Basketball from a fans perspective
Early signing period
We are approaching the early signing period for high school basketball. The start date is November 9th and ends November 16th. The regular signing period is April 12th 2017 and ends May 17th. Checking Rivals and ESPN’s 2017 prospect list a large number of players have already made their college of choice known.
Future NBA Star?
Markelle Fultz failed to make the varsity team at DeMatha High School, the Maryland school that’s produced a number of the nation’s best basketball talent. It’s rather unusual that same player would be discussed as an NBA lottery pick three years later. That’s the case for Fultz who is likely a one and done prospect at the University of Washington, reports indicate the 6-4 point guard is just that good. As for high school it’s not at all uncommon for a high school sophomore to fail a tryout for the varsity.
It should be noted Fultz was a 5-9 guard when he attempted to gain a spot on the teams’ varsity. How did Fultz rise to a level where he became an NBA prospect in such a short space of time, work and talent? DraftXpress.com has Fultz at the top of its draft prospect list for 2017; NBADraft.net has him listed as number three. In the East and Midwest Time Zones we have few opportunities to view west coast games unless it’s a late afternoon or weekend. Most of us are likely to wait until Fultz arrives in the NBA to see him play.
Could have fooled me
The world waited anxiously for the first meeting between former teammates Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant. Both claimed there were no issues between the two although it was reported Durant never contacted Westbrook. Just a regular season basketball game you say, could have fooled me (maybe you too). Durant shot 64% from the floor as he lead the way to victory scoring 39 points and a 122-96 win.
Durant went up, around and over a number of Thunder defenders, even more interesting the television camera caught an interesting exchange at the free-throw line. The Warriors were on the Thunder bench side of the court. It’s quite clear Enes Kanter is clearly jawing at Durant, Steven Adams gestured toward Kanter to stop “stirring the pot.” The calendar will flip over to January before the two teams face one another in Oklahoma City; I’m unsure how you feel I can hardly wait.
Bits n Pieces
USA Today listed five coaches it believed were on the hot seat this upcoming season. One of the names mentioned was Bruce Weber at Kansas State. I believe Weber is an okay coach but he’s in the wrong state, notice I didn’t say conference. 200 miles or 3 hours drive time east of Kansas State on I-70 is the campus of the Kansas Jayhawks; Weber’s Wildcats have never been competitive with their state neighbor. Kansas can count on a home and road victory every season, sorry Wildcat fans it’s the truth.
Part Deux of the Ben Simmons rant, I should have read a little further. Mark Emmert NCAA Commissioner cleared the air regarding Simmons comment. I realize that’s shocking for you to see me credit the NCAA for anything but this time Emmert is correct. Simmons said; “Everyone makes money except the players.” The commissioner said; “One and done is an NBA rule, a player could go to Europe or play at a prep school until they are 19. His (Simmons) anger is misdirected.”
A couple of weeks prior to the NBA season I made projections who I believed might be the 2017 NBA Rookie of the Year. It’s early and nothing is certainly at a point of being decided. I thought it interesting ESPN.com had Sixer rookie Joel Embiid in first place in its list of rookies. No argument on my part thus far and I don’t believe I place him anywhere on my list.
