There is a distinction between lack of talent and lack of effort!
-------Larry Laker
Coach
As this is written not a single NBA coaching job has been filled. Three teams, Orlando, Denver and Oklahoma City are still conducting their searches for someone to hire. There are a small number of coaches on shaky ground but appear safe for now. This is a follow up based on a story written last week. Florida’s Billy Donovan and others have been on the job long enough to know all the intricacies of coaching. I believe there is one key reason college coaches have been less successful in the NBA.
In college the coach is in charge, in the NBA the athlete is in charge it’s that simple.
Gregg Popovich, Doc Rivers and others are clearly in charge but only with player “approval.” I believe the NBA is more a player’s league than many of the other professional leagues. We need look no further than the David Blatt and the Cavs. Blatt had plenty of past pro experience yet clearly had coaching difficulty initially. In fact there were unsubstantiated reports Cavs assistant Tyronn Lue and LeBron were calling plays.
Small forward
The Lakers drafted Julius Randle as a power forward, Eric Pincus writing for Laker Nation indicates the team might work him out at small forward. If this experiment should occur it will not be immediate because Randle is a power forward at 6-9 and 250 pounds. This move might not be as strange as it sounds the former Kentucky big man handles the basketball well for a man his size. Think he might be too large for the position LeBron James stands
6-8 and weighs 250 pounds. Don’t misunderstand my intent by no means am I comparing Randle’s ability to LeBron. The 2014-15 season will be Randle’s first because he suffered an injury in his first game and was sidelined for the season. As for LeBron we know full well his skill especially as an assist man.
Breakout
I’ve had little opportunity in the past to see the Jazz in action; this account is based on numbers rather than witness. I’ve noticed big man Enes Kanter became a double double man after his trade to the Thunder. Across the board all his numbers were are up except his free-throw shooting. Could a portion of his game be credited by the absence of Kevin Durant or Russell Westbrook? Is it the offense of the Thunder a cut above for this game?
Kanter made a rather negative comment about the Jazz and a Utah fan took issue with some of the things he said. This fan hinted Kanter “under-achieved” while he was a member of the Jazz. In any event his 13.8 ppg average rose to 18.7, rebounding is up 11.0 versus 7.8 previously. Field goal percentage has risen from .491 to .566. We are sure the Thunder hope he continues to exhibit the type of play they have received since the trade.
The Big 12 Tourney
The Big 12 Tournament concluded weeks ago; the 2016 tournament will be the last to be held in Kansas City as it will begin rotation again. This report covers the tournament itself rather than who won the games. Kansas City (MO) has long served as host going back to the days of the Big 8. Once the conference expanded adding the Texas schools it was decided the tournament would be rotated. Oklahoma City served as host in 2007 and 2009, it was held in Dallas 2003-2004 and 2006. There was talk of the event heading north to Omaha until Nebraska like Mizzou left the Big 12 Conference.
Mizzou no longer a conference member however the tournament continued to be held in Kansas City. The event has been a financial bonanza for the Kansas City Metro. Although Oklahoma City and Dallas have experience hosting events the tournament doesn’t appear to register with citizens and fans as it does with Kansas City. The period the tournament was held in Oklahoma City and Dallas the attendance was spotty at best. There is no clear explanation at to why this rather lukewarm view of the tournament is exists.
Extinct species
A glance at the headline and you might believe this is a dinosaur story. That’s not the case although it is an account of athletes that have vanished from the NBA. Rivals.com indicates Mizzou is scouting several junior college players for next season. This caused me to reflect on Keanau Post who plays center for Mizzou. Two years ago Post was recruited from Southwestern Illinois Community College. His numbers were not outstanding but appeared adequate. He wouldn’t be the focal point of the offense because there were juniors and seniors who would carry the bulk of the load. At 7 feet and 260 pounds it was believed his adjustment to division one basketball would be enhanced by his size. His senior year was slightly better than his junior year but though he’s been adequate his play was nowhere near the level expected. What is the impact of junior college athletes to a college program?
Once upon a time a number of highly successful NBA players began their journey at a junior college. The list I located is not complete it only represents junior college players who played in at least one NBA All Star game. The only active players on the list are the Bulls Jimmy Butler who played at Tyler Junior College and the Cavs Shawn Marion Vincennes Junior College. Hall of Fame athletes Tiny Archibald, Artis Gilmore, Mitch Richmond and Dennis Rodman first played at a junior college. Coaches Lionel Hollins, Bob McAdoo and Sam Cassell former players first attended junior college. Spencer Haywood destined soon for the Hall of Fame played at Trinidad State Junior College before the University of Detroit. Larry “Grandmamma” Johnson of the Charlotte Hornets (1991-1996) was enrolled at Odessa (TX) Junior College before he headed west to UNLV. The junior college player successful at the next level and into the NBA might indeed be history.
Junior college players in the NBA, jucorecruiting.com
Monday, April 27, 2015
There is a distinction between lack of talent and lack of effort!
-------Larry Laker
“What you done for me lately”
I you listen to pop music you might recognize the title of a 1986 Janet Jackson hit. Thunder General Manager Sam Presti might have said the same thing to former Coach Scott Brooks. Under Brooks direction the Thunder made the playoffs in the first five years he coached the team. During the season Westbrook missed a number of games despite becoming Mr. Triple-Double. No need to detail the medical report of Kevin Durant. Finally we come to Serge Ibaka whom I believe is the heart and soul of the Thunder. After Ibaka went down I wrote I believed it would be difficult for them to make the playoffs.
They fooled me they came up one game short of making the playoffs. Despite this fact it probably wasn’t good enough to earn Brooks a reprieve. On the surface it appeared none of the trio mentioned had any apparent problems with Brooks. It will be interesting to discover who replaces Brooks. Billy Donovan is reported to be a friend of Presti is that enough to persuade him to leave Florida? In other coaching news ever heard a coach fire a player? I know I haven’t but that’s exactly what Mavs Coach Rick Carlisle said when questioned on Rajon Rondo. He indicated the point guard had played his last game with the Mavs.
Prove me wrong
I said it at the time and I will repeat it---Shaka Smart is a good hire for Texas. Check out the number of NBA players that played at Texas. Kevin Durant, LeMarcus Aldridge and Tristian Thompson are just a few names that former Coach Rick Barnes recruited to play for him in Austin. The state made famous by its “Friday Night Lights” high school football programs has seen basketball creep ever so gradual into the hearts and minds of Texans.
Football (high school & NFL) will always remain number one however basketball can do nothing but grow. As an outsider it appeared Barnes had no recruiting issues he didn’t appear to maximize the talent he gained. Was there an X and O problem or inter-action with his players his teams though talented appeared to under achieve? As for Smart he leaves VCU with a 163–56 (.744) record and the entire State of Texas to recruit. Shaka Smart is a good choice as head coach; there will be an adjustment period. I expect Texas to be in the running for a future Big 12 Championship.
Bits n Pieces
The Atlanta Hawks have been on the market for quite awhile. Entrepreneur Antony Ressler purchased the team along with several partners for $850 million dollars. There are several in the ownership group including former NBA player Grant Hill. Does Hill give up his co-host responsibility on NBA TV’s Inside Stuff?
The fat lady has not begun singing nevertheless she’s tuning up. On April 20 I wrote my belief the Clippers and not the Cavs were under more pressure to win. After Friday evening’s beat down the Clippers are teetering on the edge of the cliff. It appeared the Clippers played as individuals rather than a team. Final score Spurs 100 Clippers 73.
Hiring a bunch of name coaches will not guarantee SEC basketball success. The SEC is no longer John Calipari and Billy Donovan (if he remains) as names. Avery Johnson won at the NBA level but must demonstrate he can be successful at Alabama. Rick Barnes Tennessee, Bruce Pearl Auburn and Ben Howland Mississippi State were all winners at there previous stops.
“Dynamite comes in small packages” is an age-old adage. It implies extensive damage is often done by a relatively small explosion. That might be the case with the Warriors Steph Curry, he‘s now acknowledged as one of the best shooters in the NBA. Due to his size it was necessary to prove his talent. Curry was a 5-8 125 pound basketball player when he entered high school; he now stands 6-3 and 190 pounds.
“He’ll figure it out”
Kentucky came up short in the NCAA Championship I know who’s likely to have won the campaign for 2015 high school talent. John Calipari and Kentucky are the clear winners in the recruitment process. A small number of prospects remain uncommitted yet Kentucky might be as a possible destination as the school is on their list. The number 1, 10 and 48 prospects on Rivals have committed or signed on the dotted line they are:
6-11 215 Skal Labissiere
6-3 215 Isaiah Briscoe
6-5 180 Charles Matthews
In the days and weeks ahead we’ll discover the destination of other prospects. One of those intriguing uncommitted prospects is 7 foot Thon Maker who reclassified into the Class of 2015. All will not head to Kentucky although the performance of the Wildcats will likely land a number of prospects. Is every freshman willing to play the limited minutes of Calipari? The answer is no however Calipari was able to convince the 2014-15 group the value of team play and the players bought into his plan.
-------Larry Laker
“What you done for me lately”
I you listen to pop music you might recognize the title of a 1986 Janet Jackson hit. Thunder General Manager Sam Presti might have said the same thing to former Coach Scott Brooks. Under Brooks direction the Thunder made the playoffs in the first five years he coached the team. During the season Westbrook missed a number of games despite becoming Mr. Triple-Double. No need to detail the medical report of Kevin Durant. Finally we come to Serge Ibaka whom I believe is the heart and soul of the Thunder. After Ibaka went down I wrote I believed it would be difficult for them to make the playoffs.
They fooled me they came up one game short of making the playoffs. Despite this fact it probably wasn’t good enough to earn Brooks a reprieve. On the surface it appeared none of the trio mentioned had any apparent problems with Brooks. It will be interesting to discover who replaces Brooks. Billy Donovan is reported to be a friend of Presti is that enough to persuade him to leave Florida? In other coaching news ever heard a coach fire a player? I know I haven’t but that’s exactly what Mavs Coach Rick Carlisle said when questioned on Rajon Rondo. He indicated the point guard had played his last game with the Mavs.
Prove me wrong
I said it at the time and I will repeat it---Shaka Smart is a good hire for Texas. Check out the number of NBA players that played at Texas. Kevin Durant, LeMarcus Aldridge and Tristian Thompson are just a few names that former Coach Rick Barnes recruited to play for him in Austin. The state made famous by its “Friday Night Lights” high school football programs has seen basketball creep ever so gradual into the hearts and minds of Texans.
Football (high school & NFL) will always remain number one however basketball can do nothing but grow. As an outsider it appeared Barnes had no recruiting issues he didn’t appear to maximize the talent he gained. Was there an X and O problem or inter-action with his players his teams though talented appeared to under achieve? As for Smart he leaves VCU with a 163–56 (.744) record and the entire State of Texas to recruit. Shaka Smart is a good choice as head coach; there will be an adjustment period. I expect Texas to be in the running for a future Big 12 Championship.
Bits n Pieces
The Atlanta Hawks have been on the market for quite awhile. Entrepreneur Antony Ressler purchased the team along with several partners for $850 million dollars. There are several in the ownership group including former NBA player Grant Hill. Does Hill give up his co-host responsibility on NBA TV’s Inside Stuff?
The fat lady has not begun singing nevertheless she’s tuning up. On April 20 I wrote my belief the Clippers and not the Cavs were under more pressure to win. After Friday evening’s beat down the Clippers are teetering on the edge of the cliff. It appeared the Clippers played as individuals rather than a team. Final score Spurs 100 Clippers 73.
Hiring a bunch of name coaches will not guarantee SEC basketball success. The SEC is no longer John Calipari and Billy Donovan (if he remains) as names. Avery Johnson won at the NBA level but must demonstrate he can be successful at Alabama. Rick Barnes Tennessee, Bruce Pearl Auburn and Ben Howland Mississippi State were all winners at there previous stops.
“Dynamite comes in small packages” is an age-old adage. It implies extensive damage is often done by a relatively small explosion. That might be the case with the Warriors Steph Curry, he‘s now acknowledged as one of the best shooters in the NBA. Due to his size it was necessary to prove his talent. Curry was a 5-8 125 pound basketball player when he entered high school; he now stands 6-3 and 190 pounds.
“He’ll figure it out”
Kentucky came up short in the NCAA Championship I know who’s likely to have won the campaign for 2015 high school talent. John Calipari and Kentucky are the clear winners in the recruitment process. A small number of prospects remain uncommitted yet Kentucky might be as a possible destination as the school is on their list. The number 1, 10 and 48 prospects on Rivals have committed or signed on the dotted line they are:
6-11 215 Skal Labissiere
6-3 215 Isaiah Briscoe
6-5 180 Charles Matthews
In the days and weeks ahead we’ll discover the destination of other prospects. One of those intriguing uncommitted prospects is 7 foot Thon Maker who reclassified into the Class of 2015. All will not head to Kentucky although the performance of the Wildcats will likely land a number of prospects. Is every freshman willing to play the limited minutes of Calipari? The answer is no however Calipari was able to convince the 2014-15 group the value of team play and the players bought into his plan.
