Basketball from a fans perspective
From time to time
I must offer my apologies for any errors in publication. I’m the writer, publisher, proof-reader, designer and other assorted jobs. Publishing 7 days a week I sometimes discover I’m guilty of overlooking errors, proof as I can I sometimes miss errors. When I discover errors I correct them, if you read Words in the morning and return to re-read a story in late afternoon a sentence or two’s framework might have changed.
Kansas City via the Bronx
I read a SI.com story about Nate “Tiny” Archibald and this is the result. No plagiarism on my part this is strictly a Larry Laker original along with research from sources other than the story I read. I once met Tiny and couldn’t believe his size; he thrived in the Land of Giants and was just that small. I’m not a tall guy not even 5-10, meeting him I was at eyeball level with this basketball legend.
According to the NBA guide he stood 6-1 and weighed 165 pounds I say baloney once and baloney twice. How could such a diminutive player make such an impact in this game of Big Men? He honed his basketball skills playing in the Rucker League then Arizona Western (junior college) and finally UTEP. He was the 19th pick in the second round of the 1970 NBA Draft by the Cincinnati Royals. He probably never saw Cincinnati because the franchise moved to Kansas City for his rookie year.
In the 1972-73 season Tiny accomplished a feat which is likely to never be accomplished again. LeBron James might come closet however there are doubts even for him. In any event that celestial season he would lead the NBA in scoring (34.0 ppg) and assists 911 (11.4 per game). Wikipedia says “He was traded to the New York Nets” which is true however there were special circumstances.
The Kings were terrible (on the floor and front office) except for Tiny I believe he grew tired of losing and forced the trade. Eventually Tiny found his way to the Celtics where he aided a young Larry Bird to win the NBA Championship in 1981. The “little” point guard from the Bronx has been enshrined in the Naismith and College Basketball Hall of Fame. This small tidbit of information doesn’t do justiice to one of the most outstanding players in NBA history.
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The Sportster website contained a story recently “15-Would Be Superstars Who Wasted Their Potential.” The list was fairly accurate among the names were Kwame Brown, Michael Olowokandi and Michael Beasley. They along with a number of others exhibited plenty of potential but got sidetrack by lack of effort or talent, they never fulfilled expectations. I took issue with two of their choices Jay Williams and Len Bias. Williams emerged from Duke with a promise of being an excellent point guard for the Bulls; he might have become Derrick Rose before Rose. Everything changed for Williams the night of June 19 2003, riding a motorcycle he was injured so severely he was never able to resume playing in the NBA. Williams shouldn’t have been riding a motorcycle in the first place he had no license in addition his contract with the Bulls prohibited him riding two-wheelers.
Williams attempted to revive his career but the injury was so sever it forced him to the sidelines permanently. Today he serves as a college basketball analyst for ESPN. We could state with conviction the accident derailed his NBA career however I have serious doubts including him in this account. A devastating accident forced him to the sidelines not talent. Len Bias emerged from Maryland destined to sustain Celtic pride. He was the second pick in the 1986 NBA Draft and would have joined Dennis Johnson, Larry Bird and Robert Parrish. Two days after the draft Bias was dead, a drug overdose cost his life. His death was tragic but the same as Williams a poor decision not "wasted potential."
Rotating franchise
Many in North Carolina knowing their state was a hotbed for college basketball believed pro basketball would flourish as well, the results are mixed. The Charlotte Hornets came into the NBA as an expansion team in 1988 but moved to New Orleans in 2002. In 2004 the NBA decided in favor adding another team the Bobcats were added and in 2014 re-named the Hornets. The re-branding took place when the New Orleans franchise became the Pelicans.
In 1967 the Houston Mavericks of the ABA came into existence the first year of that league, they played in the city until 1969 when they move to Carolina. The Cougars as they were re-named played in three cities Charlotte, Greensboro and Raleigh. History indicates the franchise was moderately successful but pending merger talk with the NBA doomed the franchise. The belief was a regional franchise would be unable to operate effectively in the NBA. The team was sold to interests who moved them to St. Louis where they were re-named once again this time it was the Spirits of St. Louis.
