Basketball from a fans perspective
Can you imagine?
Jerry West saying; “I want to play with Bill Russell I‘ll have a better chance of winning an NBA Championship.” or “Dr. J. stating I’d love to play a year with Kareem Abdul Jabbar.“ These two scenarios never played out because whatever type of off-court relationship they competed against one another they never expressed a desire to be teammates. Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell would often dine together and then battle each other on the basketball court. The two Big Men did this while claiming a friendship with one another.
Why is it necessary to play as a team just because we are friends? According to Bleacher Report this is an account by LeBron James; “At least one, maybe two---seasons me Melo, D-Wade, CP--we can get a year in. I would take a pay cut to do that.” My question for LeBron or anyone else why is this teaming together necessary? I understand friendship but is this really necessary? Sorry LeBron I’m an ol skool guy, if free agency or trades allow this scenario to play out I’m gonna find another sport.
Did you know this?
A son sometimes is influenced by his father and will follow in dads footsteps. Luke Murray Xavier assistant journeyed another direction from that of his dad Bill. Golden Globe and Emmy winning actor and comedian Bill Murray is Luke’s father. This is Luke’s first season at Xavier after serving in the same role at a number of other schools. The elder Murray has a basketball connection he co-starred in the 1996 movie Space Jam.
Skywalker
That was his nickname because he set the standard for others to follow. His name is David Thompson, he stood 6 feet 4 inches tall but could he leap. With his great leaping ability Thompson and point guard Monte Towe were the first to utilize the alley-oop pass to score. This method of scoring was implemented while the two played at North Carolina State in the mid ‘70’s. In 1975 he would become the number one draft choice by the NBA Atlanta Hawks and the ABA Denver Nuggets.
He would choose the ABA Nuggets who would later be included in the NBA-ABA merger. Thompson played small forward at a time many who played the position stood 6-6 and taller. He would later play for the Sonics injuries and substance abuse would curtail his career and he would leave the NBA in 1984. Thompson is one of a selected few to be enshrined in both the Naismith and College Basketball Hall of Fame.
He did it first
Unless you are a student of the game the name Bevo Francis is unknown. Francis was a scoring phenom in college basketball of the ‘50’s. Francis played at Rio (Ri-O) Grand College (University of Rio Grand) from 1952-1954. Almost everyone recognizes Wilt Chamberlain for his 100 point game however his game occurred in 1962. Francis would accomplish the feat twice years ahead of Chamberlain. He scored 116 points against Ashland Junior College of Kentucky during the 1952-53 season and 113 Hillsdale Junior College in 1953-54.
1953 saw Francis average 48.3 ppg and 1954 it was 48.0, despite his scoring prowess his name is lost in basketball annals. The NCAA fails to recognize the scoring records because Rio Grand’s competition was junior college competition. In 1956 Francis was drafted by the Philadelphia Warriors but never played in the NBA. He would barnstorm with a team that competed against the Harlem Globetrotters, last June he died at the age of 82. Bevo Francis a name few basketball fans are aware.