Friday, April 24, 2015
There is a distinction between lack of talent and lack of effort!
-------Larry Laker
I doubt it
You’ve may have heard by now the Thunder have fired Scott Brooks. These are names floated around as replacements Florida’s Billy Donovan and UConn’s Kevin Ollie there may be others mentioned in the next few days. (NOTE: Olllie took his name out of the running before I could publish this) Add the name of Bill Self to the list of potential candidates. It’s likely Self’s name has only come to the forefront in Metro Kansas City. For those who might question why Self would be included in this group he’s from Oklahoma and played basketball at Oklahoma State.
Consider this tidbit of information name the last college coach to succeed at the NBA level NBA? You cannot include SMU’s Larry Brown in your count he began his coaching career at the pro level. Much later Brown had coaching stops at UCLA, Kansas and now SMU. Between the Kansas and SMU jobs were a number of NBA stops. Interesting in that a number of successful college coaches had only had limited success in the NBA. Rick Pitino, John Calipari, Mike Montgomery and Lon Kruger are just a few names that come to mind.
The cupboard’s not exactly bare
Warning, if you are a Duke hater you can skip this report and go on to the next story. Much of the college basketball news was focused on the Kentucky Wildcats losing 7 players to the NBA draft. What about the defending champion Duke Blue Devils you ask? I’m sure many believed Jahlil Okafor was going to be a one n done player but Tyus Jones. As for Justise Winslow he may have returned if not for an outstanding last half season and NCAA play. Poor, poor Duke what will they do for an encore? Despite the sour grapes expressed by Wisconsin’s coach “you survey the landscape and adjust.”
Will 6-10 and 5-star prospect Chase Jeter replace Okafor at the center position? Is it necessary for Derryck Thornton replace Jones at the point? Thornton a 5-star prospect is also rated highly on Rivals and ESPN Recruiting Nation. How about the shooting guard who broke LeBron James high school scoring record. That would be 6-5 Luke Kennard a 4-star prospect. One of the freshman not leaving is Grayson Allen who came off the bench to save the bacon for Duke. Duke might not repeat as NCAA Champions but they will be competitive in the 2015-16 season.
It ain’t over yet
The Mavs are down 0-2, there is still much basketball to be played. The Mavs could come back and win their match against the Rockets. I’ve expressed my disbelief in statements attributed to Mavs owner Mark Cuban from time to time. This is a brief portion of a Grantland interview prior to the series. "There's no more predictable team than the Rockets.”
Cuban went on to say; “Because they are very talented, and James Harden, I think, is the MVP. Because that's not a very good team over there.” I believe Cuban makes these statements for effect; he doesn’t believe half of what he says. In the future I will attempt to refrain from any future comments regarding Mr. Cuban. One other note, please sign Rondo to an extended contract so Laker fans won‘t lobby for the team to sign him.
Keep an eye on him
According to nbadraft.net he stands 7 feet without shoes and he’s just 15 years old. If you live in the Little Rock area you may have had an opportunity to witness his play. I’m referring to freshman Connor Vanover who’s enrolled at Arkansas Baptist High School. Vanover in shoes stands 7-2 and is a skinny 205 pounds however he’s got age ample time to gain weight and continue growing. A publication indicates he grew 7 inches in a 10 month period. With each parent being 6-3 it’s easy to see why he’s grown so tall. The greater question might be will he gain additional basketball skill over the next three years. There is video of him available on Youtube for you to check out.
2010 NBA draft
This is two-fold, the significance of the NBA draft. Consider this fact Hassan Whiteside has experienced a break-out year. Did anyone believe he was capable of 18 points, 25 rebounds, 4 blocked shots while shooting .600 from the floor? That’s what he accomplished against my Lakers. Whiteside was the 33rd pick in the second round; you ask who was chosen ahead of him? Well John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins and Paul George were several of the names. As for a number of the others you might question the thought process of several NBA front offices. Cole Aldrich was taken with the number 11 pick by the Hornets but traded to the Thunder. He’s been serviceable but strictly in a reserve role. Kentucky center Patrick Patterson was the 14th pick in the first round by the Rockets; he’s playing for his third NBA team. Kentucky’s Daniel Orton was the 29th pick in the in the first round by the Magic. The last sighting of Orton was in the Philippine pro league.
This is not intended to criticize Aldrich, Patterson or Orton it’s simply intended to point out difficulties with the NBA draft. Early entry has forced a number of to decide they are ready to play in the NBA when that is not the case. We need look no further than Whiteside who left Marshall University after his freshman year and “drifted” before securing a solid roster spot. The maturity factor, several of these athletes have played the game for a number of years as the best on their respective teams. The NBA is a “big boys” league and those unprepared for it will be eaten alive. The last discussion item is the heart (motor); you might ask what I’m talking about. The built in drive to succeed by an athlete is often difficult to detect. In addition the desire to succeed is not always evident in everyone. In closing we might offer our best wishes to the scouting staff and front offices of NBA teams as they attempt to make the 2015 draft sane.
-------Larry Laker
I doubt it
You’ve may have heard by now the Thunder have fired Scott Brooks. These are names floated around as replacements Florida’s Billy Donovan and UConn’s Kevin Ollie there may be others mentioned in the next few days. (NOTE: Olllie took his name out of the running before I could publish this) Add the name of Bill Self to the list of potential candidates. It’s likely Self’s name has only come to the forefront in Metro Kansas City. For those who might question why Self would be included in this group he’s from Oklahoma and played basketball at Oklahoma State.
Consider this tidbit of information name the last college coach to succeed at the NBA level NBA? You cannot include SMU’s Larry Brown in your count he began his coaching career at the pro level. Much later Brown had coaching stops at UCLA, Kansas and now SMU. Between the Kansas and SMU jobs were a number of NBA stops. Interesting in that a number of successful college coaches had only had limited success in the NBA. Rick Pitino, John Calipari, Mike Montgomery and Lon Kruger are just a few names that come to mind.
The cupboard’s not exactly bare
Warning, if you are a Duke hater you can skip this report and go on to the next story. Much of the college basketball news was focused on the Kentucky Wildcats losing 7 players to the NBA draft. What about the defending champion Duke Blue Devils you ask? I’m sure many believed Jahlil Okafor was going to be a one n done player but Tyus Jones. As for Justise Winslow he may have returned if not for an outstanding last half season and NCAA play. Poor, poor Duke what will they do for an encore? Despite the sour grapes expressed by Wisconsin’s coach “you survey the landscape and adjust.”
Will 6-10 and 5-star prospect Chase Jeter replace Okafor at the center position? Is it necessary for Derryck Thornton replace Jones at the point? Thornton a 5-star prospect is also rated highly on Rivals and ESPN Recruiting Nation. How about the shooting guard who broke LeBron James high school scoring record. That would be 6-5 Luke Kennard a 4-star prospect. One of the freshman not leaving is Grayson Allen who came off the bench to save the bacon for Duke. Duke might not repeat as NCAA Champions but they will be competitive in the 2015-16 season.
It ain’t over yet
The Mavs are down 0-2, there is still much basketball to be played. The Mavs could come back and win their match against the Rockets. I’ve expressed my disbelief in statements attributed to Mavs owner Mark Cuban from time to time. This is a brief portion of a Grantland interview prior to the series. "There's no more predictable team than the Rockets.”
Cuban went on to say; “Because they are very talented, and James Harden, I think, is the MVP. Because that's not a very good team over there.” I believe Cuban makes these statements for effect; he doesn’t believe half of what he says. In the future I will attempt to refrain from any future comments regarding Mr. Cuban. One other note, please sign Rondo to an extended contract so Laker fans won‘t lobby for the team to sign him.
Keep an eye on him
According to nbadraft.net he stands 7 feet without shoes and he’s just 15 years old. If you live in the Little Rock area you may have had an opportunity to witness his play. I’m referring to freshman Connor Vanover who’s enrolled at Arkansas Baptist High School. Vanover in shoes stands 7-2 and is a skinny 205 pounds however he’s got age ample time to gain weight and continue growing. A publication indicates he grew 7 inches in a 10 month period. With each parent being 6-3 it’s easy to see why he’s grown so tall. The greater question might be will he gain additional basketball skill over the next three years. There is video of him available on Youtube for you to check out.
2010 NBA draft
This is two-fold, the significance of the NBA draft. Consider this fact Hassan Whiteside has experienced a break-out year. Did anyone believe he was capable of 18 points, 25 rebounds, 4 blocked shots while shooting .600 from the floor? That’s what he accomplished against my Lakers. Whiteside was the 33rd pick in the second round; you ask who was chosen ahead of him? Well John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins and Paul George were several of the names. As for a number of the others you might question the thought process of several NBA front offices. Cole Aldrich was taken with the number 11 pick by the Hornets but traded to the Thunder. He’s been serviceable but strictly in a reserve role. Kentucky center Patrick Patterson was the 14th pick in the first round by the Rockets; he’s playing for his third NBA team. Kentucky’s Daniel Orton was the 29th pick in the in the first round by the Magic. The last sighting of Orton was in the Philippine pro league.
This is not intended to criticize Aldrich, Patterson or Orton it’s simply intended to point out difficulties with the NBA draft. Early entry has forced a number of to decide they are ready to play in the NBA when that is not the case. We need look no further than Whiteside who left Marshall University after his freshman year and “drifted” before securing a solid roster spot. The maturity factor, several of these athletes have played the game for a number of years as the best on their respective teams. The NBA is a “big boys” league and those unprepared for it will be eaten alive. The last discussion item is the heart (motor); you might ask what I’m talking about. The built in drive to succeed by an athlete is often difficult to detect. In addition the desire to succeed is not always evident in everyone. In closing we might offer our best wishes to the scouting staff and front offices of NBA teams as they attempt to make the 2015 draft sane.
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
There is a distinction between lack of talent and lack of effort!
-------Larry Laker
Bits n Pieces
At the time I provided a list of incoming Mizzou players I overlooked Drew Lock. Lock is a
6-4 205 pound quarterback who also played basketball at Lee’s Summit High School. He was chosen All Metro football player of the year in Kansas City. Lock indicates he wants to play basketball at Mizzou; it will be interesting to see if he becomes a two-sport athlete.
The guy with the difficult to pronounce last name was chosen NBA Coach of the Year. Hawks Coach Mike Budenholzer was accorded the honor over the Warriors Steve Kerr and the Bucks Jason Kidd. I believe Kerr is a good coach on the other hand he didn’t build this Warriors team. Although I was critical of Kidd leaving the Nets his coaching kept the Bucks winning and he led them into the playoffs despite no Jabari Parker.
Many in the media laughed at Phil Jackson for stating the Knicks could be better as soon as next season. The possibility of adding Jahlil Okafor or Karl Anthony Towns to a lineup along with a healthy Carmelo Anthony. I didn’t say championship but they could be significantly better next season.
Where are they headed?
7-1 Thon Maker is one of a small number of top 2015 prospects not yet committed. There are so many stories circulating its unclear exactly his status. One report indicates; “He’s not headed overseas to play” while another states; “He might wait to December to enroll in college.” I believe we could see Maker headed to Europe or China to play for pay. As for the December enrollment Maker gains not a single advantage I can think of by waiting till the spring semester. Maker certainly must add weight to his 210 pound frame in order to prosper at the next level.
The usual schools are in the list for Maker, just to name a few they are, Kentucky, Arizona, Kansas, and Louisville among a host of schools. Surprise, surprise Mizzou is included in the list having an offer on the table for him. In other recruiting news Brandon Sampson a Rivals 4-star and number 41 prospect made his decision known. Sampson had committed to St. John’s however the coaching change caused the Louisiana native to change his mind. Sampson committed to LSU and will remain at home and join forward Ben Simmons, guard Antonio Blakeney two highly rated prospects.
I said it first
Listening to ESPN’s Mike Greenberg on Monday caused me to say what. Greenberg was discussing Sunday’s Cavs-Celtics playoff game. Kyrie Irving led the way to victory scoring 30 points in the win. Greenberg said “LeBron might have a better situation with the Cavs than he did when he arrived in Miami.” Hey Greenberg if you read Words occasionally you’d realize I made that very statement months ago.
I pointed out Irving is much younger (23) then Wade was four years ago. In addition Wade’s body had absorbed abundance more injuries although he was healthy for the most part. I also stated just because this LeBron team is younger this is no prediction of an NBA Championship. Perhaps the mix of youngsters and veterans might be enough for the Cavs to climb the mountain this season.
