Basketball from a fan’s perspective

Here goes  
You have an opportunity once again to laugh at me.  I’m late, several series have started, since only one game (two counting last night) has been played thus far, I’m safe.

Sixers over the Raptors

Bucks over the Celtics

Blazers over the Nuggets

Warriors over the Rockets 

Please note I didn’t provide you several games to win, what I just did is dangerous enough without that.  Those are my winners and I’m sticking with them. 

I hate to discuss officiating
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder; we could make the same statement about NBA officiating it also depends on which side you are own.  I hate to discuss the role of officiating because the view is often clouded based on whether the person is a Rockets or Warriors fan.  Replay after replay continues to detail the same issues, in real time could there have been a difference.  The three plays, Chris Paul was fouled on the 3-point basket he made, he should have been awarded a free-throw.  The first James Harden shot attempt he was fouled with no call, the second shot at the end of the game was no foul. 

Right or wrong on my part I believe there is an issue of vertical space, i.e. the shooter and defender are allowed the ability to rise and come down in the same space.  Extension over that area by either the shooter or defender a foul is subject to be called.  Unlike the first attempt this time Harden went vertical but “kicked” both his legs outward into the defender.  Again, we could be discussing officiating until the cows come home, even if there was an error on all three occasions it’s not going to change the outcome of Sunday’s game.  Every sport contains officiating perceived errors.  The speed and the compacted space might indicate the NBA has a much worst time than other professional sports.

A new home or at least one remodeled  
Earlier you might remember a story on Key Arena former home of the Sonics.  The arena is being refurbished for hockey although the NBA might return to Seattle again one day.  It might appear the NBA is all about new arenas or at least refurbished ones.  If we checked the age of most arenas throughout the NBA, we’ll discover most are new by comparison to those NFL or baseball stadiums.  Since 2001 check out the arenas and the year they opened. 

AT&T San Antonio-2002
Chesapeake Arena Oklahoma City-2002
Toyota Center Houston-2003
FedEx Forum Memphis-2004
Spectrum Center Charlotte-2005
Amway Center Orlando-2010
Golden 1 Center Sacramento-2016
Little Caesars Arena Detroit-2017
Fiserv Arena Milwaukee-2018
Chase Center San Francisco-planned September 2019 opening

In the planning stage down the road a bit is the Clippers arena in Inglewood.  The other arenas in use were all opened in the mid to late 1990’s apart from Madison Square Garden home of the Knicks.  The world’s most famous arena opened in 1964 however its undergone two renovations since it’s opening.  If you are old enough to remember Game 7 of the 1970 NBA championship or saw the video, injured Willis Reed entered the court from a tunnel that no longer exists today.  The former Philips Arena in Atlanta underwent a name change and remodel, it’s now State Farm Arena.  In addition, the NBA arenas in Phoenix, Minneapolis, Boston and Chicago have all undergone renovation since they opened.   

This is interesting   
After 23-years at the helm it appears 70-year old Gregg Popovich is returning.  Many believed he might have had enough of the NBA wars after 2 decades on the job.   Former Jazz coach Jerry Sloan was on the job the same amount of years when he decided to retire.  Popovich negotiating to return coaching the Spurs is a good thing.  Many of us believe when we reach a certain age we should be forced to retire.  Popovich, Roy Williams, Coach K. and others remind us they can coach a younger generation of players.  It will be good to see the coach prowling the sidelines next season. 

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

Rivalries sometimes go back to school  
This is funny, I forgot until audio surfaced during Game One caught the two of them on the sidelines.  Warriors coach Steve Kerr was picked up talking to the Rockets James Harden.”  These are the words, “I think Arizona is a better school than ASU.”  Neither played at the same time however Kerr played at Arizona and much later Harden attended Arizona State University.  Arizona and Arizona State Both compete against one another in the Pac-12 Conference.

He did it so quietly (and efficiently)
We knew ahead of his arrival in Toronto Kawhi Leonard was an NBA All-Pro.  He provided us proof once more as he quietly almost silently helps lead his Raptors team to victory in Game 1.  I’m not going to discount the effort of Pascal Siakam who scored 29 points and grabbed 7 rebounds.  The battle of Cameroon was won by Siakam in this game, fellow countryman Joel Embiid came in second.  The Raptors jumped out to a huge lead and my focus was on the 3-point bombs dropped by Siakam. 

