’ve been in favor of the Kings move to Seattle. This is not an “I hate Sacramento view” it appears the prospective owners group in Seattle are more financially solvent than Sacramento. I’ve read several negative comments regarding Seattle’s Key Arena and lack of sell-out games. Key Arena will be replaced by a new arena, the Seattle project is much further along than the Sacramento proposal. The lack of sell-out games in Sacramento versus Seattle is really a smoke screen. The Sacramento version of the Kings were quite successful on the court, winning teams produce sell-out games. Seattle is a much larger market; and don’t draw any unfounded conclusions on the Sonics attendance. Sacramento fans extol their attendance during the glory years but downplay that of the Sonics. For years while the team was a winner Sonic fans came out in droves to attend games. There are a number of loyal faithful Kings fans who will not appreciate this story, the prospect of losing their team is a catastrophe to them. It’s unfortunate, much as we are often guilty we must realize “it’s a sport but it’s also really about business.” I read in the Sacramento Bee a reporter’s proposal to “fix” this matter. She proposes the NBA offer Seattle an expansion franchise; in this manner the plight of both cities would be resolved. Seattle would receive an NBA franchise and the Kings would remain in Sacramento. On the surface this sounds feasible except David Stern has said on more than one occasion---the NBA is not expanding. In 5 or 6 years the discussion of expansion might be a totally different matter; the NBA would expand adding teams in Sacramento and Kansas City.