“They make their decisions”
“Never surprised with the NCAA, never,”
Marshall said. “I have no idea what they look at, what they think about. They
make their decisions and they’re the judge and jury and we just move on.”*
Those were the words of Wichita State’s Gregg Marshall. In this instance Wichita State was attempting
to have West Virginia transfer Teddy Allen declared eligible to play immediately.
I have no idea of Teddy Allen’s athletic ability however the
coach must have believed Allen would be a valued addition to the WSU roster. A similar situation occurred to Mizzou in the
middle of fall and two of the school’s transfers. The NCAA said yes and no, Mark Smith
transferring from Illinois could play this season as for Dru Smith from
Evansville that was a different story. Dru
was forbidden to play in the 2018-19 season with no further explanation. As coach Marshall might say, “They make their decisions and they’re the
judge and jury and we just move on.”
* Wichita
Eagle
Missed opportunities
I don’t travel a great deal however I will discuss missed
opportunities. The misses are periods
I’ve been in an NBA city and failed to see a game in person. I’ve been in Atlanta several times, but it
seems I’m on the road someplace else.
Once I remember being in the city but attending a seminar, my schedule was
accounted for with little free time for recreation. I was in Denver just last May, playoffs were
going on but guess who wasn’t there, you got it the Nuggets.
I was in Las Vegas two weeks before NBA Summer League play. I have family in the Dallas-Fort Worth area,
two or three times a year we travel to visit family in Texas. At or near Thanksgiving the Mavs seem to always
be on the road around that time frame. Houston
was a far different matter, I had time but was unable to secure tickets to see
the Rockets play. So, there’s my story
numerous missed opportunities on my part to see an NBA game in person. With the reduction in
exhibition games Kansas City will be omitted in the future.
How bad are
they…..you decide?
I did not witness the game on television however those in attendance did. The Celtics have stumbled out of the gate for a variety of reasons. They have not played as a playoff level team, how bad are they…..you decide. The Celtics were losers against the Knicks on Wednesday 117-109, as this is written the win left the Knicks with 5 wins and 14 losses
I did not witness the game on television however those in attendance did. The Celtics have stumbled out of the gate for a variety of reasons. They have not played as a playoff level team, how bad are they…..you decide. The Celtics were losers against the Knicks on Wednesday 117-109, as this is written the win left the Knicks with 5 wins and 14 losses
The Bahamas
Earlier I don’t remember the actual date Suns rookie DeAndre Ayton was profiled, one because he was the number one pick and two, he was from the Bahamas. The island nation despite its small size has sent a few players into the NBA. Klay Thompson’s dad was the first, later along came Rick Fox NBA players born in the Bahamas from this island nation less than 100 miles from the Florida coast.
Earlier I don’t remember the actual date Suns rookie DeAndre Ayton was profiled, one because he was the number one pick and two, he was from the Bahamas. The island nation despite its small size has sent a few players into the NBA. Klay Thompson’s dad was the first, later along came Rick Fox NBA players born in the Bahamas from this island nation less than 100 miles from the Florida coast.
There was another athlete prior to the arrival of Ayton,
Chavano Ranier Hield or Buddy was drafted by the Pelicans as the 6th
pick in the first round of the 2013 draft.
Hield arrived in the NBA from the University of Oklahoma as a
sharpshooting guard. For unclear reasons
Hield was traded to the Kings in the middle of his rookie year. He would become 6th man on his
arrival with the Kings but has since moved into the starting lineup. He’s beginning to put up numbers like those while
enrolled at Oklahoma. Is Buddy on the
road to an All-Star career, only time will tell. We can make this statement with conviction
he’s good.
You remember him,
don’t you?
It’s not easy to overlook him, Tacko Fall stands 7 feet 6 inches and weighs 320 pounds. After first considering the NBA he would later change his mind and returned to school. Fall only managed to play 16 games in the 2017-18 season for the University of Central Florida a shoulder injury and surgery forced him out of the lineup. He’s now in his senior year and it’s hoped he will return to his previous form. Will the NBA come calling, that question remains a mystery however he should find employment somewhere? If it’s not professional basketball it could be engineering his major at UCF.
It’s not easy to overlook him, Tacko Fall stands 7 feet 6 inches and weighs 320 pounds. After first considering the NBA he would later change his mind and returned to school. Fall only managed to play 16 games in the 2017-18 season for the University of Central Florida a shoulder injury and surgery forced him out of the lineup. He’s now in his senior year and it’s hoped he will return to his previous form. Will the NBA come calling, that question remains a mystery however he should find employment somewhere? If it’s not professional basketball it could be engineering his major at UCF.
