Basketball from a fan’s perspective

Depends on who you read

On Monday I wrote if he is available when their term comes the Warriors should consider drafting 7-foot center James Wiseman of Memphis.  I guess Bleacher Report.com didn’t agree with me, the .com site considered Anthony Edwards shooting guard from Georgia a better-quality pick.  I wonder if they considered Andrew Wiggins a plus on the offensive side of the court, so why the need for another shooter in Edwards?  I guess I can’t be right all the time except what I later read was unbelievable. 

On Thursday I presume another writer provided his assessment of each NBA teams needs in the draft.  I searched for the Lakers, “point guard” check, then I located the Warriors.  This writer indicated they needed are you ready for this…size.   The Bleacher Report.com reporter wrote, “They (Warriors) might be thinking big on draft night with either Wiseman or Dayton’s Obi Toppin.”  Husband’s and wives don’t always agree so why should I expect reporters from the same organization to agree.  The humor I drew out of it both their opinions were published days from the other.     

More optimistic about one over the other

Optimism reigns supreme however there are instances it becomes quite difficult.  Example, the NBA could decide to resume the season on June 15^th, that’s the easy.  The difficult portion is the virus itself; one is an absolute (date) the other is an unknown (virus remaining active).  As we can see there is control in one area not so much in the other. I will forever remain a realist, despite this it appears there is less likelihood the NBA will restart in 30 days.  

Much as I hate to write this we might be forced to wait until the fall and 2020-21 season before we witness NBA basketball again. The NBA first began play in the fall and winter of 1946; despite labor related stoppages this is the first instance the season might not be completed.  In 1994 there was no World Series Champion in baseball due to work stoppage, the NFL since the Super Bowl in 1966 has been played every year and the same goes for the National Hockey League.    

NCAA Champion?

Fans of the Kansas Jayhawks can cease reading this account, you can skip it and read the following story on the Dallas Cowboys.  This reading is not for your ears, you will be offended, as Shaggy once rapped “It Wasn’t Me.”  Then ESPN analytic guys utilized the final bracket of Joe Lunardi ESPN guru and the Basketball Power Index to provide us a 2020 NCAA Champion.  Well it’s a fictional champion however it is what it is.  Wisconsin, number 19 in the Coaches poll and number 18 in the AP poll was crowned NCAA champ. 

Where did Kansas finish you ask, in the Midwest Regional Second Round they lost to number 9 Marquette?  My friend compiled history on the tournament and determined the number one seed becomes champion 54% of the time.  Kansas would be a top seed prior to the start of the tournament.  2007-08 the Jayhawks were crowned national champions and during the 2011-12 season they became runners up.  History indicates on four occasions during the Self era the Jayhawks were beaten in the second round so the possibility certainly could exist in 2020. 

Dallas Cowboys

How come an NFL team headlines this story?  It’s been mentioned in the past the old Dallas Cowboys under coach Tom Landry and GM Tex Schramm drafted by talent over position.  For instance, their pick might be a defensive end when they had no need, they chose the best athlete believing they could trade that draft pick to fill another more critical area.  I was told the Oakland Raiders under previous regimes would emphasis speed in drafting players which often didn't work out for them.  Where am I going with this account you might ask, headed to the 2020 NBA draft?   

NBA offensive schemes have changed, no longer is it the Man in the Middle it’s become a 3-point shooting game.  One of the mock draft sites nbadraft.net has the Lakers choosing 280-pound 7-foot center Udoka Azubuike from Kansas.  Azubuike is a traditional back to the basket center, his offense is put backs and dunks he’s got no shot beyond 15-feet? Although he tends to be foul prone at times, Azubuike is a demon defensively with his shot blocking ability.  Has the game bypassed Azubuike, 7-foot 5 Tacko Fall and other Big Men without the ability to shoot from distance?