BASKETBALL FROM A FANS PERSPECTIVE
“Everybody has a plan…till
they get punched in the mouth”
The quote is attributed to former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson. This is not a boxing story but an account of another type. It sure would be nice if we had a few objective sports talk radio guys. Any one whose half way paid attention to college basketball knows it. They know KU has one of the best basketball programs in the nation. We have two media personalities on each station that have a bromance with Bill Self and KU basketball.
The quote is attributed to former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson. This is not a boxing story but an account of another type. It sure would be nice if we had a few objective sports talk radio guys. Any one whose half way paid attention to college basketball knows it. They know KU has one of the best basketball programs in the nation. We have two media personalities on each station that have a bromance with Bill Self and KU basketball.
It’s always KU this or KU that, on
those occasions the Jayhawks get “punched
in the mouth” both are in utter disbelief.
I get it, I believe all of us trust basketball doesn’t begin and end in
Lawrence Kansas. There are other schools
across the country just as good and perhaps some better than KU. Forget that 14-years in a row stuff, I’m
talking about counting NCAA championships.
UConn hasn’t won recently but has more championships than KU, how
about Kentucky or Villanova?
Division II to the NBA…maybe
It was 2005 according to ESPN.com the last time a Division II basketball player was drafted. Amir Hinton hopes to change that by hearing his name in the 2019 draft, the junior from Shaw University has declared for the June draft. Where exactly is Shaw University located you ask, I’m glad you are interested in its location. The school is a historically black school located in Raleigh North Carolina.
It was 2005 according to ESPN.com the last time a Division II basketball player was drafted. Amir Hinton hopes to change that by hearing his name in the 2019 draft, the junior from Shaw University has declared for the June draft. Where exactly is Shaw University located you ask, I’m glad you are interested in its location. The school is a historically black school located in Raleigh North Carolina.
The 6-foot 5-inch 190 pound shooting
guard is scoring at nearly 30 points a game while shooting 48% from the floor
and 34% from the 3-point line. “Amir Hinton is a scoring guard that can get buckets in a
variety of ways for his team. He has been scoring at will at Shaw
University, which was former Seattle SuperSonics' guard, Flip Murray's alma
mater. Hinton has been getting some draft buzz lately from ESPN, and he
could end up being a second round pick in the upcoming draft.” *
*nbascouting.com
A farmer?
The commissioner and deputy will not announce his name during the June draft. It's possible he might wind up on some NBA Summer League team, if it’s not the NBA possibly Europe. Jordan Geist is a 6-foot 2-inch guard who plays for Mizzou, he stepped into the point guard void with the departure of roster members. It wasn’t the smoothest transition for this traditional shooting guard, there were several unforced turnovers and he struggled at times attempting to fulfill the role.
The commissioner and deputy will not announce his name during the June draft. It's possible he might wind up on some NBA Summer League team, if it’s not the NBA possibly Europe. Jordan Geist is a 6-foot 2-inch guard who plays for Mizzou, he stepped into the point guard void with the departure of roster members. It wasn’t the smoothest transition for this traditional shooting guard, there were several unforced turnovers and he struggled at times attempting to fulfill the role.
Geist helped win more than one game with
his sharp shooting or key assist. Most
appreciated by Mizzou Nation was the grit and effort of Geist, diving on the
floor for lose balls or taking a charge. There might not be professional
basketball in his future but farming certainly is. Geist is an Ag. Ed. Leadership major, if
there are no basketballs in his future there might be soy beans and corn. “I want to be remembered as a hard worker, who
tried hard, worked on my craft for three years and brought
toughness and leadership.” - Jordan Geist.
They nicknamed him Cap
We discussed big men in the past, this focus is on an individual. Lew Alcindor 7 foot 2 inches burst on the scene at Power Memorial High School in New York City. He became a household name in the 8th grade, today that’s not uncommon but in 1965 it was not the case. He led his Power Memorial team to a 79-2 record, graduation Alcindor headed west to play for UCLA and the legendary John Wooden. Once again led by the sky hook his freshman team beat the UCLA varsity which had won the NCAA championship the previous season. After winning 3 consecutive NCAA championships at UCLA draft time arrived in 1969. There were two leagues vying for his talent the upstart American Basketball Association and the venerable NBA.
We discussed big men in the past, this focus is on an individual. Lew Alcindor 7 foot 2 inches burst on the scene at Power Memorial High School in New York City. He became a household name in the 8th grade, today that’s not uncommon but in 1965 it was not the case. He led his Power Memorial team to a 79-2 record, graduation Alcindor headed west to play for UCLA and the legendary John Wooden. Once again led by the sky hook his freshman team beat the UCLA varsity which had won the NCAA championship the previous season. After winning 3 consecutive NCAA championships at UCLA draft time arrived in 1969. There were two leagues vying for his talent the upstart American Basketball Association and the venerable NBA.
Before the days of the lottery the Bucks
and Suns having the worst record flipped a coin to determine who would have the
opportunity to draft first. The
Milwaukee Bucks won the coin flip however the ABA New York Nets thought they
had an opportunity allowing Alcindor to play at home. The cerebral Alcindor ask the Bucks and Nets
to make him an offer. The Bucks won
having offered a larger financial package.
Almost instantly the Bucks went from also-rans to a competitive team,
although they managed to make the playoffs, they would not win an NBA
championship until they acquired Oscar Robertson in a trade.
After play in Milwaukee Abdul Jabbar ask
for a trade and the Bucks accommodated him in a 1975 move to the Lakers. He would play a valuable role for the
Showtime Lakers helping them win 5 NBA championships. His bio of awards and honors almost extends
to the top of his 7-foot 2-inch frame, there are far too many to detail in this
short space. In 1989 Abdul Jabbar finally retired from the game he loved, no
one to date has been able to duplicate his sky-hook a shot that was impossible
to block. This is but a thumbnail sketch
of the NBA’s all-time scoring leader, there is so much more information
available check it out for yourself.