His audition
Often I will return to an earlier report this is one of those accounts. The Heat’s Hassan Whiteside had a break-out season in 2014-15. Despite a couple of maturity setbacks during the season the path is clear for the 25-year old. The Heat waived Shannon Brown to sign the 7 foot Whiteside in November of 2014. He didn’t become a starter until the first of the year and since then his numbers have been dazzling. These are projected Whiteside numbers over 36 minutes, 18 points and 15 rebound a game. A true statement you cannot teach someone to be a shot blocker it’s an instinctive thing.
His nearly 4 blocks per game provides proof he’s got a nose for defense. That’s the good news portion of this story now for the bad news. Whiteside may be a member of the Heat only through 2016, the Heat could trade him or he might simply walk. He was signed under the most recent collective bargaining agreement which in his case proves beneficial. The simple statement the Heat has no Larry Bird rights on him. In 2016 the Heat will bid for his services along with every NBA who are in need of a center. Whiteside could sign again with the Heat if he desires however it’s intended to point out his present team has no advantage. The 2014-15 season proved to be an audition for other NBA teams without him intending.
-------Larry Laker
Bits n Pieces
At the time I provided a list of incoming Mizzou players I overlooked Drew Lock. Lock is a
6-4 205 pound quarterback who also played basketball at Lee’s Summit High School. He was chosen All Metro football player of the year in Kansas City. Lock indicates he wants to play basketball at Mizzou; it will be interesting to see if he becomes a two-sport athlete.
The guy with the difficult to pronounce last name was chosen NBA Coach of the Year. Hawks Coach Mike Budenholzer was accorded the honor over the Warriors Steve Kerr and the Bucks Jason Kidd. I believe Kerr is a good coach on the other hand he didn’t build this Warriors team. Although I was critical of Kidd leaving the Nets his coaching kept the Bucks winning and he led them into the playoffs despite no Jabari Parker.
Many in the media laughed at Phil Jackson for stating the Knicks could be better as soon as next season. The possibility of adding Jahlil Okafor or Karl Anthony Towns to a lineup along with a healthy Carmelo Anthony. I didn’t say championship but they could be significantly better next season.
Where are they headed?
7-1 Thon Maker is one of a small number of top 2015 prospects not yet committed. There are so many stories circulating its unclear exactly his status. One report indicates; “He’s not headed overseas to play” while another states; “He might wait to December to enroll in college.” I believe we could see Maker headed to Europe or China to play for pay. As for the December enrollment Maker gains not a single advantage I can think of by waiting till the spring semester. Maker certainly must add weight to his 210 pound frame in order to prosper at the next level.
The usual schools are in the list for Maker, just to name a few they are, Kentucky, Arizona, Kansas, and Louisville among a host of schools. Surprise, surprise Mizzou is included in the list having an offer on the table for him. In other recruiting news Brandon Sampson a Rivals 4-star and number 41 prospect made his decision known. Sampson had committed to St. John’s however the coaching change caused the Louisiana native to change his mind. Sampson committed to LSU and will remain at home and join forward Ben Simmons, guard Antonio Blakeney two highly rated prospects.
I said it first
Listening to ESPN’s Mike Greenberg on Monday caused me to say what. Greenberg was discussing Sunday’s Cavs-Celtics playoff game. Kyrie Irving led the way to victory scoring 30 points in the win. Greenberg said “LeBron might have a better situation with the Cavs than he did when he arrived in Miami.” Hey Greenberg if you read Words occasionally you’d realize I made that very statement months ago.
I pointed out Irving is much younger (23) then Wade was four years ago. In addition Wade’s body had absorbed abundance more injuries although he was healthy for the most part. I also stated just because this LeBron team is younger this is no prediction of an NBA Championship. Perhaps the mix of youngsters and veterans might be enough for the Cavs to climb the mountain this season.
His audition
Often I will return to an earlier report this is one of those accounts. The Heat’s Hassan Whiteside had a break-out season in 2014-15. Despite a couple of maturity setbacks during the season the path is clear for the 25-year old. The Heat waived Shannon Brown to sign the 7 foot Whiteside in November of 2014. He didn’t become a starter until the first of the year and since then his numbers have been dazzling. These are projected Whiteside numbers over 36 minutes, 18 points and 15 rebound a game. A true statement you cannot teach someone to be a shot blocker it’s an instinctive thing.
His nearly 4 blocks per game provides proof he’s got a nose for defense. That’s the good news portion of this story now for the bad news. Whiteside may be a member of the Heat only through 2016, the Heat could trade him or he might simply walk. He was signed under the most recent collective bargaining agreement which in his case proves beneficial. The simple statement the Heat has no Larry Bird rights on him. In 2016 the Heat will bid for his services along with every NBA who are in need of a center. Whiteside could sign again with the Heat if he desires however it’s intended to point out his present team has no advantage. The 2014-15 season proved to be an audition for other NBA teams without him intending.
Monday, April 20, 2015
There is a distinction between lack of talent and lack of effort!
-------Larry Laker
Fear the beard
Almost from the beginning of the season Steph Curry took the lead in the MVP race. He continued to hold the lead position throughout the season. I’d stated previously Curry is one of the best sharpshooters I’ve witnessed in quite awhile. This is not going to change anything but I believe James Harden should be the NBA MVP. As for the other contenders the results are a mix bag. Despite Russell Westbrook’s outstanding season his Thunder team failed to qualify for the playoffs.
Was it adjusting to a new coach or new teammates LeBron James didn’t play at an MVP level until after the All Star game? This leaves us with Mr. Harden; unlike Curry he led the Rockets to a 56-26 record. Curry had plenty of help much of the time it was Harden alone. Harden barely lost the scoring title finishing at 27.4 points per game. Harden also managed to snatch down 5.7 rebounds and dish out 7 assists. Although he’ll never be a great defender he’s become better. He even managed to poke fun at himself in a Footlocker commercial.
It’s a SoCal team
I listened as Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith debate their belief which teams would face one another in the NBA finals. One of them I’m unsure which discussed the pressure on LeBron James. The fact he’d returned “home” and was attempting to win an NBA Championship. The Cavs are an untested playoff team with the exception of LeBron and a host of former Heat players. Although I often disagree with the two no argument this time they are entitled to their opinions. I happen to believe the pressure is on another team.
This team’s home is Los Angeles and I don’t mean the Lakers I’m referring to the Clippers. They have a championship coach in Doc Rivers, their win total the last three years it’s quite impressive 55, 57 and 56. Despite a regular season winning record the playoffs have been a far different matter. Three years ago they lost in the first round; two years ago it was the conference semi-finals. Is 2015 the break-out season, the time they contend for an NBA Championship? This past season the Clippers amassed 57 technical fouls, their playoff opponent Spurs have totaled 50 technicals in five years.
30 for 30
Hope you had an opportunity to see the latest ESPN 30 for 30 production. It’s titled Sole Man and it provides viewers the background of Sonny Vaccaro. Vaccaro may have been the driving force on what has become a billion dollar shoe market for Nike, Adidas and others. While working for Nike Vaccaro signed Michael Jordan to his first shoe contract. Vacarro’s name is known in basketball circles however he’s been a mystery to many. I don’t want to give too much of it away, although it’s told from Vacarro’s viewpoint it provides us background on how the basketball shoe industry grew.
Bits n Pieces
Forbes Magazine in its list of billionaires list one Michael Jeffery Jordan. MJ has parlayed finances from his Bulls salary and Air Jordan to reach this milestone. I believe its noteworthy considering his humble beginnings. There are a significant number of millionaires and billionaires who did little except inherit their financial worth from their family. No one can make that claim about Jordan.
UNLV convinced home town boy Stephen Zimmerman to remain at home. Zimmerman is a 7 foot 230 pound center; he’s a 5-star and number 11 prospect in the nation. Among schools with offers on the table were Kansas, Kentucky, UCLA and Arizona. I’m unsure if this statement is correct it seems high profile high school athletes from Las Vegas tend to remain at home.
Is this the Laker back court of the future? We don’t now however Byron Scott decided to pencil in point guards Jeremy Lin and Jordan Clarkson in the starting lineup. The Thunder managed to win the match by 10 points however the Laker back court displayed a first-rate game. Clarkson scored 30 points Lin 19; both contributed 7 assists while Clarkson had 3 blocked shots. The two had only 5 turnovers for the game.
Mizzzzou
It’s about time some encouraging news comes out of Columbia (MO). The Tigers signed three 2015 prospects to letters of intent and received verbal commitments from two others. There are three freshmen and two junior college athletes in the group of new Tigers. .
Terrence Phillips 5-11 170 pound point guard
Kevin Puryear 6-7 225 pound power forward
Cullen VanLeer 6-4 195 pound shooting guard
Martavian Payne 6-2 170 pound shooting guard-John A. Logan Community College
Russell Woods 6-8 215 pound power forward-John A. Logan Community College
After a truly horrible season we should expect transfers, forward Johnathan Williams III and guard Deuce Bello have departed. It‘s unclear at this point if there are any others planning on leaving. As for these Tigers we have no idea of their ability or if they will even mesh as a team. We do know this fact they are players Kim Anderson and staff have recruited. There should be no turmoil between coach and player that existed at points during last season. If no other players leave at this point Mizzou has one scholarship available for the 2015-16 season.
-------Larry Laker
Fear the beard
Almost from the beginning of the season Steph Curry took the lead in the MVP race. He continued to hold the lead position throughout the season. I’d stated previously Curry is one of the best sharpshooters I’ve witnessed in quite awhile. This is not going to change anything but I believe James Harden should be the NBA MVP. As for the other contenders the results are a mix bag. Despite Russell Westbrook’s outstanding season his Thunder team failed to qualify for the playoffs.
Was it adjusting to a new coach or new teammates LeBron James didn’t play at an MVP level until after the All Star game? This leaves us with Mr. Harden; unlike Curry he led the Rockets to a 56-26 record. Curry had plenty of help much of the time it was Harden alone. Harden barely lost the scoring title finishing at 27.4 points per game. Harden also managed to snatch down 5.7 rebounds and dish out 7 assists. Although he’ll never be a great defender he’s become better. He even managed to poke fun at himself in a Footlocker commercial.
It’s a SoCal team
I listened as Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith debate their belief which teams would face one another in the NBA finals. One of them I’m unsure which discussed the pressure on LeBron James. The fact he’d returned “home” and was attempting to win an NBA Championship. The Cavs are an untested playoff team with the exception of LeBron and a host of former Heat players. Although I often disagree with the two no argument this time they are entitled to their opinions. I happen to believe the pressure is on another team.
This team’s home is Los Angeles and I don’t mean the Lakers I’m referring to the Clippers. They have a championship coach in Doc Rivers, their win total the last three years it’s quite impressive 55, 57 and 56. Despite a regular season winning record the playoffs have been a far different matter. Three years ago they lost in the first round; two years ago it was the conference semi-finals. Is 2015 the break-out season, the time they contend for an NBA Championship? This past season the Clippers amassed 57 technical fouls, their playoff opponent Spurs have totaled 50 technicals in five years.
30 for 30
Hope you had an opportunity to see the latest ESPN 30 for 30 production. It’s titled Sole Man and it provides viewers the background of Sonny Vaccaro. Vaccaro may have been the driving force on what has become a billion dollar shoe market for Nike, Adidas and others. While working for Nike Vaccaro signed Michael Jordan to his first shoe contract. Vacarro’s name is known in basketball circles however he’s been a mystery to many. I don’t want to give too much of it away, although it’s told from Vacarro’s viewpoint it provides us background on how the basketball shoe industry grew.
Bits n Pieces
Forbes Magazine in its list of billionaires list one Michael Jeffery Jordan. MJ has parlayed finances from his Bulls salary and Air Jordan to reach this milestone. I believe its noteworthy considering his humble beginnings. There are a significant number of millionaires and billionaires who did little except inherit their financial worth from their family. No one can make that claim about Jordan.
UNLV convinced home town boy Stephen Zimmerman to remain at home. Zimmerman is a 7 foot 230 pound center; he’s a 5-star and number 11 prospect in the nation. Among schools with offers on the table were Kansas, Kentucky, UCLA and Arizona. I’m unsure if this statement is correct it seems high profile high school athletes from Las Vegas tend to remain at home.
Is this the Laker back court of the future? We don’t now however Byron Scott decided to pencil in point guards Jeremy Lin and Jordan Clarkson in the starting lineup. The Thunder managed to win the match by 10 points however the Laker back court displayed a first-rate game. Clarkson scored 30 points Lin 19; both contributed 7 assists while Clarkson had 3 blocked shots. The two had only 5 turnovers for the game.
Mizzzzou
It’s about time some encouraging news comes out of Columbia (MO). The Tigers signed three 2015 prospects to letters of intent and received verbal commitments from two others. There are three freshmen and two junior college athletes in the group of new Tigers. .
