Basketball from a fans perspective
Change
The report is breaking news so I’m providing thoughts prior to reading or hearing about it on television. Larry Bird decided in favor of not renewing head coach Frank Vogel’s contract. The Pacers similar to the Kings and some team I’m forgetting have begun a coaching search. Vogel was an assistant at Boston, Philly and Indiana. He was named interim coach at the time Jim O’Brian was fired, he assumed head coaching duties in 2011.
Every Pacer team made the playoffs with the exception of the 2014-15 season. Paul George missed the season with an injury and the team dealt with a number of issues. In 2015 they bounced back making the playoffs but were eliminated by the Raptors. Vogel’s Pacer teams had a .580 winning percentage. The only direct quote included in this was one from Larry Bird; “The team needed a new voice.”
This is serious business
How can I state the Kings need to hire Patrick Ewing but it’s not okay for Kevin McHale? There must be a problem with 7-foot assistant coaches because Ewing has never been hired despite credentials serving a number of teams. On the other hand sources have stated Kevin McHale has taken his name out of consideration for the top job with the Kings.
I believe (I could be wrong) Ewing might be more amenable to the craziness existing with the
Sactown front office. McHale after Houston probably is unwilling to deal with anymore strange goings on. Don’t misunderstand I’m not stating Ewing is a yes man, having no prior head coaching experience he would approach the job different from McHale. McHale with stops at Minnesota and Houston has a background coaching.
Can you be too ol skool?
I pose this question because of Byron Scott’s comments. He will forever be a Laker to me being Magic Johnson’s back court mate. You may have heard Scott on the Dan Patrick Show or Rachel Nichols ESPN program The Jump. The coach claims he was blindsided by the firing, he believed “This was a rebuild which would take three years.” I’m not going to attempt what went wrong but consider Scott had a veteran team, they went 21-61.
This past season with a team comprised of mostly youngsters and a few veterans they finished
17-65. What went wrong requires far more time than a simple couple of paragraphs. Reading between the lines it appeared Scott had problems with several of the young Laker players. Who was right-- who was wrong, doesn’t matter an under achieving team usually changes head coaches. D’Angelo Russell and others probably didn’t listen to the coach at times; the coach with ol skool mentally was difficult to change his style of coaching.
Slippery Slope
Awhile back I mentioned the “Thon Maker” approach to the NBA draft might possibly cause a change. I used the term “slippery slope” because the ruling might create a change in the basketball landscape. It was pointed out earlier Maker graduated in 2015 turned 19 in January (2016) while attending prep school. Two years ago my friend’s son graduated high school. With a number of scholarships on the table a Division I school suggested he attend a prep school. I can only guess it may have been to raise his G.P.A. or maybe for some other reason.
In any event the youngster took the prep school route and this past season was on the roster of the Division I school. Academically a junior for basketball he will be a sophomore and likely in the starting lineup. I don’t believe the young man is talented enough for the NBA however consider the fact Thon Maker took the same route as my friend’s son. The difference one headed off to college and the other is headed to the NBA a fact to take into consideration.
He did it
Youngsters want to grow up and become the next Michael, LeBron or Kobe. Few will say I want to be the next Kyle O’Quinn. Who is this O’Quinn guy you are probably questioning. He’s a reserve forward for the New York Knicks and exactly what did he accomplish? When the 600 or so graduates walk across the stage for Norfolk State to receive their diploma’s O’Quinn will be in that number.
O’Quinn drafted by the Magic has been in the NBA since 2012 so it’s likely he’s making a decent salary. Despite the salary there was no college diploma hanging on the wall, there will be after May 7 because he promised his mom and dad he would complete his education. It took him a great deal more time however he accomplished the task of graduation when he could have just rested on his laurels. Congratulations Kyle O’Quinn 2016 college graduate.