The game was moving at such a pace I didn’t realize Leonard had scored 20+ points in the first half of the game and most had gone unnoticed.  He would go on to score 45 points but with him it wasn’t just scoring, Leonard plays tough hard-nosed defense evidenced by this game.  Leonard does damage to an opposing team so quietly it almost goes unnoticed.  No chest pounding, fist pumping or any type of demonstration.  He just goes about destroying your team right in front of your eyes, broadcasters often use the term “lunch pail guy” meaning an athlete who comes to work every day and does all the things necessary to win.  I am anxiously waiting for Game 2 action.

He knows
We heard a statement the morning after, “The world knows Russell Westbrook, fewer know Damian Lillard.”  Although both play in smaller markets (Oklahoma City & Portland) the triple-doubles provide Westbrook an image Lillard fails to attain.  Lillard minus the triple-doubles proves to be just as good as Westbrook but why the relative obscurity?  Despite the smaller markets it might be the location of their college team.  Westbrook arrived in the NBA from well-know basketball power UCLA. 

Westbrook was the 4^th pick in the first round by the Sonics in 2008, the franchise located to Oklahoma City for his rookie year.  As for Lillard it was less well-known Weber State in Ogden Utah.  The Blazer point guard was also a lottery pick chosen as the 6^th pick in the first round of the 2012 draft.  Both have played in the NBA All-Star game; Westbrook has a league MVP, but it was Lillard who was chosen Rookie of the Year.  This is my belief; the more athletic Westbrook probably gains more attention from fans than the “grounded” Lillard.  Notice, nowhere did I state Westbrook was better than Lillard, they are on the same plain. 

“It must be the shoes”
We are re-visiting a prior story, shoes.  It’s being reported Lonzo Ball is likely to sign with Nike.  The writer went on to point out “perhaps his ankle problems will be a thing of the past.”  If we check Zion Williamson, we might state just wearing the Nike brand might not resolve all your ankle and knee issues.  I solicited opinions and received input from several former active and past basketball players.  Some points were valid however one view stuck with me.  A respondent said, “Players today are playing basketball season end and season out.” 

In other words, there is no off season, the issue might be best stated as wear and tear on the body.  This certainly is not intended to be the only answer and the correct one.  High school football athletics experienced a rash of head injuries, concerns forced manufacturers to re-design a safer and more effective helmet.  Don’t get it wrong this is not to say head-injuries have disappeared, they have been reduced.  It was reported Nike conducted research to determine why Zion Williamson’s shoe tore apart.  Will this be a fix, only a band-aid if the view expressed earlier is correct?  Basketball 12 months a year might be the issue.  Mars Blackmon says in the Nike commercial “It must be the shoes”, perhaps that’s not the total case?

Another name
You might remember I wrote the Lakers needed a big man.  Veteran power forward/center Anthony Davis of the Pelicans might not be acquired in a trade so we must focus on the June draft.  Charles Bassey of Western Kentucky was mentioned as a possibility, also Sekou Doumbouya from Guinea via the Euro League was another name.  

While getting my haircut last week my barber suggested the Lakers needed to draft Bol Bol. The 7-foot 2 inch 235 Bol grew up in Olathe Kansas part of the Kansas City metro.  An injury caused him to miss most Oregon’s games however his numbers while playing at Oregon were good, 21 points and nearly 10 rebounds a game.  The upside, he’s certainly got more offensive game than his late dad Manute Bol.  The downside, he’s extremely raw and must gain weight to play at the NBA level.   

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

The choice
They must get this right, i.e. hiring a head coach.  Phil Jackson served as head coach on two separate occasions 1999-2004 and 2005-2011.  Since the departure of Jackson in 2011 it’s been Mike Brown, Bernie Bickerstaff (interim) Mike D’Antoni, Byron Scott and the recently departed Luke Walton.  That’s quite a number for such a short period of time, thus far the Lakers have interviewed Monty Williams, Tyronn Lue and Jason Kidd. 

As this is written there are no additional names mentioned to be interviewed.  If we explore the coaching changes perhaps that’s part of the basis for the poor play of the Lakers since 2011.  At this point I am not campaigning for any of those named above, my closing statement is simple the Lakers must get it right this time.  The hire I want will not occur, Mark Jackson former NBA player and coach turned broadcast analyst. 

