Basketball from a fans perspective
Remember this?
Hmmmm!
Athletes rarely leave Lexington Kentucky except for graduation or the NBA. The earth shaking, we experienced on Monday was not an earthquake it was John Calipari losing a player. D.J. Jefferies a 6-foot 7-inch 210-pound small forward Class of 2019 was first headed to Kentucky. This 5-star prospect has now decided to withdraw his verbal commit. Jefferies played for Penny Hardaway’s AAU team and made his commitment prior to Hardaway becoming head coach at Memphis. Understand this Jefferies home town Olive Branch Mississippi is located less than 40 miles from Memphis. I ain’t sayin’ Jefferies is headed to play for Penny, we shall see how this story plays out.
Athletes rarely leave Lexington Kentucky except for graduation or the NBA. The earth shaking, we experienced on Monday was not an earthquake it was John Calipari losing a player. D.J. Jefferies a 6-foot 7-inch 210-pound small forward Class of 2019 was first headed to Kentucky. This 5-star prospect has now decided to withdraw his verbal commit. Jefferies played for Penny Hardaway’s AAU team and made his commitment prior to Hardaway becoming head coach at Memphis. Understand this Jefferies home town Olive Branch Mississippi is located less than 40 miles from Memphis. I ain’t sayin’ Jefferies is headed to play for Penny, we shall see how this story plays out.
The story above was printed August 1, the account following is
written August 8. Anytime you are John
Calipari you probably never worry about losing a player whether it’s to the
NBA, graduation or that player simply leaving.
That was the case above with Jefferies, technically he left before he
arrived. The statement is made since he
was a Class of 2019 prospect who was yet to sign, he’d verbally agreed to come
to Lexington.
An event such as losing a player might appear “cloudy and
overcast but sunshine almost always looms ahead for Kentucky basketball.” Jahlil Whitney a 6-foot 6-inch small forward announced
he was headed to Lexington. Whitney is a
number 23 Rivals prospect in the Class of 2019.
Young Mr. Whitney verbally committed, you lose one 5-star prospect and
gain another. That Calipari, I just
don’t know what to say about him. The
saga at Kentucky reminds me of the Mel Brooks line in his movie The History of
the World, Part I. “It’s good to be the
King.”
Non-con games
I don’t know about you but it’s difficult for me to analyze a team’s non-conference schedule. There so many variables to consider the main one we often have no idea of returning starters for a team. In this instance I’m addressing Mizzou basketball and it’s recently released schedule. Mizzou will play Xavier; the Musketeers annually turn out competitive teams no matter who serves as head coach.
I don’t know about you but it’s difficult for me to analyze a team’s non-conference schedule. There so many variables to consider the main one we often have no idea of returning starters for a team. In this instance I’m addressing Mizzou basketball and it’s recently released schedule. Mizzou will play Xavier; the Musketeers annually turn out competitive teams no matter who serves as head coach.
Mizzou could also face a
tough Kansas State team in the Paradise Jam Tournament; the Wildcats are coming
off one of their best seasons in recent memory.
There is also the possibility of facing Northern Iowa in this same
tournament, Northern Iowa will forever be remembered for beating Kansas in
the NCAA tournament several years ago. Temple,
Illinois and several other schools remain on the schedule which could cause
headaches for Mizzou. In addition Mizzou
fans have questions too regarding the Tigers as we prepare for season two under
coach Cuonzo Martin.
Christmas Games in the NBA
The NBA announced its schedule for the Christmas Day games for 2018. The history I discovered is most fascinating, every season I can remember the NBA scheduled a game on Christmas Day. The record indicates the Christmas game dates clear back to 1947 a year after the NBA’s founding. The games have been played every season apart from 1998, the NBA experienced a league shut-down. At the beginning the games were regional with limited television coverage.
Christmas Games in the NBA
The NBA announced its schedule for the Christmas Day games for 2018. The history I discovered is most fascinating, every season I can remember the NBA scheduled a game on Christmas Day. The record indicates the Christmas game dates clear back to 1947 a year after the NBA’s founding. The games have been played every season apart from 1998, the NBA experienced a league shut-down. At the beginning the games were regional with limited television coverage.
The networks and later cable
plus NBA expansion witnessed an increase in the number of games televised, the
NBA was no longer limited by network broadcast coverage. This change witnessed a single game being expanded
to include five games spread throughout these venues. Other than the work-stoppage the only
controversy was voiced by consumer advocate Ralph Nader. His complaint revolved around playing the
games themselves. He voiced his opinion
players, coaches and others wanted to be home with their families on the holiday. Nader never filed a lawsuit and his voice on
the matter subsided with no action. The list
below does not reflect the time schedule rather the games themselves
Sixers at Celtics
Blazers at Jazz
Bucks at Knicks
Thunder at Rocket
Lakers at Golden State
Sixers at Celtics
Blazers at Jazz
Bucks at Knicks
Thunder at Rocket
Lakers at Golden State
He’s a sophomore
After an outstanding freshman season Zion Harmon’s star is shining brightly. Harmon is 5-foot 11-inch point guard, he’s from Benton Kentucky about 200 miles south and east of Louisville. ESPN Recruiting rates Harmon a 5-star prospect in the Class of 2021. Keep an ear to the ground for this talented prospect, there are college offers on the table already. Interesting in that Louisville and Kentucky are two of those schools after this gifted guard.
After an outstanding freshman season Zion Harmon’s star is shining brightly. Harmon is 5-foot 11-inch point guard, he’s from Benton Kentucky about 200 miles south and east of Louisville. ESPN Recruiting rates Harmon a 5-star prospect in the Class of 2021. Keep an ear to the ground for this talented prospect, there are college offers on the table already. Interesting in that Louisville and Kentucky are two of those schools after this gifted guard.
