BASKETBALL FROM A FANS PERSPECTIVE

I said it first….sorta
Duke’s Zion Williamson is 6 foot 7 inches and 280 pounds.  At some point I wrote my belief at his size he could play tight end for a football team.  Well turns out someone had the same thought I did; the difference he was in a position I wasn’t.  This former LSU football coach reached out to Williamson offering him a scholarship. 

The coach indicates Williamson never responded, if you remember LeBron James played football for St. Vincent-St. Mary High School.  James was an All-State wide receiver his sophomore and junior year, he didn’t play football as a senior.  More recently Kings center Willie Cauley-Stein standing 7 feet tall played wide receiver for Olathe Northwest High School.  Can you imagine a defensive back trying to defend James or Cauley Stein on a pass pattern? 

A possible change
The University of Missouri-Kansas City began its men’s basketball program in 1954 at the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics level.  In 1987 the Kangaroos or Roos moved up and began play at the NCAA Division I level.  Since that time, we could state the basketball program had only limited success on the court.  UMKC’s appeared made an appearance in 2017 in a post-season tournament, the school is yet to earn an invitation to the NCAA post-season tournament.  This history ties in with the message of the school’s new athletic director.  This urban university competes in all sports except for football. 

We must presume basketball probably pays for everything connected with sports.  Although the AD doesn’t officially take over until next month, he’s dropped a hint indicating he’d like a winning basketball program.  How do you turn a perennial losing program into a success, you downgrade the program?  It’s occurred in at least one instance we can point out.  Oral Roberts is a Division I program however issues with basketball witnessed the school returning to the NAIA level for a period.  Is this the answer for UMKC, i.e. a return to NAIA or NCAA Division II play?  Travel expense could be reduced, there are a significant number of NAIA and Division II schools in Missouri and Kansas within a 3-4-hour drive if UMKC searched for a conference affiliation. 

Bits n Pieces
Which college team has the most players in the NBA with 30?  That shouldn’t be too surprising it’s the Kentucky Wildcats.  If you were asking the question without this information you probably might have said North Carolina or Kansas, maybe UCLA.

The ________can only beat themselves, you’ve heard that statement regarding a championship or potential championship sports teams since you were knee high to a grasshopper.  I’ve always wanted to use that phrase in a sentence LOL.  That’s the question we ask of the Warriors, Draymond Green and Kevin Durant.

History occurred Wednesday evening, an imminent legend past a historical legend.  In a 126-117 win over the Blazers LeBron scored 44 points along with 10 rebounds and 9 assists and 3 blocked shots.  In the point total registered were those allowing LeBron to pass the legendary Wilt Chamberlain.  LeBron now rests in 5^th place among all-time NBA scoring leaders.      

Rajon Rondo broke a bone in his right hand, he’ll be lost to the Lakers for 3-5 weeks.  Although Lonzo Ball’s shooting is improved his numbers are down.  With LeBron and the injured Rondo handling the ball he appears “lost” at times.  Now that Rondo is out perhaps Ball can assert himself.