BASKETBALL FROM A FANS PERSPECTIVE
“George
Marcus”
Several basketball personalities manage to take on legendary exploits especially after they retire, the late Wilt Chamberlain is one of the numbers. What can we say about the late great Chamberlain, it should be noted he once averaged 50 points a game in an NBA season? He scored 100 points in a 1962 game against the Knicks, he never fouled out of game during his 14-year NBA career. He was the all-time scoring leader for the NBA until some guy by the name of Kareem Abdul Jabbar broke his scoring record. Quite adept at passing the basketball the prolific scoring machine decided he’d concentrate on passing. The result Chamberlain led the NBA in assists in 1973 from the center position.
Several basketball personalities manage to take on legendary exploits especially after they retire, the late Wilt Chamberlain is one of the numbers. What can we say about the late great Chamberlain, it should be noted he once averaged 50 points a game in an NBA season? He scored 100 points in a 1962 game against the Knicks, he never fouled out of game during his 14-year NBA career. He was the all-time scoring leader for the NBA until some guy by the name of Kareem Abdul Jabbar broke his scoring record. Quite adept at passing the basketball the prolific scoring machine decided he’d concentrate on passing. The result Chamberlain led the NBA in assists in 1973 from the center position.
These
are but a thumbnail sketch of his NBA accomplishments but there is one more revelation
many of us never knew. My friend Eric
sent me a YouTube video which caused me to go wow, I didn’t know. It turns out while still enrolled in high
school and prior to becoming a Kansas Jayhawk Chamberlain played “professional”
basketball.
The 1950's was a different time period in America, no internet no social network in fact
the NBA was “minor” league insisting it was professional. Chamberlain played for two professional teams
while also playing at Overbrook High School in Philadelphia. I’m not going to detail the record for
you. After Eric alerted me to this this
event, I Googled the name George Marcus and located seven accounts of George
Marcus basketball. I read only one plus
the video Eric sent, this is a most interesting development on Wilt “the
Dipper” Chamberlain. Once again
providing the point, just when you think you’ve heard it all you hear (or read)
one more thing.
Don’t
have it
Viewing a game on Monday evening I noticed a on crawl indicating Texas Southern and Oregon were playing. I wanted to see local prospect Bol Bol in action once again. My cable system offers a variety of sports channels with a question. The question becomes do you want to pay the extra charge for the Pac-12 Network along with several other channels? In this instance my choice was to omit the network from my list of channels. I’m sorry now of my decision, Texas Southern defeated number 18 Oregon 89-84. The wunderkind Bol Bol managed to score 32 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in a losing effort.
Viewing a game on Monday evening I noticed a on crawl indicating Texas Southern and Oregon were playing. I wanted to see local prospect Bol Bol in action once again. My cable system offers a variety of sports channels with a question. The question becomes do you want to pay the extra charge for the Pac-12 Network along with several other channels? In this instance my choice was to omit the network from my list of channels. I’m sorry now of my decision, Texas Southern defeated number 18 Oregon 89-84. The wunderkind Bol Bol managed to score 32 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in a losing effort.
A
rare occurrence
Mizzou basketball is played in Midwest and East Time zones which rarely conflict with Laker games. Home games for the Lakers begin at 9:30 p.m. Central Time, for Mizzou games begin at 6:00 or 8:00 depending if it’s a road or home game. This space allows me to view both teams however for the first time in memory there is a conflict. Temple plays Mizzou at home, the Lakers are on the road facing the Denver Nuggets. Both begin play at 8:00 p.m. Central Time, just in case you wondered seeing the conflict I made my decision early. The Mizzou game will be on my TV the Laker game will be taped for later viewing.
Mizzou basketball is played in Midwest and East Time zones which rarely conflict with Laker games. Home games for the Lakers begin at 9:30 p.m. Central Time, for Mizzou games begin at 6:00 or 8:00 depending if it’s a road or home game. This space allows me to view both teams however for the first time in memory there is a conflict. Temple plays Mizzou at home, the Lakers are on the road facing the Denver Nuggets. Both begin play at 8:00 p.m. Central Time, just in case you wondered seeing the conflict I made my decision early. The Mizzou game will be on my TV the Laker game will be taped for later viewing.
There
is always uncertainty
Scouting an athlete takes a great deal of insight and the ability to project. You see a youngster and must envision the prospect at the next level. I’ve mentioned this previously a baseball scout projecting an 18-year pitcher might have the most difficult scouting assignment of all. The task might far less difficult with basketball forecasts although impediments exist there as well, here’s an example. In the middle of Oklahoma’s season Trae Young with the NBA Hawks slowed. His shooting and all aspects of his game decreased in the second part of Oklahoma’s schedule.
Scouting an athlete takes a great deal of insight and the ability to project. You see a youngster and must envision the prospect at the next level. I’ve mentioned this previously a baseball scout projecting an 18-year pitcher might have the most difficult scouting assignment of all. The task might far less difficult with basketball forecasts although impediments exist there as well, here’s an example. In the middle of Oklahoma’s season Trae Young with the NBA Hawks slowed. His shooting and all aspects of his game decreased in the second part of Oklahoma’s schedule.
Many
raised questions regarding his NBA ability but this is not what I heard from
the sports talk radio experts. One radio
host questioned if Young had the talent to play in the NBA. An NBA scout’s report eased some
concerns. “They (NBA teams) will not be
able to throw junk defenses at him in the NBA.” So far, the scout’s been correct, we must
check back in January that’s the time usually rookies began to slow. By January they will have played the
equivalent of a college season. As for
Luka Doncic and other Euro players they are more tuned into playing more than
35-40 games in a season.