Patrick Ewing
Omer Yurtseven is a 7-foot 275-pound center, until recently he played at North Carolina State.  He is transferring to Georgetown to complete his final two years of athletic eligibility.  He’s one of the many international Division I athletes, Yurtseven hails from Tashkent, Uzbekistan.  His numbers as a sophomore improved significantly over his freshman year however there is much room for improvement especially for a big man.  Did you notice at the beginning it was said “formerly played at North Carolina State”, Yurtseven will play for Georgetown after sitting out the 2019-20 season as a transfer. 

It was interesting when interviewed as to why the transfer, he gave two words “Patrick Ewing.”  His resume indicates Yurtseven tested the NBA waters in 2017 but decided in favor of returning to school.  His NBA aspirations might be fueled by playing for former NBA All Pro and current Georgetown coach Patrick Ewing.  At the time Ewing arrived coach John Thompson helped Ewing in becoming an all-around player.  Based on his transfer it would appear Yurtseven believes Ewing will be able to transform him into an improved basketball player skilled enough to play in the NBA.  Who says youngsters are unfamiliar with basketball history, Yurtseven is 20-years old?  It would appear he was aware Ewing was just not any coach even if someone had to inform him.

Two teams
We have the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers, the Chicago Cubs and White Sox.  There are other cities with two or more teams with the cities name on the jersey.  New York City is the one exception for its two NBA teams, we have the Knicks with New York on the jersey the Nets with Brooklyn.  How and why did this unusual situation occur, I’m glad you asked me.  For this purpose we are excluding Minnesota's team and the Texas Rangers with state rather than city names.  Same for the California Angels who are now the Los Angeles of (you know the rest).  We must go back in time, the baseball Dodgers who now call Los Angeles home once had Brooklyn on the front of their jerseys.    

After the 1957 season the Dodgers moved to California and the name Brooklyn was lost to history and only older residents of Brooklyn even remember.  In 1967 the New Jersey Americans were born in the American Basketball Association and began play in Teaneck.  1968 witnessed the franchise moving to Staten Island and thus the team was re-born as the New York Nets.  In 1977 the team relocated to New Jersey where they remained until 2012.  Under new ownership the franchise moved to Brooklyn and the Brooklyn name was bestowed on the team.  So, there you have the brief history why New York has two NBA teams but only one with New York on their jersey. 

Why not?
I admit I haven’t witnessed the Suns play much the past two years, they have been worse than my Lakers.  Although the team is not very good, they have “building blocks” in place on the road to improvement.  In 2015 shooting guard Devin Booker was drafted and is on the verge of stardom.  In 2018 they drafted DeAndre Ayton and moved the 7-foot center into the starting position. 

There might be other addition but those two might be the best of the current roster.  I read an article stating the team should draft Murray State’s Ja Morant if given the opportunity.  My comment says it shouldn’t take a rocket scientist to figure this one out.  The current depth chart indicates Tyler Johnson is the starter at the point for the Suns.  It’s possible Morant might be more talented than Johnson, the only way this scenario changes they have an opportunity to draft Zion Williamson.   

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

Hondo
For the first time I read a different explanation, it was claimed John Havlicek was nicknamed Hondo because a person couldn’t pronounce his last name.  As indicated, that’s brand new to me, I was led to believe a youthful Havlicek resembled John Wayne in his 1953 movie Hondo.  A few more points on his life, it was mentioned the NFL Browns drafted him.  I remember reading once he participated in a brief training camp with them but had no football aspirations.  It’s difficult to believe this Hall of Fame player wasn’t a starter his rookie year.  The Celtics of that period were loaded with veteran players, Hondo made his mark as a 6^th man coming off the bench providing an offensive and defensive spark. 

The “Havileck steals the ball” broadcast came about due to a Celtic miscue.  In those days some arenas had guide wires supporting the backboard and Bill Russell was the culprit.  With seconds remaining in the NBA championship Russell was to inbound the ball and it hit one of the wires and the Sixers recovered the errant inbound pass.  Guard Hal Greer was attempting to inbound the ball to teammate Chet Walker when Havilcek stole the ball and the rest is Celtic history.  The NBA is young (1946) by comparison to MLB and NFL both 100+ years old.  Many of the giants of those sports have long since passed away, the NBA has begun an attrition process of its veterans much later. 

