Basketball from a fan’s perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday

All in the Family
This article is no reference to the ‘70’s television series but it is family related in a sense.  Clippers owner Steve Ballmer indicated a desire to own his own arena from nearly day one of his purchase of the team.  The primary issue the Clippers place in dates, Lakers/Kings either first or second, entertainment events and the Clippers.  Ballmer located property that could be developed in Southern Cal but, the site chosen is nearby the Rams/Chargers stadium in Inglewood.  Former Lakers owner Jack Kent Cooke built The Forum and it remained home for the Lakers until the Staples Center move in 1999. 

At some point Knicks owner James Dolan acquired the arena for his MSG Corporation.  This is where the “family” drama began, the Clippers proposed arena is located blocks from the Forum which upsets Dolan.  He’s so upset he’s filed suit against Ballmer.  In the history of the NBA the league has dealt with two problem owners, in addition there have been media fights between owners, but this is never ventured territory.  Never has an owner filed been forced to file a lawsuit against another owner.  Ballmer who is among the richest owner in professional sports says, bring it own!

Top Big Man
Most consider Sixers center Joel Embiid the top Big Man in today’s NBA.  In Denver and other parts of the nation this might cause an argument.  See others believe 7-foot 250-pound Nuggets center Nicola Jokic belongs in the conversation.  He certainly was an integral part of the Nuggets playoff run last season, just check out his regular season numbers. 

The Serbian Big Man scored 20.1 points and gathered nearly 11 rebounds a game.  He is the best passing Big Man in the NBA today, sorry Joel it ain’t you.  If we check the top 10 assist leaders Jokic is the lone center lying in 8^th place with 7.3 per game.  In addition, he shot 82% from the free-throw line and .315 from the 3-point line, .511 overall for the season.  After his outstanding season Nugget fans are hoping for a repeat performance for the 2019-20 season. 

His Man Cave versus Mine
I’ve mentioned this in the past, I’ve been threatened by my wife.  “Don’t you dare add another thing in that room!”  That room of course is my Man Cave, I certainly cannot rival Spike Lee in my additions.  The family of Red Holtzman placed Knick memorabilia with an auction house.  Number one celebrity Knick fan Lee purchased two items, the basketball net from the 1970 NBA championship along with Holtzman’s Coach of the Year trophy.  The items setback Lee a cool $100,000 however he can afford those pieces to his Knick collection.  I have nowhere near Lee’s income to add Laker pieces I’d like to own. 

Bits n Pieces 
One of the many fresh faces this upcoming collegiate season is Nico Mannion.  Mannion is a 6-foot 3-inch guard, he likely will be the starter at the point for the Wildcats.  Even more interesting for us he committed to Arizona at the time coach Sean Miller and the program were under scrutiny.  As this is written we remain unsure if the school might eventually face NCAA punishment.  Mannion was a McDonald’s All American and was 2018 and 2019 Gatorade player of the year.  

The effort might not result in success, but it was done anyway, letters were sent to the CEO of the Naismith and College Basketball Hall of Fame.  The purpose was for the veteran committee of both explore adding the late Warren Jabali’s name to the list of the enshrined.  It’s my belief there is vast amounts of evidence proving his worthiness.  If it turns out to be only one hall of fame that will be satisfactory, I will keep you posted on the progress.  The Naismith Hall has responded, there is no indication they intend to include Jabali however the acknowledgment is appreciated by me. 

Someday the NBA will return to Seattle, in the future the NBA will return to Vancouver British Columbia Canada.  NBA basketball will not be forthcoming in Kansas City, St. Louis, San Diego or Buffalo as examples.  As for Charlotte it was a different story, the NBA Hornets began life as an expansion team in 1998, in 2002 they relocated to New Orleans.  In 2004 the NBA returned with the expansion Bobcats (now Hornets), in two short years the city had another NBA team.  Kansas City, St. Louis, San Diego and Buffalo will never witness a team with their name inscribed across road jerseys.

Rest assured I don’t have an answer, I’m strictly an observer to this change.  It appears the high school basketball landscape has changed; we have prospects no longer interested in being one and done athletes.  This is no cataclysmic event; we haven’t witnessed 10 or 20 prospects making this change.  In fact, the total is less than five however it still represents change.  These prospects desire to play in the NBA immediately, it’s become now rather than later.  “Go overseas for a year come back and submit your name for the NBA draft.”