Basketball from a fans perspective
Huge news
Adidas is out Nike is in, the NBA and Nike announced Nike will become the exclusive clothing line utilized by NBA teams in 2017-18. I have no idea the amount of revenue coup will generate, it certainly will maintain Nike’s lead role in sales of athletic apparel in the world. Hopefully they will continue working on improving the corporations negative image regarding third world workers.
This is interesting
Immediately after Sprint Center was completed some years ago almost immediately talk of an NBA or NHL team began. Which works better NBA basketball or NHL hockey? A group of NHL fans formed a fan committee, NHL 21 was not intended to provide financing for a team. This group even attracted the attention of the Greater Kansas City Sports Commission. The president of the commission and I exchanged emails as I attempted to explain I believed the NBA would be a better fit based on the basketball history of Kansas City. Our emails became a point-counterpoint but never did they become volatile. In conclusion the president invited me to serve as a volunteer with the sports commission.
Where am I going with this story you ask? I don’t know if there was a Stanley Cup game on Sunday but I found this next bit of information interesting. The baseball Royals were playing Sunday evening, the Royals in first place for much of the season have played outstanding baseball. Game 2 of the Cavs-Warriors playoffs was also on television that evening. I have no documentation to provide proof however a local sports radio host claimed the overnight ratings in Kansas City saw a greater number of televisions turned to the playoff game versus the home town Royals. Will this trend continue through the balance of the playoffs we have no idea I just thought this was an interesting trend.
I’ll help him
Stephen A. Smith of ESPN would have us believe only point guards Emmanuel Mudiay and DeAngelo Russell are available to his Knicks. There are a number of other players the Knicks could make the fourth pick in the draft. If Smith is thinking the Knicks need big men I can provide him the names of at least two. Kentucky’s Willie Cauley-Stein might be the first name; he could be the second coming of Tyson Chandler. Chandler with a limited offensive game has managed to be a valuable contributor to the Mavs and Knicks and he‘s endured a fruitful and long NBA career. His defensive proficiency was key to the Mavs only championship. Can Cauley-Stein turn into the second coming of Chandler? He’s got one attribute at the college level that bears a resemblance to Chandler he loves playing defense and he’s got speed up and down on the court.
Remember back to those Championship Bulls teams? They had Bill Weddington and Luc Longley at center neither player was much of an offensive threat. Both were keys in the triangle offense for the Jordan-Pippen led Bulls. They became adept passers clogged the lane and scored occasionally. The Knicks could also choose another Kentucky player Trey Lyles. Lyles while not quite the defensive prowess of his teammate has plenty of upside. At 6-10 he’s got a 7 foot wing span on a 240 pound body. As I’ve often stated there is no guarantee that any prospect wiill become an outstanding player. History indicates we’ve had players’ drafted one through five having little success. My grip with Smith he appears to believe there are only two players in the draft, Jahlil Okafor and Karl-Anthony Towns.
Second coming
Mizzou made an offer to Jordan McCabe is a 5-11 150 pound point guard. His bio says he’s a point guard although I would categorize him as a combo guard. McCabe is from Kaukauna (WI) about 100 miles north of Milwaukee. Mizzou made him an offer despite the fact McCabe just completed his freshman year in high school. A YouTube video is titled; “9th Grader Jordan McCabe aka “Next White Chocolate.” If you’ve followed the game any length of time you might remember the name Jason Williams. Williams played his college ball at Marshall and Florida. Later he would make it to the NBA and likely had his best years playing for the Sacramento Kings where he was first dubbed; “White Chocolate.”
1. Early in his career, Williams built a reputation for an unorthodox “street“style” of play. He became a regular on SportsCenter his spectacular passes and dazzling assists. He regularly attempted, and mostly completed passes such as behind-the back, no-look and half-court.” Think McCabe might be too young to receive an offer, Bobby Knight coaching Indiana once made an offer to an 8th grade player. Although an athlete might show promise basketball, hockey, football (soccer) are just a few of the sports that might make an offer at such a young age. I’ve never read of a high school player football playing receiving a similar offer from Ohio State or Notre Dame.
1. Wikipedia