The very worst
You might have been unaware of the contest; we have a marathon currently in progress to determine the worst owner in the NBA.  You thought I was going to say the Lakers, there are front office problems and poor performance on the court, but they are in 3^rd or 4^th place.  The race has Knicks owner James Dolan in the lead but right behind him about to catch and pass him is Robert Sarver Suns owner.  Sarver changes head coaches like most of us change our underwear, well maybe some of us don’t change every day.  You get the idea; in Phoenix you are hired to be fired as they often say. 

Igor Kokoskov lasted exactly one season, the same could be said for Jay Triano.  Earl Watson lasted two seasons but was fired 3 games into the 2017-18 season.  Let’s just say whoever takes the job of head coach better maintain a go-bag.  The Suns are beginning to assemble a talented crew Devin Booker, DeAndre Ayton and maybe adding a Ja Morant or R.J. Barrett depending on the draft.  From a personnel standpoint things are looking up, ownership is a different story.  Robert Sarver sure needs to get his act together; he soon might take the lead over James Dolan and the Knicks.    

First signee
I thought you might find this interesting, the first signee for former NBA player and current head coach of Vanderbilt is a familiar name.  Scotty Pippen Jr. a 6-foot 1-inch point guard had verbally committed in January while Bryce Drew was the head coach.  Pippen Jr. followed through and signed on the dotted line on Friday.   Scottie Pippen Sr. was the same height as his son at the time he graduated high school.  Over the next four years he grew to his present 6-foot 8-inch stature.  I was curious and doubled checked, notice son and dad spell their names differently yet we have a senior and junior, interesting.

Bothersome things
Several things bother me these days, I could compile a list for you but what would that do?  It’s likely you couldn’t or wouldn’t help me address them and that’s okay.   With the passing of John Havlicek, a friend wrote, “We talk about the greatest this or that but, we don't often consider where the older greats fit in.”  We see LeBron James and Kobe Bryant in real time, before them Michael, Dr. J. and several others.  This is my two-cents worth of knowledge; the best conditioned athletes play right now.  They are in the gym 12 months of the year, there is no such thing as “off-season” for them.  Athletes in an earlier time used training camp to prepare for the grind of the season. 

They never lifted anything heavier than adult beverages in the off-season.  Despite the awkward comparison we tend to downgrade and, in some instance, totally ignore their contributions.  We applaud Russell Westbrook for being a walking-triple double, its quite possible Oscar Robertson might have accomplished the feat most of his career.  We continue to hear, “It was easy for Wilt and Russell there were only 8-12 teams when they played.”  We create all types of narratives to question the validity of many of the players of the past.  Tons might not agree with this statement however it’s my belief many of the front-line players of that era could just as easily play in 2019.  That’s all for now…..I’m out. 

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

"Havlicek stole the ball"   

Many of us too young to witness the event heard the call.  Legendary Celtic broadcaster Johnny Most made it famous.  Havlicek intercepting a pass preserving a 1-point Celtic win for the NBA championship.  It was said opposing players soon grew tired of chasing John Havlicek it seemed he never experienced fatigue.  Entering the Celtic court as the 6^th man he was always constant motion, he scored and played tough hard nose defense.  

There were no starter minutes when he first arrived in the NBA, he popularized the 6^th man role prior to becoming a starter.  How good an athlete, he was drafted out of Ohio State by the NFL Browns although basketball was his love.  He was made the 7^th pick in the first round of the 1962 draft, he would retire a Celtic in 1978.  This writer cannot do justice to Hondo in such a short space of time, over the next 24-48 hours ESPN, NBA TV and websites will provide additional detail.  John Havlicek died today at age 79, R.I.P. Hondo. 

NBA jersey sales

The NBA store released its list of top selling jerseys for the 2018-19 season.  Surprises, Blazer point guard Damian Lillard might not be as invisible as we might believe he’s number 14.  The Mavs Luka Doncic made the list at 13, the only rookie to earn a spot.  Thunder guard Russell Westbrook finished in the 7 position ahead of Warrior forward Kevin Durant.  The Beard, James Harden sitting at 6 is a surprise to me, I thought his jersey sales would be much higher.  Second year man Jayson Tatum of the Celtics finished in the number 15 slot.  No surprises, Laker LeBron James remained in the top spot while the Warriors Steph Curry slides into 2^nd place. 

