I missed it
Unfortunately work prevented me from viewing the Spurs-Warriors game. If you attended the game or saw it on television you have more insight than me, you might anyway. I walked into the break-room it was the middle portion of the 3rd quarter the Spurs were clearly in command by 20+ points. Imagine my shock and amazement, at a point work slowed I took out my IPhone to check the final score and once again found myself stunned, final score 113-111.
Nicknames
Oftentimes a player’s nickname supersedes his given name, on other occasions the nickname becomes that player. In baseball we had the legendary Babe Ruth and Babe was not his given name, it was George Herman Ruth. A number are familiar with Penny Hardaway few realize his given name is Anfernee. He was Earvin until a Lansing sportswriter witnessed how he distributed the basketball, if was if it was magic. He would rename the youngster Magic for his newspaper while Earvin was still in high school. The nickname stuck with Ruth, Hardaway and Johnson over the course of their careers. While others the nickname became identified with them, Flash is Dwayne Wade, Pistol Pete is Pete Maravich, there are others:
Kareem Abdul Jabbar-The Captain or Cap
Ray Allen-Ray Ray, Jesus Shuttlesworth
Giannis Antetokounmpo-Greek Freak
Carmelo Anthony-Melo
Nate Archibald-Tiny
Charles Barkley-The Round Mound of Rebound, Sir Charles
Brent Barry-Bones
Chauncey Billups-Mr. Big Shot
Larry Bird-The Hick from French Lick, Larry Legend
Kobe Bryant-Black Mamba
Steph Curry-Baby Faced Assassin
LeBron James-King James
Pete Maravich-Pistol Pete
Shaquille O‘Neal-Diesel, The Big Aristotle
Dwayne Wade-Flash, D-Wade
You’d be reading all day unless I excluded a number of players. In the case of others like Shaquille O’Neal he’s got so many nicknames I chose the two familiar to most of us. One more rule, the Neil Rule you cannot give yourself a nickname someone must bestow on you. I once worked with Neil and he stated that was his rule which I’ve adopted. King James is suspect since he nicknamed himself.
Should I stay or should I go
This is the 1982 by the punk rock group Clash but also the dilemma facing a great number of early entry NBA prospects. A number require two maybe three years of college play (See Tacko Fall later). There becomes the problem you return to college and risk injury with could end your career or impact your draft stock. What is the answer you ask, I’m happy you ask because I have it.
The prospect needs to seek wise counsel not from dad or Uncle Joe someone who has no skin in the game. That could be an agent or front office person surely they would provide you clear evidence if you are ready for the NBA. So there you have it sounds simple on the surface and it is---seek wise counsel. The real dilemma a number will not and leave them in the Twilight Zone un-drafted and unable to return to college.
Duke curse
You know it, successful college player failure in the NBA. Certainly applied to J.J. Redick great shooter at Duke in the NBA another story. Redick had NBA talent but there was an adjustment and the right team. Redick was the 11th pick in the first round of the 2006 draft by the Magic. It took awhile for him to blossom but once he begins to show signs he was traded to the Bucks.
The Bucks traded Redick to the Clippers in 2013 where his career took off. He became the spot up shooter the team needed a reliable 3-point specialist. With free agency coming up this summer there is speculation he might be headed elsewhere. Redick wants a pay raise but so do Blake Griffin and Chris Paul. It’s possible the Clippers can resign all three players but is that the direction they intend to travel? July 1 will arrive soon we will see.
