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.
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.
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 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.