Terrence Phillips 5-11 170 pound point guard
Kevin Puryear 6-7 225 pound power forward
Cullen VanLeer 6-4 195 pound shooting guard
Martavian Payne 6-2 170 pound shooting guard-John A. Logan Community College
Russell Woods 6-8 215 pound power forward-John A. Logan Community College
After a truly horrible season we should expect transfers, forward Johnathan Williams III and guard Deuce Bello have departed. It‘s unclear at this point if there are any others planning on leaving. As for these Tigers we have no idea of their ability or if they will even mesh as a team. We do know this fact they are players Kim Anderson and staff have recruited. There should be no turmoil between coach and player that existed at points during last season. If no other players leave at this point Mizzou has one scholarship available for the 2015-16 season.
Friday, April 17, 2015
There is a distinction between lack of talent and lack of effort!
-------Larry Laker
Bits n Pieces
Next time you hear somebody say; “Nobody is watching the NBA” you have my permission to slap ‘em upside the head. The league set an attendance record for the 2014-15 season, nearly 22 million fans purchasing tickets.
I’m sorry I don’t believe the Steph Curry story, granted you are one of the best marksman in the NBA. Do I believe you hit 77 3-pointers in a row in practice? I realize no one is guarding you in this exercise but 77 in a row is suspect to me. Come on I didn’t fall off the turnip truck yesterday.
It seems there are a record number of underclassmen declaring for the NBA draft. All we can do is hope these young men have done their homework. Hope they haven’t been unduly influenced by family members or perspective agents.
Hire somebody else-----please!
I’d almost forgotten the Magic and Nuggets were operating with interim coaches. The NBA season is now complete for both franchises and the coaching search begins. As usual the same names are mentioned as possible candidates to become the head man. There is no change with the reported names, the short list represents former coaches who were either fired or resigned (Scott Skiles, Mike D’Antoni and Mike Malone) from their last coaching stint. These guys need to feed their families but it would be nice if they find another method to secure gainful employment.
I will be shocked if the Magic or Nuggets hire the interim coaches full-time. The NBA certainly is not alone in recycling coaches, I can’t speak to the NHL I‘m not familiar with their pattern of coaching hires. As for MLB and the NFL that’s a different matter those leagues must also plead guilty. It would be a different take if an up and coming assistant coach had an opportunity to coach at the NBA level? Take a chance if he didn’t work out the team could always terminate him. The resume on several of the names above contain that fact. Consider this little jewel without seeing the Big Picture a change at the top was required and often that’s the coach.
Get over it
An ESPN news crawl came across the bottom of my television screen. It read Texas and Texas A&M are considering meeting in a football game. Both schools competed in the Big 12 Conference however A&M along with Mizzou moved to the SEC. A number of former conference foes have played one another despite the change. A recent example Mizzou played Oklahoma State in basketball last season. Kansas and Bill Self refuse to schedule Mizzou and Wichita State.
I believe we might understand why Kansas won’t play Wichita State; we saw the result of that during the recent NCAA Tournament. As for the refusal to play Mizzou that’s a little confusing considering Kansas clearly has an advantage at this stage. I made the mistake of mentioning renewing the Kansas rivalry with an acquaintance. This Kansas loyalist let me have it; “Were okay and we are not going to play you again-----you need to get over it.” His take is typical of a number of Kansas fans however it caught me off guard. Prior to his statement I believed (in error) we had an amicable accord.
It’s not my call
I’m going to weigh in on the issue anyway. Now that the season has concluded there is media talk in Los Angeles about the Lakers acquiring Rajon Rondo. The Celtics traded him for two reasons, fear of not being able to resign him and not wanting to re-sign him. Sounds like I’m talking out of both sides of my mouth allow me to explain further. Rondo was the last player left from the Celtics championship team; although he exhibited talent reports circulated he created problems for the front office. General Manager Danny Ainge was anxious to rebuild the team hence the Rondo trade to the Mavs. As for the Lakers Rondo has had issues with Coach Rick Carlisle, do the Mavs really want him?
Next up it‘s the Lakers reports circulated while Rondo was still a Celtic the Lakers were interested in securing his services. I say once again thanks but no thanks. The team suffered a number of injuries in the backcourt during the season. Rookie Jordan Clarkson displaced veteran Jeremy Lin at the point. After not playing much during the first half of the season his defense may have been key to taking over the starting role. In addition to Clarkson (6-4) the June draft could yield an opportunity to draft Emmanuel Mudiay or DeAngelo Russell both big (6-5) point guards. As I stated early this ain’t my call if it’s my call I prefer the point to be handled by Clarkson, Mudiay or Russell.
-------Larry Laker
Bits n Pieces
Next time you hear somebody say; “Nobody is watching the NBA” you have my permission to slap ‘em upside the head. The league set an attendance record for the 2014-15 season, nearly 22 million fans purchasing tickets.
I’m sorry I don’t believe the Steph Curry story, granted you are one of the best marksman in the NBA. Do I believe you hit 77 3-pointers in a row in practice? I realize no one is guarding you in this exercise but 77 in a row is suspect to me. Come on I didn’t fall off the turnip truck yesterday.
It seems there are a record number of underclassmen declaring for the NBA draft. All we can do is hope these young men have done their homework. Hope they haven’t been unduly influenced by family members or perspective agents.
Hire somebody else-----please!
I’d almost forgotten the Magic and Nuggets were operating with interim coaches. The NBA season is now complete for both franchises and the coaching search begins. As usual the same names are mentioned as possible candidates to become the head man. There is no change with the reported names, the short list represents former coaches who were either fired or resigned (Scott Skiles, Mike D’Antoni and Mike Malone) from their last coaching stint. These guys need to feed their families but it would be nice if they find another method to secure gainful employment.
I will be shocked if the Magic or Nuggets hire the interim coaches full-time. The NBA certainly is not alone in recycling coaches, I can’t speak to the NHL I‘m not familiar with their pattern of coaching hires. As for MLB and the NFL that’s a different matter those leagues must also plead guilty. It would be a different take if an up and coming assistant coach had an opportunity to coach at the NBA level? Take a chance if he didn’t work out the team could always terminate him. The resume on several of the names above contain that fact. Consider this little jewel without seeing the Big Picture a change at the top was required and often that’s the coach.
Get over it
An ESPN news crawl came across the bottom of my television screen. It read Texas and Texas A&M are considering meeting in a football game. Both schools competed in the Big 12 Conference however A&M along with Mizzou moved to the SEC. A number of former conference foes have played one another despite the change. A recent example Mizzou played Oklahoma State in basketball last season. Kansas and Bill Self refuse to schedule Mizzou and Wichita State.
I believe we might understand why Kansas won’t play Wichita State; we saw the result of that during the recent NCAA Tournament. As for the refusal to play Mizzou that’s a little confusing considering Kansas clearly has an advantage at this stage. I made the mistake of mentioning renewing the Kansas rivalry with an acquaintance. This Kansas loyalist let me have it; “Were okay and we are not going to play you again-----you need to get over it.” His take is typical of a number of Kansas fans however it caught me off guard. Prior to his statement I believed (in error) we had an amicable accord.
It’s not my call
I’m going to weigh in on the issue anyway. Now that the season has concluded there is media talk in Los Angeles about the Lakers acquiring Rajon Rondo. The Celtics traded him for two reasons, fear of not being able to resign him and not wanting to re-sign him. Sounds like I’m talking out of both sides of my mouth allow me to explain further. Rondo was the last player left from the Celtics championship team; although he exhibited talent reports circulated he created problems for the front office. General Manager Danny Ainge was anxious to rebuild the team hence the Rondo trade to the Mavs. As for the Lakers Rondo has had issues with Coach Rick Carlisle, do the Mavs really want him?
Next up it‘s the Lakers reports circulated while Rondo was still a Celtic the Lakers were interested in securing his services. I say once again thanks but no thanks. The team suffered a number of injuries in the backcourt during the season. Rookie Jordan Clarkson displaced veteran Jeremy Lin at the point. After not playing much during the first half of the season his defense may have been key to taking over the starting role. In addition to Clarkson (6-4) the June draft could yield an opportunity to draft Emmanuel Mudiay or DeAngelo Russell both big (6-5) point guards. As I stated early this ain’t my call if it’s my call I prefer the point to be handled by Clarkson, Mudiay or Russell.
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
There is a distinction between lack of talent and lack of effort!
-------Larry Laker
In the same neighborhood
I read the comments of Mavs owner Mark Cuban but decided to ignore them. I thought “I don’t wish to appear negative all the time.” My wife’s cousin called and during the course of conversation said; “Did you hear what Mark Cuban said?” Cuban has been a good owner in a number of ways it seems venturing outside Dallas he creates controversy. I’m paraphrasing his comment; “The colleges have done a poor job of preparing players for the NBA.” My initial response to my cousin; “Since when has it been the colleges responsibility to prepare players for the NBA?” I wasn’t trying to be a know it all with him I realize 97% of the NBA arrive directly from college however college coaches alone don’t develop their game.
They are athletes who continue to hone their skills, does coaching help? Of course it does but talent is the key component. One of the criticisms of Bill Self heard around these parts deals with this very issue. “He’s not able to effectively develop one and done players for the NBA like Kentucky and Duke.” I have my list of critical remarks about Self but none involve developing players for the association. Bottom line Cuban is rich, he’s an owner but he’s also a fan. Nowhere have I read he even played the game in college. It seems at times his desire is to make headlines like that other guy in Dallas. You know the one who owns that NFL team.
What to do---what to do?
The name Emmanuel Mudiay should be familiar to most of you by now. For those who might be unfamiliar with him he was the number one high school prospect in 2014. It was considered a coup by Larry Brown when it was announced Mudiay was headed to SMU. Somewhere in this short journey Mudiay changed his mind, he decided instead to play professionally. He would sign a 1-year contract for a reported $1.2 million to play for a team in China. Once this decision was made we believe Mudiay was aiming squarely at the 2015 NBA Draft. Then the injury, Mudiay was sidelined after playing a mere 10 games but returned to action first in a reserve role. In any event the debate begins, the injury (his ankle) is not serious but what about his NBA future?
I’m sure NBA scouts wanted an opportunity to access the prospect on a collegiate level. Mudiay was rated the number one prospect when he graduated from high school so it’s likely he can play. Is the 6-5 200 pound point guard ready to raise his game to the level of the NBA? His final season numbers 18 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals and nearly 6 assists a game. The only negative might be his free throw shooting (57%) which is a poor number for a guard. Is he ready for the NBA? A number of questions may might not be fully addressed until the NBA Draft Combine and his baptism of fire in the NBA.
Karl Anthony Towns vs. Jahlil Okafor
It’s interesting at the beginning of the college season Jahlil Okafor was a clear choice as the number one 2015 draft prospect. My how things have changed since the season concluded. Although Okafor is the clear winner based on his NCAA Championship he’s lost ground to Towns. This is a scouting report by yours truly, if an NBA scout concurs with what I see what I can say. Due to Coach Cal’s platoon system we cannot compare numbers Towns played far fewer minutes than Okafor. The official rosters indicate both athletes are 6-11, Okafor weighs in at 270 pounds Towns at 250.
Towns “appears” more gifted offensively don’t misunderstand Okafor’s offensive game is skilled he’s just not as smooth as Towns. The pair is equally capable at rebounding. As for the speed factor Okafor gives up 20 pounds to Towns which might be an indication he’s not as swift, don‘t believe it. It would appear Towns is a better shot blocker although Okafor is certainly no slouch. Both are team players not expecting teammates to make them look good, in addition they think team first. If I’m the Knicks, Wolves or Lakers with the number one pick and both are available. I would use my full allotment of time to make the decision, I would choose ________________.
USA versus the World
I believe (just my opinion) the Nike Hoop Summit game was much more competitive than the McDonald’s All Star game. The World squad was led to victory by Canada’s Jamal Murray a 6-5 199 pound shooting guard, Murray would be the leading scorer in the game with 30 points. Although 7-2 Zhou Qi had a quiet game it’s believed he’s one of China’s hope for an NBA career.
6-9 225 pound Ben Simmons provided proof he’s ready to play at LSU and may be the best incoming freshman in the upcoming season. As for Kentucky 6-11 Skal Labissiere may replace the departed Willie Cauley Stein or Karl Anthony Towns. This youngster played his high school ball at Lausanne Collegiate School in Cordova Tennessee. Labissiere from Haiti played for the Nike World team. Although the focus is on the winning World team the USA was led by Luke Kennard with 22 points, he’s headed to Duke in the fall.
The glue guys
Wichita State’s starting backcourt of Ron Baker and Fred Van Fleet announced they were returning to school. Not exactly surprising news considering their coach announced he was returning too. Head Coach Gregg Marshall turned down offers from Texas and Alabama to lead their basketball programs. The 6-3 Baker and 5-11 Van Fleet is the glue that’s been key too much of the success Wichita State has experienced over the past few seasons. Looking toward the future the Shocker backcourt should be solid, replacements for Baker and Van Fleet arrive in the fall.