NBA apparel sales

We are talking all apparel which includes jerseys, the top selling team for 2018-19 for the NBA store might be a bit of a surprise.  Let’s just say teams 2 through 5 all earned playoff berths, the number 1 selling team didn’t have the poorest record in the NBA but they failed to make the playoffs.  The Lakers are that team, despite turmoil on and off the court the Lakers were clear winners at the cash register.  They were not the only losing team to finish in the Top 10, the Bulls finished at 6 and the Knicks at 10 both are losing teams on the court but not in apparel sales.

This is Big

Since his hire at Illinois Brad Underwood has battled Mizzou’s Cuonzo Martin (East St. Louis Illinois) for basketball talent.  Jeremiah Tilmon (East St. Louis) might be just one example, verbally committed to Illinois he changed his mind when the coach he committed to was replaced.  At that point in steps former East St. Louis guy Cuonzo Martin with an offer for Tilmon. 

This time Underwood was in a battle much bigger than a border battle, had to overcome several basketball power house programs.  His name, Kofi Cockburn and he’s a 4-star Rivals prospect.  This time there were offers for Cockburn from Kentucky, Duke, Kansas and several other high-profile basketball programs across the nation.  This youngster attends Oak Hill Academy but hails originally from Kingston Jamaica.  Standing 7 feet tall and weighing a hefty 290 pounds Cockburn might be a throw-back to the days of dominant center play.  In any event congratulations are for coach Underwood and the Fighting Illini program.   

The Dark Side
In the Star Wars movie Darth Vader was attempting to persuade Luke Skywalker to “The Dark Side.”  The dark side could be simply stated the evil side, college basketball.  Coaches, athletes, AD’s and sometimes administrations are guilty of going over to the dark side i.e. cheating.  The degree of cheating can vary but it does occur maybe with the most pristine programs in the nation.  This is the question, is there ever forgiveness?  I can cite two examples discussed in Kansas City sports talk radio last month.  Kelvin Sampson and Bruce Pearl cheat or at least that’s the view of drive-time guy.  I’m not going to re-visit the past simply explain it in this manner. 

I’ve read the infraction that led to Sampson being fired at Indiana is no longer a penalty.  As for Pearl he was forced from the coaching ranks for several years.  In addition, there was a show-cause hearing before the NCAA prior to him being re-instated.  There you have it, two coaches Sampson at Houston and Pearl at Auburn with a chain remaining around their neck.  Notice nowhere did I make the claim they were innocent of the original charges which caused both to be fired.  In closing how come radio guy is still on the air 5-6 years later continuing to accuse these two as cheaters or occupying space on The Dark Side?  This is my statement for radio guy, if you have proof, they are cheating currently send it to the NCAA.  If not, it would appear you are simply gossiping over the airways.   

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

Ice Cube, ice drink, cold as ice, Ice Ice Baby, break the ice, etc.
Skating on thin ice, put on ice, ice box, enough already I think the point is made.  Sorry for my weak attempt to detail as many people or things associated with ice I could think of quickly.  Blazer point guard Damian Lillard has been anointed with a new nickname by yours truly.  After sinking a 37-foot 3-point winning basket, he is now officially “ICE”.  We anointed George Gervin the “Iceman” back in the day, so this new nickname takes nothing away from him.   This game was volume shooting by the Blazer guard, 50 points including the game winner. 51.5% from the floor, 55.6 from the 3-point line and 75% from the stripe along with 7 rebounds and 6 assists. 

The 6-foot 3-inch Lillard took his game winner with 6-foot 9-inch Paul George guarding him and seconds remaining on the game clock.  The basket sealed the deal for the Thunder who lose the series 4 games to 1 with this 118-115 Blazer victory.  By the way Russell Westbrook registered a triple double, for the 5-game series he shot 36.3% from the floor.  *“He’s (Westbrook) a transcendent player “a veteran Western Conference executive said, “but I’m not convinced he’s a transcendent winner.”  I had to look up transcendent because I wasn’t sure of the definition. **1.  "Beyond or above the range of normal or merely physical human experience.  2.  Surpassing the ordinary; exceptional."  

*www.bleacherreport.com
**www.dictionary.com

Sonny Hill 
His given name is William Randolph Hill although many know him better as Sonny.  Hill is 82-years old now but don’t allow his age to fool you.  He is a Philadelphia basketball legend be it high school, college or the NBA.  Hill was the founder of the Sonny Hill league and served as a radio and television broadcaster in years past and is identified as “The Mayor of Basketball.”  Hill is one of those persons when he speaks people listen, he is generational.  Growing up in Philadelphia he competed against the late Wilt Chamberlain in high school. 

