Basketball from a fans perspective
Told you so
Remember a few weeks ago a discussion involving Jeff Van Gundy. He was said to be in the names mentioned as a possible head coach of the Rockets. The Rockets are yet to announce a hire but the former coach is no longer in the running. You might remember I said at the time words similar to this; “When the smoke clears Van Gundy will be sitting beside Mike Breen and Mark Jackson.” Van Gundy has tasted success as a television analyst why risk resentment and indignation from fans by taking a coaching job?
Lottery and draft
The choice by the Lakers in the draft next month is based on the 76er pick; it will be Duke’s Brandon Ingram or Ben Simmons from LSU. The lottery has been finalized and this is pure speculation on my part, if the Lakers had dropped to three I believe they may have traded the pick for a veteran player. DraftExpress.com says the 76ers will choose Brandon Ingram at one and the Lakers Ben Simmons at two, NBADraft.net mock draft is exactly opposite in their picks.
If you remember last year the D’Angelo Russell pick completely fooled all of us, I seriously doubt if that occurs on June 23rd. The Jim Buss leadership of the Lakers is at stake this time around, remember his promise at the end of three years “If I cannot turn this team around.“ Time’s up for Mr. Buss at the end of the 2016-17 NBA season.
The Lakers will be winners regardless of the pick; they have lacked a competent small forward for a number of years. As for the individual assessment currently Simmons would appear to be the better all-around player as for Ingram the superior shooter from the field. Fan speculation by a number of folks has the Lakers trading the pick, I cannot see that scenario playing out in the real world. On the other hand Kevin Durant or some other high profile talent might cause me to change my perspective.
“The could have beens”
ESPN.com ran a story regarding athletes who never reached the potential many expected. In all honesty a number succumbed to injury which impacted their brief career. Although the story covered all sports this focus is on the basketball players mentioned in the article. Roy Tarpley died in January of 2015; he was a first round pick of the Mavs in 1986. The 6-11 power forward/center could do it all, he made the All-Rookie Team his first and was selected as Sixth Man of the Year the following year. He was on the road to a brilliant NBA career until alcohol and drug problems curtailed his career.
Tarpley was the first NBA player to be banned for life after a number of subsequent suspensions. No longer able to play in the NBA Tarpley’s career took him to foreign shores until his retired in 2006. The cause of his 2015 death was never revealed, Roy Tarpley one of the most talented players to ever play in the NBA.
We see Jay Williams on ESPN as a college basketball analyst nightly during the season, a number might not be aware he was an outstanding player at Duke. He was drafted number two by the Bulls in 2002, Williams had but one year in the league. An off-season motorcycle accident would curtail his NBA hopes and aspirations.
Sam Bowie like Williams was hampered by injuries. He would become the second pick in the 1984 draft and noteworthy for one reason alone. The Blazers had an opportunity to draft Michael Jordan but chose the 7-1 Kentucky center. In fairness to Bowie the Blazers drafted Clyde Drexler in 1983 why draft MJ when both played the same position? In any event an assortment of injuries curtailed Bowie and we never witnessed any play close to that he exhibited at Kentucky.
