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.