Freshmen point guard Tyrone Taylor and shooting guard Landry Shamet are headed to Wichita State. Taylor is 6-3 while Shamet is 6-4, both players are from metro Kansas City (MO). Conner Frankamp of Wichita chose Kansas however he earned little playing time during his freshman year. The 6-1 guard decided to transfer and after searching on possible destinations decided to enroll at Wichita State. As for the Wichita State-Kansas re-match I doubt we witness the two play next season. They could met in the NCAA but that’s not likely the debate will rage “who is the best college basketball team in the state.”
-------Larry Laker
In the same neighborhood
I read the comments of Mavs owner Mark Cuban but decided to ignore them. I thought “I don’t wish to appear negative all the time.” My wife’s cousin called and during the course of conversation said; “Did you hear what Mark Cuban said?” Cuban has been a good owner in a number of ways it seems venturing outside Dallas he creates controversy. I’m paraphrasing his comment; “The colleges have done a poor job of preparing players for the NBA.” My initial response to my cousin; “Since when has it been the colleges responsibility to prepare players for the NBA?” I wasn’t trying to be a know it all with him I realize 97% of the NBA arrive directly from college however college coaches alone don’t develop their game.
They are athletes who continue to hone their skills, does coaching help? Of course it does but talent is the key component. One of the criticisms of Bill Self heard around these parts deals with this very issue. “He’s not able to effectively develop one and done players for the NBA like Kentucky and Duke.” I have my list of critical remarks about Self but none involve developing players for the association. Bottom line Cuban is rich, he’s an owner but he’s also a fan. Nowhere have I read he even played the game in college. It seems at times his desire is to make headlines like that other guy in Dallas. You know the one who owns that NFL team.
What to do---what to do?
The name Emmanuel Mudiay should be familiar to most of you by now. For those who might be unfamiliar with him he was the number one high school prospect in 2014. It was considered a coup by Larry Brown when it was announced Mudiay was headed to SMU. Somewhere in this short journey Mudiay changed his mind, he decided instead to play professionally. He would sign a 1-year contract for a reported $1.2 million to play for a team in China. Once this decision was made we believe Mudiay was aiming squarely at the 2015 NBA Draft. Then the injury, Mudiay was sidelined after playing a mere 10 games but returned to action first in a reserve role. In any event the debate begins, the injury (his ankle) is not serious but what about his NBA future?
I’m sure NBA scouts wanted an opportunity to access the prospect on a collegiate level. Mudiay was rated the number one prospect when he graduated from high school so it’s likely he can play. Is the 6-5 200 pound point guard ready to raise his game to the level of the NBA? His final season numbers 18 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals and nearly 6 assists a game. The only negative might be his free throw shooting (57%) which is a poor number for a guard. Is he ready for the NBA? A number of questions may might not be fully addressed until the NBA Draft Combine and his baptism of fire in the NBA.
Karl Anthony Towns vs. Jahlil Okafor
It’s interesting at the beginning of the college season Jahlil Okafor was a clear choice as the number one 2015 draft prospect. My how things have changed since the season concluded. Although Okafor is the clear winner based on his NCAA Championship he’s lost ground to Towns. This is a scouting report by yours truly, if an NBA scout concurs with what I see what I can say. Due to Coach Cal’s platoon system we cannot compare numbers Towns played far fewer minutes than Okafor. The official rosters indicate both athletes are 6-11, Okafor weighs in at 270 pounds Towns at 250.
Towns “appears” more gifted offensively don’t misunderstand Okafor’s offensive game is skilled he’s just not as smooth as Towns. The pair is equally capable at rebounding. As for the speed factor Okafor gives up 20 pounds to Towns which might be an indication he’s not as swift, don‘t believe it. It would appear Towns is a better shot blocker although Okafor is certainly no slouch. Both are team players not expecting teammates to make them look good, in addition they think team first. If I’m the Knicks, Wolves or Lakers with the number one pick and both are available. I would use my full allotment of time to make the decision, I would choose ________________.
USA versus the World
I believe (just my opinion) the Nike Hoop Summit game was much more competitive than the McDonald’s All Star game. The World squad was led to victory by Canada’s Jamal Murray a 6-5 199 pound shooting guard, Murray would be the leading scorer in the game with 30 points. Although 7-2 Zhou Qi had a quiet game it’s believed he’s one of China’s hope for an NBA career.
6-9 225 pound Ben Simmons provided proof he’s ready to play at LSU and may be the best incoming freshman in the upcoming season. As for Kentucky 6-11 Skal Labissiere may replace the departed Willie Cauley Stein or Karl Anthony Towns. This youngster played his high school ball at Lausanne Collegiate School in Cordova Tennessee. Labissiere from Haiti played for the Nike World team. Although the focus is on the winning World team the USA was led by Luke Kennard with 22 points, he’s headed to Duke in the fall.
The glue guys
Wichita State’s starting backcourt of Ron Baker and Fred Van Fleet announced they were returning to school. Not exactly surprising news considering their coach announced he was returning too. Head Coach Gregg Marshall turned down offers from Texas and Alabama to lead their basketball programs. The 6-3 Baker and 5-11 Van Fleet is the glue that’s been key too much of the success Wichita State has experienced over the past few seasons. Looking toward the future the Shocker backcourt should be solid, replacements for Baker and Van Fleet arrive in the fall.
Freshmen point guard Tyrone Taylor and shooting guard Landry Shamet are headed to Wichita State. Taylor is 6-3 while Shamet is 6-4, both players are from metro Kansas City (MO). Conner Frankamp of Wichita chose Kansas however he earned little playing time during his freshman year. The 6-1 guard decided to transfer and after searching on possible destinations decided to enroll at Wichita State. As for the Wichita State-Kansas re-match I doubt we witness the two play next season. They could met in the NCAA but that’s not likely the debate will rage “who is the best college basketball team in the state.”
Monday, April 13, 2015
There is a distinction between lack of talent and lack of effort!
-------Larry Laker
Who remains
I guess this is not exactly surprising news the door opens and there is a mass exodus. Of course I’m referring to the 7 Kentucky basketball players who announced they were headed for the NBA. They were; Aaron and Andrew Harrison, Devin Booker, Willie Cauley-Stein, Karl Anthony Towns, Trey Lyles, Dakari Johnson. Poor, poor Kentucky fans your team must now come down to earth next season. They must now compete on the same level of the other nearly 400 Division I teams. I wouldn‘t bet money on the previous statement, consider this tidbit of information. There are several 5-star high school prospects that remain undecided on a destination.
The majority of these youngsters list Kentucky as one of the schools under consideration. In a later account information on these prospects will be profiled. In other early entry news to no one’s surprise Duke’s Jahlil Okafor also announced he’s headed to the NBA. Wisconsin is also in the house. Sam Dekker believes the time is now, he’s also decided in favor of the NBA. It could have been easy for the 6-9 forward to return to Wisconsin for his senior year but he felt the time was right. If he returned the possibility of injury and with no Kaminksy (senior) he might not have as good a senior year.
Why should we be surprised
The NBA is headed to Cuba, the league will conduct a developmental clinic and
Youth camp April 23-26. Although Cuba is less than 90 miles from Key West Florida the U.S. had no formal diplomatic relations with Cuba. This move is in line with President Obama’s effort to normalize relations with the island nation of Cuba. Over they years the NBA has expanded and evolved in Europe, Africa and Asia. It should be no surprise the league has been in the forefront of expanding basketball beyond the borders of this nation. The island has long been a bastion of baseball talent and it’s believed there is a vast amount of untapped basketball talent that can be developed.
Bits n Pieces
Is it just me or my belief? Remember last season the experts were predicting a significant number of talented players would be drafted? “They” said it was likely this would be the best draft for a number of years. Well allow me to be first; the 2015 draft pool appears just as talented and just as deep as 2014.
There is less than a month left in the NBA season, despite this fact Pacer Paul George thought it important to make an appearance in a Pacer uniform. If you remember last August George broke his leg during a Team USA scrimmage. I never saw the video because warned in advance I refuse to see devastating injuries. Truth is quarterback Joe Theismann broke his leg in a 1985 NFL game. Over the next several years warned in advance I always changed channels. I finally saw the Theismann broken leg when producers of the movie “The Blind Side” included it an early scene in the movie. Back to George he vowed he would return to the NBA before the 2014-15 season was complete.
I have no idea the thoughts of Laker management regarding the teams point guard. This I do know Jordan Clarkson will return next season. He’s been the lone bright spot in an otherwise dismal season. Even more interesting I’m not sure if the 6-4 Clarkson is actually a point guard the position he currently occupies. The Lakers were reported to be courting Rajon Rondo who will become a free agent at the end of the season. I think the Lakers could spend “Rondo” money elsewhere acquiring additional depth.
Perish the thought of the Spurs not defending their 2014 NBA Championship. In some circles it might have been believed the Spurs were dead in the water. Injuries to key members of the team led to inconsistent and poor performance in the early portion of the season. Sometimes one teammate becomes invaluable to play and that was Khawi Leonard. They have played at a .863 clip since February 27. The Spurs may not win a championship this season they will defend their championship.
Will he be given time
Mizzou alum and fans realize this basketball season has been nearly a total disaster. I’m sure no one (including me) believed Mizzou would only have one SEC victory by March. We could find one person responsible for the missed shots the failure to sink a critical free throw or grab a rebound. The individual is not Coaches Kim Anderson, Frank Haith or Mike Anderson. This season lies at the feet of Mike Alden who recently stepped down as athletic director. Alden didn’t intend for the basketball program to implode it’s just the hires he’s made during his tenure. It may have been time for Norm Stewart to retire but the all-time winning coach was shown the door. Alden in his coaching search interviews Quin Snyder Duke assistant and Bill Self head coach at Tulsa, yes the same Self who’s coaching Kansas. We know Alden hired Snyder early on appeared to thrust new life into the basketball program. Several years later the coach would quit in February, unforgivable in my view. Next up was Mike Anderson; he would correct much of the left-over Snyder mess.
Anderson’s “40 minutes of heck” was never able to guide the team to continued success on the court. Anderson it’s believed wanted his dream job all along; he’d interviewed for the Arkansas job but was passed over. The second time he left Columbia flying and he wasn’t in an airplane. Of these Frank Haith might have been the best Alden hire except the folks who suppose to background check missed the boat. Haith was forced to serve a 5-game suspension based on his tenure at Miami. From that point on Haith was a dead man walking. I believe a number influential alumnus said “this guy has got to go.” Haith seeing the handwriting on the wall left for Tulsa after the 2013-14 season. We arrive at Kim Anderson former Mizzou Tiger and successful Division II coach. At nearly 60 Anderson should have been hired at the time his boss Norm Steward departed. Can the former Division II coach at this level I believe he can however he might not be allowed enough time? Alden stepped down and has been replaced by the former AD at Houston. Football Coach Gary Pinkel is safe his teams win as for Anderson that’s a different story.
-------Larry Laker
Who remains
I guess this is not exactly surprising news the door opens and there is a mass exodus. Of course I’m referring to the 7 Kentucky basketball players who announced they were headed for the NBA. They were; Aaron and Andrew Harrison, Devin Booker, Willie Cauley-Stein, Karl Anthony Towns, Trey Lyles, Dakari Johnson. Poor, poor Kentucky fans your team must now come down to earth next season. They must now compete on the same level of the other nearly 400 Division I teams. I wouldn‘t bet money on the previous statement, consider this tidbit of information. There are several 5-star high school prospects that remain undecided on a destination.
The majority of these youngsters list Kentucky as one of the schools under consideration. In a later account information on these prospects will be profiled. In other early entry news to no one’s surprise Duke’s Jahlil Okafor also announced he’s headed to the NBA. Wisconsin is also in the house. Sam Dekker believes the time is now, he’s also decided in favor of the NBA. It could have been easy for the 6-9 forward to return to Wisconsin for his senior year but he felt the time was right. If he returned the possibility of injury and with no Kaminksy (senior) he might not have as good a senior year.
Why should we be surprised
The NBA is headed to Cuba, the league will conduct a developmental clinic and
Youth camp April 23-26. Although Cuba is less than 90 miles from Key West Florida the U.S. had no formal diplomatic relations with Cuba. This move is in line with President Obama’s effort to normalize relations with the island nation of Cuba. Over they years the NBA has expanded and evolved in Europe, Africa and Asia. It should be no surprise the league has been in the forefront of expanding basketball beyond the borders of this nation. The island has long been a bastion of baseball talent and it’s believed there is a vast amount of untapped basketball talent that can be developed.
