Basketball from a fan’s perspective

Dirk Diggler & Flash
The above nickname was bestowed on Mavs forward Dirk Nowitzki by the late ESPN sportscaster Stuart Scott.  Interesting a movie about a porn star hung on this basketball player was different.  I don’t believe anyone made anything of it least of all Dirk, after Scott’s death I’ve never heard anyone else use the name on Dirk.  He’s retired, Dirk announced at the Mavs last game he was hanging up his basketball shoes.  Like Kobe he would spend all 21 years with the Mavs and what a career, next stop for Dirk the Naismith Hall of Fame. 

In Miami Dwyane Wade made his last appearance in a Heat jersey.  With his wife actress Gabrielle Union and new baby in attendance he scored 30 points leading the way to a 122-99 win over the Sixers.  He was given the nickname Flash and that became his persona throughout his 16-year NBA career.  3X NBA champion, NBA All-Star and Olympic champion and numerous other honors omitted.  There is yet one honor remaining for Dwyane Wade, his selection to the Naismith Hall of Fame which should occur the same year of Dirk’s.  Sorry Paul Pierce, you belong in the hall too however I believe Wade’s career exceeded yours. 

“The Lakers mess of a season ends with mess of finale” 
The above was the headline in the Wednesday edition of USA Today by Andy Nesbitt.  The balance of this account is mine.  Blazer Maurice Harkless hit a 3-point basket at the buzzer, it resulted in a 104-101 win for the visiting Blazer team.  An hour or so ahead of the game Magic Johnson stepped down as president of basketball operations.  I’m unsure if there is much to add over yesterday’s account the explanation, he gave for leaving the position sounded curious and contained numerous mixed messages to me.     

I have no doubt most of us enjoy having fun unfortunately there are times we cannot be so fortunate.  Magic Johnson of all people should be aware of this with a health issue requiring his early retirement from the NBA.  Work is just that work, sometimes it can be fun but often it demands we place our feelings on hold.  As this is written I continue to hope this is a bump in the road.  Someone is out there not named Jerry West who can fix the Lakers.  Could that someone be Rob Pelinka current general manager?

On the other hand….
There are those occasions you step out with a bold statement that later proves to be not so correct.  That’s me Wednesday after the Tuesday edition of Words eye view.  To refresh your memory and inform others I said UCLA basketball no longer carried the prestige it once did.  Rick Barnes at Tennessee confirmed the fact I was correct, a winner at two stops had no desire for the job. 

Just like that BAM, before I could publish the story Mick Cronin formerly Cincinnati’s coach took the UCLA job.  I don’t know a great deal about Cronin, but I like him already he’s 5 feet 7 inches tall my height.  Cronin has been a winner at Murray State and then Cincinnati.  Although none of the names is an NBA All Pro his program has produced several NBA talents over the years.  UCLA basketball is a daunting job however Cronin appears ready for the challenge.  

I read a great deal 
Publishing Words eye view every day requires a great deal of scouring the internet, television, radio and webcast for material.  Opinions are often formulated on what is digested, on other occasions its original.  The highest level of basketball achievement is to play successfully at the NBA level.   Often the college hotshot is too slow, can’t shoot or some other impediment keeps him from play at this level.  It says he might be suited for basketball beyond college but not the NBA.  Anthony Bennett, Markelle Fultz, Dragan Bender and Thomas Robinson are just a few of the names that come to mind.  All are recent first round draft choices believed to have NBA talent. 

In fairness to Fultz his career might have been impacted by injury.  While scouts believed the players above and others had NBA potential it turned out they were lacking.  Again, it doesn’t denote they can’t play, right place-right time scenario might also impact the fortunes of a prospect.  Keep in mind what I discovered earlier, an NBA scout indicated a draft cannot truly be analyzed until 3 years down the road.  We discovered rather quickly 2013 number one pick Anthony Bennett couldn’t play at the NBA level.  The draft was reported to be “weak” based on the top pick, in that same draft several picks later were Giannis Antetokounmpo and Rudy Gobert.  Antetokounmpo is a leading contender for this season’s MVP award and Gobert has become an invaluable member of the Jazz.