Hill’s also witnessed the growth of Joel Embiid’s game over his short NBA career.  He’s got high praise for Embiid’s game in fact he claims “Embiid is the closest he’s seen to Chamberlain since the Big Dipper played.”  All of us realize major portions of the game have changed since the days of Chamberlain.  To make such a bold statement about Embiid certainly is impressive to this basketball and NBA fan.  On the other hand, Hill currently serves as an executive advisor to the Sixers so there could be bias in his thought process although I doubt it.   

 It’s the coach   
UCLA basketball was 17-16 this past season, Mizzou was 15-17 while West Virginia finished the season 15-21.  There are other programs that might fit our profile, those above are our focus. UCLA has history on its side and to a degree West Virginia, Mizzou has a past under all its coaches except the departed Kim Anderson.  The question, how do they recruit a prospective prospect or transfer since their teams have losing records? 

In this instance Mick Cronin, Cuonzo Martin and Bob Huggins become the driving force enticing prospects to their perspective campus.  At the collegiate level the coach is father figure, enforcer, mentor and several other adjectives.  Bottom line its very easy to attach yourself to a winning program but that might be the easy way.  I’ve read a prospect once stated, “I want to help create a winning atmosphere by attending _______ University.”

Should I stay or should I go
In 1981 the British punk rock band The Clash recorded a song titled; “Should I stay, or should I go."  That certainly might be the question for 50+ International athletes and another 170+ NCAA athletes.  The most interesting aspect the number declaring for the NBA draft is down slightly from the prior season.  We have a total of 233 athletes declare for 2019, 236 last season and 182 in 2017.  

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

I ain’t hatin’ 
My barber accused me of hatin' on Russell Westbrook nicknaming him "West-brick" for his poor shooting. He claimed I wasn't focusing on the rebounds and assists the point guard claimed during his games. He said “Westbrook had to shoot the ball, no other Thunder players were that good.”  I thought for a moment what about Paul George, he’s a talented player?  This is the problem as this fan sees it, it’s mental.  

The method for me to explain, the game is two-dimensional, Westbrook can only see if from a one-dimensional perspective.  His talent is certainly evident but he fails to see the need at times to dial back his game.  We witnessed Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Steph Curry take over a game and practically willing victory to their team.  Westbrook doesn’t have that extra ???? to complete the task.  I’m reminded of a statement made by an acquittance, "He (Westbrook) is certainly talented but if I was starting a team from scratch I would exclude him.”

College basketball news
Only the inner circle knows for sure, we can bet Kansas coach Bill Self was doing a happy dance with the news.  Big man Udoka Azbuike announced he was returning for his senior year, the 7-foot center was rumored to be thinking NBA.  Most mock draft sites listed him as a possible second round draft choice but still he’s recognized.

5-star point guard Cole Anthony announced his intention.  The Rivals number four prospect in the Class of 2019 is headed to Chapel Hill to play for Roy Williams.   The son of former NBA player and television analyst Greg Anthony had been tight lipped on his ultimate destination.  Isn’t it interesting how North Carolina, Duke and others simply re-load during and after the season?

Kim English is not a well-known name except for Mizzou Nation.  Since his playing days are over the former Mizzou athlete is on the fast-track to become a college head coach.  He was recently hired by Rick Barnes at Tennessee as an assistant his latest coaching stop.  Rumor had English under consideration for the UMKC job, I’m happy he didn’t take that job it’s a train-wreck. 

Luke Walton
I can offer no opinion of the sexual assault charge against Luke Walton.  In the day of #MeToo it’s difficult for many of us to formulate an opinion until all the facts are in.  I intend to discuss the other part of breaking Walton news.  It’s been reported Walton had an opportunity to retain his Laker head coaching job but chose otherwise.  In all honesty it makes sense to me for a couple of reasons.

Word is Walton expressed a distrust in Rob Pelinka Laker GM, in the other instance it’s job security.  It’s been mentioned previously news reports began circulating in late January or early February indicating Walton had a job in jeopardy warning.  When your replacement is mentioned before you exit the building, well what else can you think except “I want outta here?”