Bits n Pieces
Is it just me or my belief? Remember last season the experts were predicting a significant number of talented players would be drafted? “They” said it was likely this would be the best draft for a number of years. Well allow me to be first; the 2015 draft pool appears just as talented and just as deep as 2014.
There is less than a month left in the NBA season, despite this fact Pacer Paul George thought it important to make an appearance in a Pacer uniform. If you remember last August George broke his leg during a Team USA scrimmage. I never saw the video because warned in advance I refuse to see devastating injuries. Truth is quarterback Joe Theismann broke his leg in a 1985 NFL game. Over the next several years warned in advance I always changed channels. I finally saw the Theismann broken leg when producers of the movie “The Blind Side” included it an early scene in the movie. Back to George he vowed he would return to the NBA before the 2014-15 season was complete.
I have no idea the thoughts of Laker management regarding the teams point guard. This I do know Jordan Clarkson will return next season. He’s been the lone bright spot in an otherwise dismal season. Even more interesting I’m not sure if the 6-4 Clarkson is actually a point guard the position he currently occupies. The Lakers were reported to be courting Rajon Rondo who will become a free agent at the end of the season. I think the Lakers could spend “Rondo” money elsewhere acquiring additional depth.
Perish the thought of the Spurs not defending their 2014 NBA Championship. In some circles it might have been believed the Spurs were dead in the water. Injuries to key members of the team led to inconsistent and poor performance in the early portion of the season. Sometimes one teammate becomes invaluable to play and that was Khawi Leonard. They have played at a .863 clip since February 27. The Spurs may not win a championship this season they will defend their championship.
Will he be given time
Mizzou alum and fans realize this basketball season has been nearly a total disaster. I’m sure no one (including me) believed Mizzou would only have one SEC victory by March. We could find one person responsible for the missed shots the failure to sink a critical free throw or grab a rebound. The individual is not Coaches Kim Anderson, Frank Haith or Mike Anderson. This season lies at the feet of Mike Alden who recently stepped down as athletic director. Alden didn’t intend for the basketball program to implode it’s just the hires he’s made during his tenure. It may have been time for Norm Stewart to retire but the all-time winning coach was shown the door. Alden in his coaching search interviews Quin Snyder Duke assistant and Bill Self head coach at Tulsa, yes the same Self who’s coaching Kansas. We know Alden hired Snyder early on appeared to thrust new life into the basketball program. Several years later the coach would quit in February, unforgivable in my view. Next up was Mike Anderson; he would correct much of the left-over Snyder mess.
Anderson’s “40 minutes of heck” was never able to guide the team to continued success on the court. Anderson it’s believed wanted his dream job all along; he’d interviewed for the Arkansas job but was passed over. The second time he left Columbia flying and he wasn’t in an airplane. Of these Frank Haith might have been the best Alden hire except the folks who suppose to background check missed the boat. Haith was forced to serve a 5-game suspension based on his tenure at Miami. From that point on Haith was a dead man walking. I believe a number influential alumnus said “this guy has got to go.” Haith seeing the handwriting on the wall left for Tulsa after the 2013-14 season. We arrive at Kim Anderson former Mizzou Tiger and successful Division II coach. At nearly 60 Anderson should have been hired at the time his boss Norm Steward departed. Can the former Division II coach at this level I believe he can however he might not be allowed enough time? Alden stepped down and has been replaced by the former AD at Houston. Football Coach Gary Pinkel is safe his teams win as for Anderson that’s a different story.
Friday, April 10, 2015
There is a distinction between lack of talent and lack of effort!
-------Larry Laker
I apologize
That’s the sentence often stated or “that’s not what I meant” or “my statement was taken out of context.” We have all gotten in trouble for making statements that come back to bite us. A tweet or “hot” microphone and we are caught with our pants down. Kentucky guard Andrew Harrison was caught making a racial remark about Wisconsin’s Frank Kaminsky. UConn women’s Coach Geno Auriemma making a critical remark about the men’s game. Later he claimed he said it as a fan his latest response, “It was taken out of context.” I know this falls on deaf ears however next time learn to button your lip. That old adage; “engage brain before speaking.” I’m not trying to prohibit free speech just think.
Another milestone
LeBron James continues to surpass standards set by past NBA players. I mentioned previously his milestones are occurring on a weekly or monthly basis. The latest accomplishment LeBron moved past Knicks center Patrick Ewing. LeBron has now registered 24,837 points and counting. Can he catch number one Kareem Abdul Jabbar (38,387) in the latter portion of his career?
NBA future?
The Kings signed Sim Bhullar from Reno (NV) of the NBA D-League. Bhullar becomes the first Indian player on an NBA roster. As you might be aware Bhullar was born in Canada although his parents emigrated there from India. Bhullar at 7-5 and 360 pounds becomes one of the largest in height and weight in the NBA. He’s shown promise although there remains a question if the NBA is in his future. Meanwhile in South Beach Hassan Whiteside’s game continues to grow. His numbers projected over a full game; 17.7 ppg, 15.3 rebounds and 3.8 blocked shots and a .622 shooting percentage. It appears Whiteside has an NBA future with the Heat or some other NBA franchise.
Portsmouth Invitational
This tournament is a display of basketball talent for NBA scouts; it runs from April 8-11.
No underclassmen are invited to this event it’s a senior only evaluation. Don‘t kid yourself the NBA draft will not be all freshman and sophomores. A number of the 2015 class might be participates who will emerge from Portsmouth. I‘m always reminded of former Mizzou forward DeMarre Carroll. I’m sure he was spotted by NBA scouts however solid play in this event may have been the deciding factor in him being drafted. After being drafted in the first round by the Grizzlies he signed with the Hawks in 2013.
We could make the same statement regarding the Bulls Jimmy Butler. His outstanding play would lead to him being named MVP in the 2011 tournament. Did the Bulls draft him based on Portsmouth? We don’t have the answer however we can now acknowledge his value to the Bulls. Carroll and Butler are just two to emerge from the tournament I’m sure I’m overlooking others. Those who fail to be drafted in the NBA are likely to dot the roster of a European or Asian team.
I’ve got to say it
Let’s just say Bo Ryan’s comment about “rented players” was stated after a very tough loss in a championship game. His comment was unnecessary and oh so wrong based on the past, I’ll give you an example. The NBA allowed high school players in the draft for many years a large chorus was singing the same tune. “They (high school athletes) are ruining the college game by going straight to the NBA.”
The chorus is still around however this time the tune has changed. “Those one and done players are ruining the college game by going to the NBA after one year.” I have changed my view on this subject as often as the sun rises in the east. Let’s say this is the last view and hopefully I will not change positions. In addition this should address this issue and conclude any further discussion on my part.
*Allow high school players in the draft again.
*Players deciding to attend college must remain enrolled for two years.
*If a player is not drafted he should be allowed to return to school but must enroll in a new school.
He made it
The Class of 2015 for the Naismith Hall of Fame was announced earlier this year. One of the honorees will be Spencer Haywood, if you are a certain age his name might not be familiar to you. Haywood’s ABA and NBA stats are 20.3 ppg along with 10.3 rebounds good numbers but not outstanding. Haywood alone is directly responsible for early entry into pro basketball. Haywood won a gold medal for the U.S. in the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. In 1969 he would leave the University of Detroit for the ABA; in that day there was no early entry in NBA. Haywood had an outstanding rookie season leading the league with 30.0 ppg while grabbing almost 20 rebounds a game. Outstanding numbers for a 6-8 225 pound forward.
He would be named ABA Rookie of the Year and league MVP. As for the basis of his selection to the Hall of Fame as mentioned earlier his court case changed the landscape of professional basketball. “In 1970, despite the NBA’s eligibility rules, Haywood joined the Seattle SuperSonics, and with SuperSonics owner Sam Schulman launched an anti-trust suit against the league (Haywood v. National Basketball Association). The case went all the way to U.S. Supreme Court before the NBA agreed to a settlement.” (1) Haywood would later become involved with drugs and was released by the Lakers in 1980. He would play in Italy one year and returned to the NBA with the Bullets (Wizards). Haywood’s career concluded after the 1983 season.
1. "Spencer Haywood, the NBA Draft and the Legal Battle That Shaped the League". Bleacher Report. 2011-05-06
-------Larry Laker
I apologize
That’s the sentence often stated or “that’s not what I meant” or “my statement was taken out of context.” We have all gotten in trouble for making statements that come back to bite us. A tweet or “hot” microphone and we are caught with our pants down. Kentucky guard Andrew Harrison was caught making a racial remark about Wisconsin’s Frank Kaminsky. UConn women’s Coach Geno Auriemma making a critical remark about the men’s game. Later he claimed he said it as a fan his latest response, “It was taken out of context.” I know this falls on deaf ears however next time learn to button your lip. That old adage; “engage brain before speaking.” I’m not trying to prohibit free speech just think.
Another milestone
LeBron James continues to surpass standards set by past NBA players. I mentioned previously his milestones are occurring on a weekly or monthly basis. The latest accomplishment LeBron moved past Knicks center Patrick Ewing. LeBron has now registered 24,837 points and counting. Can he catch number one Kareem Abdul Jabbar (38,387) in the latter portion of his career?
NBA future?
The Kings signed Sim Bhullar from Reno (NV) of the NBA D-League. Bhullar becomes the first Indian player on an NBA roster. As you might be aware Bhullar was born in Canada although his parents emigrated there from India. Bhullar at 7-5 and 360 pounds becomes one of the largest in height and weight in the NBA. He’s shown promise although there remains a question if the NBA is in his future. Meanwhile in South Beach Hassan Whiteside’s game continues to grow. His numbers projected over a full game; 17.7 ppg, 15.3 rebounds and 3.8 blocked shots and a .622 shooting percentage. It appears Whiteside has an NBA future with the Heat or some other NBA franchise.
Portsmouth Invitational
This tournament is a display of basketball talent for NBA scouts; it runs from April 8-11.
No underclassmen are invited to this event it’s a senior only evaluation. Don‘t kid yourself the NBA draft will not be all freshman and sophomores. A number of the 2015 class might be participates who will emerge from Portsmouth. I‘m always reminded of former Mizzou forward DeMarre Carroll. I’m sure he was spotted by NBA scouts however solid play in this event may have been the deciding factor in him being drafted. After being drafted in the first round by the Grizzlies he signed with the Hawks in 2013.
We could make the same statement regarding the Bulls Jimmy Butler. His outstanding play would lead to him being named MVP in the 2011 tournament. Did the Bulls draft him based on Portsmouth? We don’t have the answer however we can now acknowledge his value to the Bulls. Carroll and Butler are just two to emerge from the tournament I’m sure I’m overlooking others. Those who fail to be drafted in the NBA are likely to dot the roster of a European or Asian team.
I’ve got to say it
Let’s just say Bo Ryan’s comment about “rented players” was stated after a very tough loss in a championship game. His comment was unnecessary and oh so wrong based on the past, I’ll give you an example. The NBA allowed high school players in the draft for many years a large chorus was singing the same tune. “They (high school athletes) are ruining the college game by going straight to the NBA.”
The chorus is still around however this time the tune has changed. “Those one and done players are ruining the college game by going to the NBA after one year.” I have changed my view on this subject as often as the sun rises in the east. Let’s say this is the last view and hopefully I will not change positions. In addition this should address this issue and conclude any further discussion on my part.
*Allow high school players in the draft again.
*Players deciding to attend college must remain enrolled for two years.
*If a player is not drafted he should be allowed to return to school but must enroll in a new school.
He made it
The Class of 2015 for the Naismith Hall of Fame was announced earlier this year. One of the honorees will be Spencer Haywood, if you are a certain age his name might not be familiar to you. Haywood’s ABA and NBA stats are 20.3 ppg along with 10.3 rebounds good numbers but not outstanding. Haywood alone is directly responsible for early entry into pro basketball. Haywood won a gold medal for the U.S. in the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. In 1969 he would leave the University of Detroit for the ABA; in that day there was no early entry in NBA. Haywood had an outstanding rookie season leading the league with 30.0 ppg while grabbing almost 20 rebounds a game. Outstanding numbers for a 6-8 225 pound forward.
He would be named ABA Rookie of the Year and league MVP. As for the basis of his selection to the Hall of Fame as mentioned earlier his court case changed the landscape of professional basketball. “In 1970, despite the NBA’s eligibility rules, Haywood joined the Seattle SuperSonics, and with SuperSonics owner Sam Schulman launched an anti-trust suit against the league (Haywood v. National Basketball Association). The case went all the way to U.S. Supreme Court before the NBA agreed to a settlement.” (1) Haywood would later become involved with drugs and was released by the Lakers in 1980. He would play in Italy one year and returned to the NBA with the Bullets (Wizards). Haywood’s career concluded after the 1983 season.
1. "Spencer Haywood, the NBA Draft and the Legal Battle That Shaped the League". Bleacher Report. 2011-05-06
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
There is a distinction between lack of talent and lack of effort!
