Basketball from a fans perspective

　

National search
Recently we held a conversation not sports related. We mutually agreed a national search was required to fill a position. We could make that same statement for a number of basketball programs across the nation. How’d you like to be the coach who replaces
Mike Krzyzewski at Duke? Consider this fact North Carolina remained “in-house” going with long-time assistant Bill Guttridge when Dean Smith stepped down. Although Matt Doherty was a disaster as a head coach he was a former Tar Heel player. The reins of the team were turned over to Roy Williams who left Kansas to return to his alma mater.

In mentioning Kansas we could make the same statement about Roy Williams. Bet you didn’t know there have been only four coaches at Kansas since Wilt Chamberlain?
Chamberlain departed after the 1957-58 season, the count Dick Harp, Ted Owens Roy Williams and current Coach Bill Self. We could also state there’s been little turnover at Kentucky since legendary Adolph Rupp stepped down in 1972. John Calipari is coach number six since the Rupp retirement. We might include Louisville’s Rick Pitino in our count as well. Pitino’s been the head coach at Louisville since 2001-02 that season he replaced Denny Crum on the job since 1971-72. It should be of note Louisville is the only school to have won an NAIA and NCAA Championship. Who replaces this group of coaches when they chose to step aside? I have no idea of who but I know for sure there will be a national search for replacements.

Did you hear?
Kristaps Porzingis Knicks 2015 number one draft pick has been busy preparing himself for the upcoming NBA season. He’s been a regular in the weight room and it’s reported he’s gained about 11 pounds this summer which places him in the 230-235 pound weight range. He still remains undersized for someone 7 feet 2 inches tall and according to reports continuing to grow in height. For his sake hopefully the reported weight gain is muscle rather than fat.

We realize Porzingis needs additional bulk to under go the rigors of the NBA. 76er Jahilil Okafor or Laker D’Angelo Russell will be selected rookie of the year or someone else. If Porzingis is rookie of the year or just has a decent year I can hear Stephen A. Smith backpedaling. Immediately after the draft and continuing for weeks it seemed his voice was the sharpest and loudest critic of the Knicks and particularly Phil Jackson. You think he’d be willing to admit he might have been wrong about Porzingis?

Decisions, decisions
The latest “reported” news if accurate is quite interesting. It was last spring or summer stories circulated Mikhail Prokhorov was seeking potential buyers for the Nets. Bruce Ratner and others (?) own 22% of the Nets and 55% of Barclays Center. If this sale is completed Prokhorov would become single proprietor of the team and arena. According to Forbes the owners net worth is $9 billion dollars which says he’s likely to afford a buyout of his
partner(s).

Can he play?
The question is aimed squarely at new Laker Larry Nance Jr.; the 6-9 forward is the son of former Suns forward Larry Nance Sr. Nance Jr. has overcome several health issues to become the 27^th pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. You name the health issue; Nance Jr. has dealt with a number of them. He suffers from Crohn's Disease a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that affects the lining of the digestive tract. A person suffering from Crohn’s is never cured with medication the disease can become stable.

In 2014 Nance Jr. tore his right ACL and last February dealt with a bout of mononucleosis. Despite these health issues time after time he returned to the basketball court. As a 5-11 point guard in high school he would grow to 6-7 by his senior year of high school. Technically a power forward hopefully the point guard skills haven’t left him, I’m looking forward to see him in action this season.

One more purchase---maybe
I haven’t mentioned my “Laker Man Cave” for awhile, a number of you might remember the issue. I had a room size issue or lack what I believe is adequate space to fully develop the room to its max. I might add there was no intention on my part to build a Man Cave it actually began unintentionally. Several years during the period Shaquille O’Neal was on the team a friend knowing my allegiance to the Lakers purchased a number 34 jersey for me as a gift. I wore the jersey occasionally over the top of a tee-shirt but that was about it. Naturally after Shaq was traded the jersey languished in the back of my closet for several years. Three years ago I gained another jersey as an unexpected gift.     

A group of co-workers purchased a Kobe Bryant number 24 jersey as a going away present for me. It was shortly after that point I began purchasing Laker jerseys, caps, photos, banners and plaques. As I mentioned at the beginning of this piece room size has prevented additions to the Laker shrine until now. I purchased a Magic Johnson number 32 jersey which is likely the last addition to my room. Hmmm, now that I think about it I don’t have a Kareem Abdul Jabbar or “Big Game” James Worthy jersey. I could maybe add a Byron Scott or AC Green jersey to my room too. There are no copyright issues so I plan on sharing photos with you one of these days.