Basketball
from a fan’s perspective
Greed
It’s approaching 24 hours since the news broke on Kawhi
Leonard’s uncle. We expect to hear at
some point the report is untrue or parts of the negotiations did not occur in
the manner first reported. I hoped you click
on the link first and paid particularly attention around the 44 second mark. That’s when Gordon Gekko portrayed by Michael
Douglas utters the phrase, “Greed is good.”
Everyone needs or should be paid, no argument there. The question is what is the cutoff
point? This is unofficial however its
reported Leonard’s contract will pay him $32.74 million (unspecified length of
time).
Leonard’s doing all the heavy lifting therefore the largest
portion of pay goes to him. If uncle takes
15% that comes to almost $5 million, we have no idea of his lifestyle before the
Clippers, but this is not Leonard’s first trip around the block. This season completed will be his 8th
in the NBA so he and his uncle should be financially solvent. I hate discussing NBA salaries because its my
belief everyone is overpaid. If we
consider that fact Leonard’s uncle is way, way over the line of acceptability
for his financial demands. NOTE: After the story was completed came word from
Leonard, ‘People make up stories every day.’ Not much of a defense, just sayin’.
Guilty
My feet fit on that precarious limb as well, you venture out
and speculate on an outcome. I admit
I’ve been guilty at times although Kyle Soppe has me beat. I’d never heard of him before reading the
headline on ESPN’s men’s basketball page.
“How to identify the Final Four teams during Christmas week” was his
headline. Soppe is writing the account of
the championship round some three months from now, boy the calendar still
indicates it’s 2019.
After reading his account I can’t disagree with his
assessment except for this one fact. My
belief, I don’t imagine all four of the teams he’s picked will be standing April
4th, 2020. The prime reason
upsets, we love to root for that Cinderella team, that 2018 Loyola team as an
example, that team outplayed its opponents into the Final Four. On the other hand, Soppe could be correct, by
the time April rolls around his account and my response will long be
forgotten.
Cautionary Tale
By the time this is read the field might have changed,
currently ESPN ranks LaMelo Ball the top prospect in the 2020 NBA draft. We believe he can play in the NBA, yet we
remain cautiously unsure until he manages to play successfully at this
level. Over the years several “can’t
miss” prospects did miss. We
believed Anthony Bennett could play, he was made the first pick in the 2013
draft by the Cavs. We discovered later
he could play successfully just not in the NBA.
Gonzaga’s Adam Morrison has two count them one, two NBA Championship
rings while a member of the Lakers.
Morrison earned his rings while seated next to the Laker
trainer, he was the third pick in the first round by the Bobcats (Hornets) in
the 2006 NBA draft. Darko Milicic was
made the second pick in the first round by the Pistons in 2003. Despite his 7-foot tall 250-pound frame
Milicic made the rounds in the NBA playing for 6 different franchises, he never
reached the stature many predicted for him.
Often an athlete’s collegiate game just fails to transfer successfully
to the NBA. A number experienced long
successful careers playing in Europe, Australia and other parts of the
world. Several manage to achieve
financial wealth despite not earning a continuous roster position in the NBA,
Milicic is a prime example.
I’d be looking over my shoulder
After the weekend action Kansas was bumped from the top spot
in both polls. The loss to Villanova was
beneficial for them as well moving up.
As for the current week’s polls Gonzaga ascends to number one. The 6th week of polling since the
pre-season we find a different team at one.
What exactly does this movement entail for this college season?
There are theories none that can be scientifically
proven. How about this one, balance. There is not the Grand Canyon chasm that once
existed between the haves and have nots, Kentucky and North
Carolina can lose in the same manner as any of the other 300 or so Division I
programs. This is good in several
aspects, here’s hoping some aspects of the recruiting process change.