-------Larry Laker
Congratulations
In a hotly contested championship game the Duke Blue Devils were able to eclipse the Wisconsin Badgers 68-63. Leading the way for the winners was Tyus Jones 23 points and reserve guard Grayson Allen 16 points. This provides an interesting commentary based on comments I heard on Saturday. It was mentioned “Wisconsin’s seniors had beaten Kentucky’s freshman.”
I’m curious about their remarks now since freshman Jones and Allen led the way to this victory. Jahlil Okafor and Justise Winslow were hampered by foul trouble however they combined for 21 important points. Did I fail to mention the latter two are also freshmen? Wisconsin and their fans are disappointed and it’s a shame one of these teams had to lose. One more bit of information this is Coach K‘s 5th NCAA Championship.
The world’s tallest__________
You can fill in the blank; it could be NBA player on the other hand it could be a corporate career. The world is aware of Elhadji Serigne Tacko Diop Fall, nicknamed Tacko. This 7-6 300 pound giant plays for Liberty Christian Preparatory School in Tavares Florida. Tavares is some 50 minutes northwest of Orlando. The youngster committed last November to the University of Central Florida and is headed there in August. Fall was born in the West African nation of Senegal but moved to the U.S. at the age of 16. He might not be headed to the NBA however with a 4.0 grade point average he might become the world’s tallest engineer or bio-chemist.
Off to the NBA
I provided my perspective on several Kansas players I believed would benefit from remaining in college and enhancing their game. One of those named who thumbed his nose at me was Kelly Oubre Jr. as he declared for the 2015 NBA Draft. I must admit I didn’t see every game he played however those I did I witness he was very hot or very cold all season. There were games the 6-7 Oubre Jr. resembled any present NBA player you might named. There were other games where he appeared nonchalant on the court, offensively and defensively. The most recent example might be a defensive lapse during the Kansas-Wichita State game. Oubre Jr. and Wichita State’s Zach Brown were scrambling to reach a loose ball.
I certainly cannot fault Oubre for Brown beating him to the ball however once Oubre Jr. realized he’d been beaten to the ball he appeared to give up on the play. He allowed Brown to race down the court for an uncontested slam. I once heard someone say; “The NBA drafts on potential” and perhaps that’s the case here. We have all witnessed athletes leaving school early and then are not prepared for the rigors of NBA life despite their perceptions. In 2011 I wrote “it would be a mistake for Kyrie Irving to leave Duke after only an 11 game injury-filled freshman year.” Wonder how Irving turned out? Just kiddin’ Irving would go on to become 2011-12 NBA Rookie of the Year which proves how much insight I have.
New hire
Alabama hired former NBA Coach Avery Johnson. The news might not be as surprising as you might believe. We heard his name mentioned last week surrounding the Texas job who would hire Shaka Smart late of VCU. Former Baylor Coach Dave Bliss was hired at NAIA Southwestern Christian University located in metro Oklahoma City. Bliss was under a 10 year show cause penalty by the NCAA. In order to obtain an NCAA job he must receive an ok from that organization.
The first time ever
Has the University of Missouri-Kansas City basketball program at long last turned the page toward success? The move from the NAIA level to Division I have been rather bumpy over the years. The team struggled through a succession of conference changes coaches and athletic directors. In addition games were moved from Municipal Auditorium to the campus and back to Municipal. The move to a new conference (Western Athletic) also came with hiring Coach Kareem Richardson last season. In the coaches second year UMKC finished with a 14-19 record and 8-6 second place finish. The school even managed to beat Mizzou for the first time in their history.
On March 31 came news the school had its first All American selection in basketball.
Actually it was an honorable mention however it remains the first time UMKC has received any type of national recognition since 1994. UMKC guard Martez Harrison led the WAC in scoring with a 17.5 ppg average and also led the league in steals (60) and assists (129). Harrison was key to the team’s success in the second half of the 2014-15 season. In 1994 Tony Dumas became the first and to date the only UMKC player to be drafted in the NBA. The Mavs made Dumas the number 19 pick in the first round of the draft.
-------Larry Laker
Congratulations
In a hotly contested championship game the Duke Blue Devils were able to eclipse the Wisconsin Badgers 68-63. Leading the way for the winners was Tyus Jones 23 points and reserve guard Grayson Allen 16 points. This provides an interesting commentary based on comments I heard on Saturday. It was mentioned “Wisconsin’s seniors had beaten Kentucky’s freshman.”
I’m curious about their remarks now since freshman Jones and Allen led the way to this victory. Jahlil Okafor and Justise Winslow were hampered by foul trouble however they combined for 21 important points. Did I fail to mention the latter two are also freshmen? Wisconsin and their fans are disappointed and it’s a shame one of these teams had to lose. One more bit of information this is Coach K‘s 5th NCAA Championship.
The world’s tallest__________
You can fill in the blank; it could be NBA player on the other hand it could be a corporate career. The world is aware of Elhadji Serigne Tacko Diop Fall, nicknamed Tacko. This 7-6 300 pound giant plays for Liberty Christian Preparatory School in Tavares Florida. Tavares is some 50 minutes northwest of Orlando. The youngster committed last November to the University of Central Florida and is headed there in August. Fall was born in the West African nation of Senegal but moved to the U.S. at the age of 16. He might not be headed to the NBA however with a 4.0 grade point average he might become the world’s tallest engineer or bio-chemist.
Off to the NBA
I provided my perspective on several Kansas players I believed would benefit from remaining in college and enhancing their game. One of those named who thumbed his nose at me was Kelly Oubre Jr. as he declared for the 2015 NBA Draft. I must admit I didn’t see every game he played however those I did I witness he was very hot or very cold all season. There were games the 6-7 Oubre Jr. resembled any present NBA player you might named. There were other games where he appeared nonchalant on the court, offensively and defensively. The most recent example might be a defensive lapse during the Kansas-Wichita State game. Oubre Jr. and Wichita State’s Zach Brown were scrambling to reach a loose ball.
I certainly cannot fault Oubre for Brown beating him to the ball however once Oubre Jr. realized he’d been beaten to the ball he appeared to give up on the play. He allowed Brown to race down the court for an uncontested slam. I once heard someone say; “The NBA drafts on potential” and perhaps that’s the case here. We have all witnessed athletes leaving school early and then are not prepared for the rigors of NBA life despite their perceptions. In 2011 I wrote “it would be a mistake for Kyrie Irving to leave Duke after only an 11 game injury-filled freshman year.” Wonder how Irving turned out? Just kiddin’ Irving would go on to become 2011-12 NBA Rookie of the Year which proves how much insight I have.
New hire
Alabama hired former NBA Coach Avery Johnson. The news might not be as surprising as you might believe. We heard his name mentioned last week surrounding the Texas job who would hire Shaka Smart late of VCU. Former Baylor Coach Dave Bliss was hired at NAIA Southwestern Christian University located in metro Oklahoma City. Bliss was under a 10 year show cause penalty by the NCAA. In order to obtain an NCAA job he must receive an ok from that organization.
The first time ever
Has the University of Missouri-Kansas City basketball program at long last turned the page toward success? The move from the NAIA level to Division I have been rather bumpy over the years. The team struggled through a succession of conference changes coaches and athletic directors. In addition games were moved from Municipal Auditorium to the campus and back to Municipal. The move to a new conference (Western Athletic) also came with hiring Coach Kareem Richardson last season. In the coaches second year UMKC finished with a 14-19 record and 8-6 second place finish. The school even managed to beat Mizzou for the first time in their history.
On March 31 came news the school had its first All American selection in basketball.
Actually it was an honorable mention however it remains the first time UMKC has received any type of national recognition since 1994. UMKC guard Martez Harrison led the WAC in scoring with a 17.5 ppg average and also led the league in steals (60) and assists (129). Harrison was key to the team’s success in the second half of the 2014-15 season. In 1994 Tony Dumas became the first and to date the only UMKC player to be drafted in the NBA. The Mavs made Dumas the number 19 pick in the first round of the draft.
Monday, April 6, 2015
There is a distinction between lack of talent and lack of effort!
-------Larry Laker
Leave her alone!
Recent Ashley Judd headlines did not generate from the entertainment side. Ms Judd was subject to unkind remarks via Twitter. I’m unsure if a portion of the criticism involved her passion for Kentucky basketball. She certainly is not late to the party as a fan; I first remember the television camera focusing on her back in the Tubby Smith days. Smith coached the Wildcat program from 1997 through 2007, she was spotted in the stands rooting for her team during the two sub par years Billy Gillispie coached the team.
Ms Judd has continued to follow the program since John Calipari took over. Appreciate her passion and loyalty to her alma mater and its basketball program. One additional tidbit she is not a celebrity who attends games looking for the television camera. Most of the time she sits in the student section and we know she court afford court-side seats. There are a number of celebrities who attend sports events “to be seen” please don’t count Ashley Judd in that number. Win or lose she is steadfast in her devotion to Kentucky basketball, that’s more than can be said for an array of celebrities.
How you miss a game
I know Duke beat Michigan State; I realize Wisconsin won a close match against Kentucky. The result was the Badgers broke the 38 game win streak of Kentucky. I wasn’t in Indianapolis or in front of my television set how do I know? I promised my wife I would attend a civic event Saturday evening. My plans were to DVR the games and see both later that night. A young lady sitting at the table next to me turn her tablet on keeping track of the Duke-Michigan State score. I asked her to not give me any information; later she forgot her promise and gave me the final score of the game.
Okay now I should be okay with the Kentucky-Wisconsin game at least I thought.
The moderator of the event in addition to describing the evening event provides the gathering continuous updates on Kentucky-Wisconsin. At the conclusion of the event we are walking out of the hotel and pass the bar where a large crowd is gathered. I told my wife I might as well watch the last 30 seconds since my plan to view the game in its entirety was gone. I stood in the bar and watch Wisconsin close the door on the Kentucky win streak and their hopes for a national championship.
Bits n Pieces
To the surprise of no one Shaka Smart accepted the Texas job. We are unsure if there was a Gregg Marshall factor in this hire. Smart and Marshall were under consideration to become head coach at Texas, for reasons other than a pay raise Marshall chose to remain at home (Wichita State). Interesting in that local radio guy has said nothing regarding his early claim; “Marshall has coached his last game at Wichita State.“ We can all speculate on news however this host offered few bits of knowledge for this take.
A Kansas City Star reporter re-checked the 2012 All Metro teams. He noted Willie Cauley’s (Stein was added later) name was missing from the first and second teams. They did select him as an honorable mention, in fairness to the newspaper the Kentucky All American was just tall (6-11). He wasn’t the best player on his Olathe (KS) Northwest team that was Shavon Shields at Nebraska. Shavon was an All Metro first team selection and the son of former Chiefs lineman Will Shields
By now I’m sure you’ve read or heard the comments of UConn Coach Geno Auriemma regarding men’s basketball. No doubt the guy knows his X’s and O’s about basketball however the guy coaches the women’s game. I’m sure my next statement will upset women who read Words eye view. There are portions of the game requiring a fix however the women’s game unwatchable too. Excluding Auriemma’s UConn and Tennessee who are the other traditional winning women’s teams?
Who got next?
Yao Ming’s NBA career with the Rockets was cut short in 2011 due to injury. We beloved the popularity of basketball in China (especially the NBA) would produce another NBA talent. China loves former NBA player Stephen Marbury he indicates he’s reached heights never experienced with the Knicks are other NBA teams. Emmanuel Mudiay was headed to SMU but decided instead to play in China. Why China over Europe to begin his pro career? The Lakers drafted Sun Yue a 6-9 shooting guard in 2007. Vying for an NBA championship may not have prevented Yue from gaining adequate time to adjust to NBA life.
Injury and time spent in the D-League time the Lakers made the decision to not re-sign Yue. He headed back to China where he continues to play to this day. Also drafted that same year was 7-foot Yi Jianlian who played until 2012 before he returned home. Who has next you might ask, are there NBA prospects on the horizon from China? Zhou Qi a 7-2 center who plays for the Xinjiang Flying Tigers is from Henan, China. The other prospect is Wang Zhelin also a 7 foot center, he plays for the Fujian Sturgeons and home is Fujian, China.
-------Larry Laker
Leave her alone!
Recent Ashley Judd headlines did not generate from the entertainment side. Ms Judd was subject to unkind remarks via Twitter. I’m unsure if a portion of the criticism involved her passion for Kentucky basketball. She certainly is not late to the party as a fan; I first remember the television camera focusing on her back in the Tubby Smith days. Smith coached the Wildcat program from 1997 through 2007, she was spotted in the stands rooting for her team during the two sub par years Billy Gillispie coached the team.
