Basketball from a fans perspective

The Senator

Bill Bradley left the U.S. Senate in 1997, many who saw him on a vary of programs such as Meet the Press don’t know.  They don’t know politics in general and the senate was his “second career”.  Bradley from Crystal City (MO) a St. Louis suburb was an outstanding high school basketball player, given his choice of colleges he would chose Ivy League Princeton.  It’s likely he had no desire to play in the NBA because he chose Princeton due to its academics and it prepared students for government or foreign service.  

A strange thing occurred on the road to work for the government the 6-5 Bradley excelled at basketball.  After graduation Bradley would secure a master’s degree at Oxford in England. In the 1965 draft the Knicks would make Bradley a territorial pick, although from Missouri (St. Louis Hawks territory) Princeton (NJ) is in the New York City footprint.  Bradley didn’t arrive in the NBA until 1967 and would play for them until 1977.  In 1978 he was elected U.S. Senator for the State of New Jersey and re-elected three times before leaving congress in 1997.  

As for his NBA career Bradley was a 2x NBA Champion with the Knicks, he also holds the distinction of being enshrined in the Naismith and College Basketball Hall of Fame.  
Bradley succeeded in the role he originally intended, no it wasn’t college or the NBA it was to serve in a government role.  Often an attempt to detail the accomplishments of one’s life falls short that is the case for William Warren Bradley a name all basketball fans should know. 

Pre-season All American

ESPN released its pre-season All-American team.  There are 3 seniors one junior and one freshman on the first team.  The freshman on the team is Michael Porter Jr. Mizzou’s 6-10 phenom.  You asking if he will he live up to the hype that’s circulated around him since last summer?  There will be no answer to the question until next April.   

Who?

Rookie Ben Simmons had a triple double for the Sixers last night.  He recorded the feat in his teams’s fourth game which tied a record established by Oscar (Big O) Robertson and later by “Hambone” Williams.  It’s likely you said; “Hambone who”?  I had to conduct research, turns out Art (his birth name) played college basketball at California State Polytechnic College in Pomona.  The 6-1 point guard’s pro career was spent with the San Diego Rockets, Boston Celtics and ABA San Diego Conquistadors, the period was 1967 through 1975.  Hambone recorded his triple-double for the Rockets.  As for his nickname he claims in junior high school someone yelled Hambone and he turned around assuming they were calling him.

Careful what you say

Eric Bledsoe will not be the first to send out a tweet and then regret it.  A little history here, the Suns have started the season 0-3 as you might be aware.  Bledsoe sent out a tweet; “I don’t wanna be here” it read.  We cannot be sure of the order whether Coach Earl Watson was fired because of the tweet or the 0-3 start.  Bledsoe is at home although there is no indication he’s been suspended he was informed by management to stay at home.   Now reports are circulating Bledsoe has likely played his last game as a member of the Suns. 

What happens next, Jay Triano has been hired to replace Watson and Bledsoe has been traded to…………..  Even more interesting was the after effect, Bledsoe claimed he was at the hair dresser with his girlfriend “and wanted to go home.”  Suns management ain’t buying that story it appears.  Relating to this story I first thought three games into the season was swift for Watson to be fired however that’s not the record.  According to ESPN Buffalo Braves Coach Dolph Schayes was fired after a single game in the 1971-72. 

Not sure if I mentioned this

Kansas City will soon have a pro team, no the NBA is not expanding.  No existing team has plans to move here and it’s not a G-League team either. This is a brand-new team in a brand-new league, the North American Premier Basketball League is the new league. The leagues founder is Dave Magley former Kansas player is the league president and chief operating officer. 

According to Magley the initial plan is 8-12 teams and so far, members are Kansas City, Seattle, Albany and Rochester (NY) plus Owensboro (KY).  The Kansas City team will play its games at Municipal Auditorium in downtown Kansas City. The league will play a 32-game schedule beginning January 1, 2018.  I’m not sure how the populace will take to minor league basketball.  I say that with KU 40 miles away and the hopefully improved Mizzou Tigers 150 miles from the city.