A missing name
The Suns fired Igor Kokoskov, earlier the Lakers fired Luke Walton.  For now, those jobs are open and there could be more before all is done.  It’s interesting among the names mentioned as coaching candidates are Tyronn Lue, Monty Williams and even former Louisville coach Rick Pitino’s name has been mentioned.  A missing name is the architect of the Warriors, yes, I said it.  I certainly have no desire to trash Steve Kerr but it was Mark Jackson. 

The former point guard turned coach and now ABC/ESPN analyst did it, he helped build the Warriors into championship contenders.  You notice Jackson’s name is never mentioned anytime a coaching vacancy occurs.  Get this, maybe it’s me perhaps the former coach has no desire to return to the grind of coaching again.  After all its much safer broadcasting games rather than having a GM, owner or fans second-guessing your moves.  We shall see who the Suns, Lakers and perhaps others hire.  For sure it’s likely not going to be Mark Jackson. 

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

5-4-3-2-1
That’s the countdown, we are waiting on the first words from the masses indicating Duke is cheating on its basketball recruiting.  The Class of 2019 looks to be maybe more talented than the Class of 2018.   Below are the names and Rivals ranking.  

#1 Vernon Carey Jr. 6-10 275 pounds 

#7 Matthew Hurt 6-9 200 pounds

#23 Wendell Moore 6-4 214 pounds

#33 Cassius Stanley 6-5 185 pounds

#42 Boogie Ellis 6-2 165 pounds

We don’t know if Duke has anymore scholarships available, this gathering would appear to be talented.

Russell “West-brick”
Paul George the talented forward made the decision to remain with the Thunder rather than sign elsewhere as a free-agent.  It was his judgment, no criticism from me on this however there is a downside to his choice.  George’s Thunder team is talented as presently constructed to earn a playoff berth every season, they are not good enough to compete for an NBA championship.  This has nothing to do with coach Billy Donovan or GM Sam Presti, in both cases they may have done the best job they could on the hand they have been dealt including player personnel. 

The problem and it’s a continuous one is the point guard Russell Westbrook.  Travel prevented me from seeing the game however I read an account of the game which I believe is accurate.  The report indicated Westbrook had gotten off to a good start and after sinking a basket he stuck out his tongue in the direction of the Blazers. Unpleasant relations between teams and athletes have existed since the first basketball was bounced back in James Naismith’s day.  The athlete appears to have an attitude on and off the court with players and the media. 

Westbrook despite his talent takes this whole attitude to a different level with the opposition and the media.  As for the game, despite his hot start he finished with 14 points shooting 24% from the floor on a 5 for 21 evening.  Yes, the Thunder have an enigma they will never resolve and its spelled R u s s e l l  W e s t b r o o k.  The Blazer backcourt of C.J. McCollum (27 pts) and Damian Lillard (24 pts) did a number on Mr. Westbrook, I wonder which guard he watched.  Notice I said watched, it’s clear Westbrook played little defense against either opposition player. 

It occurred previously
TMZ reported seeing Kentucky’s Keldon Johnson driving a $300,000 McLaren 720S Spider.  Two questions, why was he in Los Angeles while school is still in session?  Question two how does he afford such an expensive automobile with no job?  Well this could be the why for both questions, Johnson has declared for the 2019 draft and is likely a lottery pick, if he slips out of the lottery, he remains a first-round pick which guaranteed money is. 

As for the automobile check out Michael Ray Richardson’s history, he was drafted in 1978 in the first round by the Knicks however he’s got a story too.  Richardson claimed prior to the draft he walked into a Denver dealership and later drove away with a brand-new expensive automobile.  Richardson accomplished this feat with no job the same as Keldon Johnson today.  As for why Johnson is in Los Angeles rather than Lexington, I can offer no answer for that. 

The connection
7-foot 1 inch 275-pound Wilt Chamberlain entered the NBA in 1959 from the University of Kansas, by the time Chamberlain retired in 1973 the NBA would never be the same.  MVP awards, NBA champion, scoring and rebounding leader you name it Chamberlain accomplished it.  Did you realize in one season this prolific scorer decided to concentrate on distributing the basketball?  Chamberlain would lead the NBA in assists the first time a center ever accomplished the feat. 

