BASKETBALL FROM A FANS PERSPECTIVE
It begins again
Tonight, the NBA begins its 72nd year, a referee tossed up the first basketball in 1946. As for other sports, the NFL began in 1920, the American Baseball League in 1901 and the National Baseball League in 1876. The National Hockey League first dropped the puck in 1917. Soccer’s date is an unknown however information uncovered indicates it began play at some point in the middle of the 19th Century.
Paul Allen
Paul Allen owner of the NFL Seahawks and NBA Blazers died on Monday. Allen was a co-founder of Microsoft along with Bill Gates. Allen purchased the Seahawks in 1997 and the Blazers in 1988, he was 65-years old and died from complications of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. R.I.P. Paul Allen.
Is Markelle
Fultz enough for them to contend?
Sixer coach Brett Brown surprised us with the announcement, 6-foot 4-inch Markelle Fultz will be his starting shooting guard. J.J. Redick moves from starter to backup, is the move proof the shooting woes of Fultz are a thing of the past? You remember Fultz, number one pick in the 2017 NBA draft, his shot mysteriously left him as he moved into the NBA. His freshman season at the University of Washington produced solid numbers.
23.2 ppg, 5.9 assists and 5.7 rebounds along with a manageable 48% from the two-point line and 41% from 3-point range. The only downside to the college numbers for Fultz he was not a particularly good free-throw shooter. This is certainly not the norm for most guards as he shot 65% from the free-throw line. If surgery and repetition have cured his anemic shot this could prove to be a very good move for the Sixers. J.J. Redick is a quality talent however Fultz adds passing skills to the offense Redick simply doesn’t possess. We shall see how this move plays out over the course of the season.
Sixer coach Brett Brown surprised us with the announcement, 6-foot 4-inch Markelle Fultz will be his starting shooting guard. J.J. Redick moves from starter to backup, is the move proof the shooting woes of Fultz are a thing of the past? You remember Fultz, number one pick in the 2017 NBA draft, his shot mysteriously left him as he moved into the NBA. His freshman season at the University of Washington produced solid numbers.
23.2 ppg, 5.9 assists and 5.7 rebounds along with a manageable 48% from the two-point line and 41% from 3-point range. The only downside to the college numbers for Fultz he was not a particularly good free-throw shooter. This is certainly not the norm for most guards as he shot 65% from the free-throw line. If surgery and repetition have cured his anemic shot this could prove to be a very good move for the Sixers. J.J. Redick is a quality talent however Fultz adds passing skills to the offense Redick simply doesn’t possess. We shall see how this move plays out over the course of the season.
The journey
Enes Kanter first arrived on these shores from Turkey intending to enroll at Kentucky. The youngster wanted to play for John Calipari, the NCAA would not grant Kanter eligibility indicating he’d received pay as a professional. In 2011 the Jazz made Kanter the 3rd pick in the first round. The 6-foot 11-inch Kanter like most Big Men had to learn how to play the center position in the NBA. By year three with the Jazz Kanter was a starter in about half the team’s games. February 2015 he was traded to the Thunder, he experienced three consecutive seasons scoring in double-figures although not a starter.
September 2017 saw Kanter traded to the Knicks,
the huge difference in New York City he became the starter at center. His numbers last season 14.1 points, 11.0 rebounds
a game plus he shot nearly 85% from the line.
After bouncing around has the journey ended for Kanter, will the Knicks
become his permanent home? On the Knicks
depth chart, he’s clearly at the top, rookie Mitchell Robinson and second year
man Luke Kornet remain behind him Kanter is 26 years old. Veteran Joakim Noah remains on the Knicks roster,
it’s been reported he will be released possibly by the time this is read. NOTE:
Veteran Noah has been released,
Enes Kanter first arrived on these shores from Turkey intending to enroll at Kentucky. The youngster wanted to play for John Calipari, the NCAA would not grant Kanter eligibility indicating he’d received pay as a professional. In 2011 the Jazz made Kanter the 3rd pick in the first round. The 6-foot 11-inch Kanter like most Big Men had to learn how to play the center position in the NBA. By year three with the Jazz Kanter was a starter in about half the team’s games. February 2015 he was traded to the Thunder, he experienced three consecutive seasons scoring in double-figures although not a starter.