Ms Judd has continued to follow the program since John Calipari took over. Appreciate her passion and loyalty to her alma mater and its basketball program. One additional tidbit she is not a celebrity who attends games looking for the television camera. Most of the time she sits in the student section and we know she court afford court-side seats. There are a number of celebrities who attend sports events “to be seen” please don’t count Ashley Judd in that number. Win or lose she is steadfast in her devotion to Kentucky basketball, that’s more than can be said for an array of celebrities.
How you miss a game
I know Duke beat Michigan State; I realize Wisconsin won a close match against Kentucky. The result was the Badgers broke the 38 game win streak of Kentucky. I wasn’t in Indianapolis or in front of my television set how do I know? I promised my wife I would attend a civic event Saturday evening. My plans were to DVR the games and see both later that night. A young lady sitting at the table next to me turn her tablet on keeping track of the Duke-Michigan State score. I asked her to not give me any information; later she forgot her promise and gave me the final score of the game.
Okay now I should be okay with the Kentucky-Wisconsin game at least I thought.
The moderator of the event in addition to describing the evening event provides the gathering continuous updates on Kentucky-Wisconsin. At the conclusion of the event we are walking out of the hotel and pass the bar where a large crowd is gathered. I told my wife I might as well watch the last 30 seconds since my plan to view the game in its entirety was gone. I stood in the bar and watch Wisconsin close the door on the Kentucky win streak and their hopes for a national championship.
Bits n Pieces
To the surprise of no one Shaka Smart accepted the Texas job. We are unsure if there was a Gregg Marshall factor in this hire. Smart and Marshall were under consideration to become head coach at Texas, for reasons other than a pay raise Marshall chose to remain at home (Wichita State). Interesting in that local radio guy has said nothing regarding his early claim; “Marshall has coached his last game at Wichita State.“ We can all speculate on news however this host offered few bits of knowledge for this take.
A Kansas City Star reporter re-checked the 2012 All Metro teams. He noted Willie Cauley’s (Stein was added later) name was missing from the first and second teams. They did select him as an honorable mention, in fairness to the newspaper the Kentucky All American was just tall (6-11). He wasn’t the best player on his Olathe (KS) Northwest team that was Shavon Shields at Nebraska. Shavon was an All Metro first team selection and the son of former Chiefs lineman Will Shields
By now I’m sure you’ve read or heard the comments of UConn Coach Geno Auriemma regarding men’s basketball. No doubt the guy knows his X’s and O’s about basketball however the guy coaches the women’s game. I’m sure my next statement will upset women who read Words eye view. There are portions of the game requiring a fix however the women’s game unwatchable too. Excluding Auriemma’s UConn and Tennessee who are the other traditional winning women’s teams?
Who got next?
Yao Ming’s NBA career with the Rockets was cut short in 2011 due to injury. We beloved the popularity of basketball in China (especially the NBA) would produce another NBA talent. China loves former NBA player Stephen Marbury he indicates he’s reached heights never experienced with the Knicks are other NBA teams. Emmanuel Mudiay was headed to SMU but decided instead to play in China. Why China over Europe to begin his pro career? The Lakers drafted Sun Yue a 6-9 shooting guard in 2007. Vying for an NBA championship may not have prevented Yue from gaining adequate time to adjust to NBA life.
Injury and time spent in the D-League time the Lakers made the decision to not re-sign Yue. He headed back to China where he continues to play to this day. Also drafted that same year was 7-foot Yi Jianlian who played until 2012 before he returned home. Who has next you might ask, are there NBA prospects on the horizon from China? Zhou Qi a 7-2 center who plays for the Xinjiang Flying Tigers is from Henan, China. The other prospect is Wang Zhelin also a 7 foot center, he plays for the Fujian Sturgeons and home is Fujian, China.
Friday, April 3, 2015
There is a distinction between lack of talent and lack of effort!
-------Larry Laker
Dueling point guards
No doubt on my part Chris Paul is a multi-talented point guard. For awhile I believed the Clipper was best in the NBA at the point but no more. I am placing Steph Curry at the top and have moved Paul into second place. I viewed one as more a passer (Paul) and the other a shooter (Curry). If we look strictly at the numbers that’s actually might be more the case. Paul leads the NBA with 10.1 assists per game while Curry is at 7.8 assists a game. As for shooting Paul is 18.9 ppg and .482 from the floor, Curry 23.7 and .483 from the floor.
Paul scored 27 points and dished out 9 assists as for Curry it was 27 points and 4 assists. The Warriors came back from a 17 point deficit to win the game 110-106. Curry had Paul on skates during one portion as he attempted to guard him. Check the video on YouTube if you have an opportunity. As this was completed an ESPN crawl came across the screen. This could be a red-flag for the Clippers, it read; “Clippers are 19-21 this season versus teams with .500 records.” Once a team reaches the playoffs all Western Conference teams have winning records.
He say’s “stay in school”
Wisconsin’s Frank Kaminsky didn’t really make that statement but he could have. When the 7 footer arrived on campus four years ago he had difficulty “walking and chewing gum” at the same time. How difficult well he finished his freshman year averaging 1.8 ppg. Yes I said 1.8 but it gets better, more playing time Kaminsky averaged an improved 4.2 ppg his sophomore season.
Kaminsky continued to work on all elements of his game and saw his numbers and play rise significantly. Last season as a junior he averaged 13.9 ppg and this year a high water mark of 18.4. Mock drafts are just that no commitment in any manner by an NBA team or a prospect. Interesting that both mock sites I routinely follow have the 7 foot 240 pound Kaminsky as a 1st round draft pick. I’m sure four years ago nobody believed Frank “The Tank” Kaminsky might one day be considered an NBA prospect.
Coaching news
The news is so swift often it becomes dated quickly; hopefully this will still be newsworthy as you read it. Tennessee moved rather quickly hiring Rick Barnes dismissed at Texas. On Saturday Barnes is out of a job by Tuesday morning he‘s got the Tennessee job. St. John’s chose former standout Chris Mullin to replace Steve Lavin. Mullin has no previous coaching experience although a long NBA career. (More on this hire in a later account). Travis Ford at Oklahoma State made the NCAA Tournament but could still be on the outside looking in. It’s been reported the school is considering a buy-out although he may remain in place.
As mentioned earlier Alabama met with Wichita State’s Coach Gregg Marshall however he said “thanks anyway. “ Marshall also rejected any talk of him headed to Texas signing an extension with Wichita State. VCU’s Shaka Smart becomes the leader for the Texas head coaching position. As for Smart he’s shown his loyalty to VCU is it time for him to get paid? Will Jeff Capel succeed the fired Herb Sendek at Arizona State? DePaul hired Dave Leitao an assistant at Tulsa to lead the Blue Demons. At some point during the next two weeks the major coaching positions (Texas & Alabama) will be made known. That’s all the coaching news to date stay tuned for further developing stories.
McDonald’s
The game was played at the United Center in Chicago on Wednesday evening. The East team scored 111 points holding the West squad to 91. Chieck (Sheck) Diallo was selected the games MVP leading the way with 18 points and 10 rebounds. The 6-10 220 pound Diallo had a smooth spin move scoring one of his baskets. Diallo is one of several prospects yet to select a school. He attends high school in Centereach New York about 60 miles from New York City. Diallo is originally from the West African nation of Mali.
Haters will hate
I hope I’m not a hater, I realize there are teams, athletes, coaches and media members who I dislike but I hope it doesn’t appear I’m a hater. Here’s where I’m going with this account several in the local sports media have expressed their intense dislike for John Calipari. They acknowledge he’s a great recruiter however they question his coaching ability. I say hogwash to that type of statement, someone said; “It’s easy for John Wooden to win having (Lew) Alcindor and (Bill) Walton playing for you.” You cannot win with the talent Wooden had in the past or Calipari has now without coaching. After failing in that argument they search for another
Next up to remind us they claim Calipari cheats. They point out the fact once he left UMass and Memphis both schools were placed on NCAA probation. How about other “name” coaches who’ve experienced troubles. To date Syracuse under Jim Boeheim is the only school currently on probation the others are yet to be decided. North Carolina’s Roy Williams is likely to suffer some sort of NCAA restriction based on academic issues going back several years. I offer no proof however Kansas has suffered indiscretions with their program too. Even Coach K. has a skeleton in the closet yet to be resolved. If you don’t like Calipari that’s okay but don’t hint that he can’t coach and he’s the only one with skeletons in the closet.
-------Larry Laker
Dueling point guards
No doubt on my part Chris Paul is a multi-talented point guard. For awhile I believed the Clipper was best in the NBA at the point but no more. I am placing Steph Curry at the top and have moved Paul into second place. I viewed one as more a passer (Paul) and the other a shooter (Curry). If we look strictly at the numbers that’s actually might be more the case. Paul leads the NBA with 10.1 assists per game while Curry is at 7.8 assists a game. As for shooting Paul is 18.9 ppg and .482 from the floor, Curry 23.7 and .483 from the floor.
Paul scored 27 points and dished out 9 assists as for Curry it was 27 points and 4 assists. The Warriors came back from a 17 point deficit to win the game 110-106. Curry had Paul on skates during one portion as he attempted to guard him. Check the video on YouTube if you have an opportunity. As this was completed an ESPN crawl came across the screen. This could be a red-flag for the Clippers, it read; “Clippers are 19-21 this season versus teams with .500 records.” Once a team reaches the playoffs all Western Conference teams have winning records.
He say’s “stay in school”
Wisconsin’s Frank Kaminsky didn’t really make that statement but he could have. When the 7 footer arrived on campus four years ago he had difficulty “walking and chewing gum” at the same time. How difficult well he finished his freshman year averaging 1.8 ppg. Yes I said 1.8 but it gets better, more playing time Kaminsky averaged an improved 4.2 ppg his sophomore season.
Kaminsky continued to work on all elements of his game and saw his numbers and play rise significantly. Last season as a junior he averaged 13.9 ppg and this year a high water mark of 18.4. Mock drafts are just that no commitment in any manner by an NBA team or a prospect. Interesting that both mock sites I routinely follow have the 7 foot 240 pound Kaminsky as a 1st round draft pick. I’m sure four years ago nobody believed Frank “The Tank” Kaminsky might one day be considered an NBA prospect.
Coaching news
The news is so swift often it becomes dated quickly; hopefully this will still be newsworthy as you read it. Tennessee moved rather quickly hiring Rick Barnes dismissed at Texas. On Saturday Barnes is out of a job by Tuesday morning he‘s got the Tennessee job. St. John’s chose former standout Chris Mullin to replace Steve Lavin. Mullin has no previous coaching experience although a long NBA career. (More on this hire in a later account). Travis Ford at Oklahoma State made the NCAA Tournament but could still be on the outside looking in. It’s been reported the school is considering a buy-out although he may remain in place.
As mentioned earlier Alabama met with Wichita State’s Coach Gregg Marshall however he said “thanks anyway. “ Marshall also rejected any talk of him headed to Texas signing an extension with Wichita State. VCU’s Shaka Smart becomes the leader for the Texas head coaching position. As for Smart he’s shown his loyalty to VCU is it time for him to get paid? Will Jeff Capel succeed the fired Herb Sendek at Arizona State? DePaul hired Dave Leitao an assistant at Tulsa to lead the Blue Demons. At some point during the next two weeks the major coaching positions (Texas & Alabama) will be made known. That’s all the coaching news to date stay tuned for further developing stories.
McDonald’s
The game was played at the United Center in Chicago on Wednesday evening. The East team scored 111 points holding the West squad to 91. Chieck (Sheck) Diallo was selected the games MVP leading the way with 18 points and 10 rebounds. The 6-10 220 pound Diallo had a smooth spin move scoring one of his baskets. Diallo is one of several prospects yet to select a school. He attends high school in Centereach New York about 60 miles from New York City. Diallo is originally from the West African nation of Mali.
Haters will hate
I hope I’m not a hater, I realize there are teams, athletes, coaches and media members who I dislike but I hope it doesn’t appear I’m a hater. Here’s where I’m going with this account several in the local sports media have expressed their intense dislike for John Calipari. They acknowledge he’s a great recruiter however they question his coaching ability. I say hogwash to that type of statement, someone said; “It’s easy for John Wooden to win having (Lew) Alcindor and (Bill) Walton playing for you.” You cannot win with the talent Wooden had in the past or Calipari has now without coaching. After failing in that argument they search for another
Next up to remind us they claim Calipari cheats. They point out the fact once he left UMass and Memphis both schools were placed on NCAA probation. How about other “name” coaches who’ve experienced troubles. To date Syracuse under Jim Boeheim is the only school currently on probation the others are yet to be decided. North Carolina’s Roy Williams is likely to suffer some sort of NCAA restriction based on academic issues going back several years. I offer no proof however Kansas has suffered indiscretions with their program too. Even Coach K. has a skeleton in the closet yet to be resolved. If you don’t like Calipari that’s okay but don’t hint that he can’t coach and he’s the only one with skeletons in the closet.
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