7-foot 250-pound Joel Embiid entered the NBA in 2014 from the University of Kansas, he was also drafted by the team that calls Philadelphia home.  Injuries first in college and later the NBA delayed his NBA progress.  One other note don’t get it twisted I’m not comparing Embiid to Chamberlain, it just so happens both played at Kansas and both began their NBA careers in Philadelphia.  The game has evolved since the days of Chamberlain but here this, Embiid might be the closest to the dominating center play we witnessed in the NBA of the 1960’s and 1970’s. 

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

The NBA is not in the mix
Renovation of Seattle’s Key Arena does not affect the NBA…yet.  The NHL is scheduled to place a team in the Emerald City for the 2011-22 season.  Can a replacement NBA Sonics team be in the future for area residents?  Many in the city have long held a belief the NBA would eventually return.  

As for the building escalating costs has witnessed a rise in construction, it’s now been determined nearly $900 million will be spent on renovation. Most of us probably believed renovating an existing arena would be more cost effective than securing a brand-new arena.  Rising cost might have proven this view wrong for example Chase Center in San Francisco will be north of $1 billion when it opens in the fall.  Barclays Arena in Brooklyn was reported to have construction cost of $1 billion at the time it opened in 2012. 

They won’t do it
Every season I spot a rookie I believe would enhance the Laker roster.  Usually it’s a big man, last season it was 7-foot Mitchell Robinson.  The Lakers brought him into town worked him out and then made the decision to draft someone else.  Robinson although very raw managed a promising rookie NBA season for the Knicks who drafted him.  He certainly didn’t cause older Knick fans to envision Patrick Ewing or Willis Reed in the post.  Robinson demonstrate has game had unfilled promise for the future of the Knicks.   

This season there is another big man on my radar, 6-foot 11-inch 245-pound Charles Bassey.  Bassey played his college ball at Western Kentucky although he’s from Lagos Nigeria.  His freshman numbers, 14.6 ppg along with 10 rebounds and 2.4 blocked shots per game on 62% shooting from the floor.  One scouting report states Bassey is extremely raw and relies on his athleticism too much.  That’s certainly not a terrible assessment for him, the Lakers have an opportunity to draft him lets see what they do this time around.  Chances are real good they won’t do it. 

Plausible Deniability 
What we might believe but what can be proven are two different issues.  This is what I believe will occur, Kansas basketball will forfeit games Silvio De Sousa appeared last season.  The Big 12 championship a year ago will be vacated the school will lose a scholarship or two but will be tournament ready in 2020.  Do I believe they are guilty; you darn straight somebody was aware of the Silvio De Sousa situation?  There are unconfirmed reports members of the coaching staff had knowledge of the De Sousa guardian.  How about the head coach Bill Self, it appears he’s got plausible deniability? Translate that for me please, I will be happy to do just that for you.  

“Plausible deniability is the ability of people (typically senior officials in a formal or informal chain of command) to deny knowledge of or responsibility for any damnable actions committed by others in an organizational hierarchy because of a lack of evidence that can confirm their participation, even if they were personally involved in or at least willfully ignorant of the actions. In the case that illegal or otherwise disreputable and unpopular activities become public, high-ranking officials may deny any awareness of such acts to insulate themselves and shift blame onto the agents who carried out the acts, as they are confident that their doubters will be unable to prove otherwise.”  

On the other hand, this might be an exercise in futility, Kansas basketball might escape scott-free.  No penalties whatsoever to the program or Bill Self.  We shall see what holds for the future, remember the NCAA announced a decision will be rendered soon after the tournament.

 Draft mistakes   
This is no referendum on Jay Williams in 2002 or Greg Oden in 2007 or others.  This does not include Scottie Pippen drafted by the Sonics or Kobe Bryant chosen by the Hornets but never playing for the franchise.  In the case of Williams and Oden their NBA aspirations were cut short due to injury as for Pippen and Bryant a draft day trade changed the course of history for the Bulls and Lakes.  This list is high-ranking draft picks we later discovered couldn’t play at the NBA level, where do we begin?  I’m going to apply the criteria established by an NBA scout.  He claimed you must wait at least three seasons to determine whether a player can earn his stripes.  In addition, this will be conducted in stages, this is year 2012 through 2016. 

2016 Thon Maker Bucks 10th pick in the first round
2015 Jahlil Okafor Sixers 3rd pick in the first round
2014 Open however there is a question
2013 Anthony Bennett 1st pick in the first round
2012 Thomas Robinson 5th pick in the first round