Basketball from a fan’s perspective

He’s the first

Georgia sharpshooter Anthony Edwards has become the first underclassman to declare for the 2020 NBA draft.  This 6-foot 5-inch 225-pound shooting guard averaged nearly 20 points a game for the Bulldogs this past season.  One scouting report compared Edwards to a bigger version of the Pacers Victor Oladipo.  Edwards was likely a one and done from the beginning, the surprise for most basketball observers he chose Georgia over other programs.  The Bulldogs have not typically recruited McDonald's All Americans, rest assured most fans probably wanted Edwards to return for his sophomore year.   

Number one

It seems strange to say the number one high school player in the nation is in the middle of his sophomore year.  Who is this youngster you ask, if you missed an earlier account his name is Emoni Bates, he’s 6-9 but weighs a spindly 205 pounds?  Think Kevin Durant at the time he left Texas for the NBA, it was reported he couldn’t bench press 185 pounds during the draft combine.  Durant’s playing weight is now at 240 pounds and we can bet he is able to bench press more than 185 pounds.  I digress, as for Bates he attends Lincoln High School in Ypsilanti Michigan and is currently attempting to lead his school to its second state championship. 

Several folks have pronounced Bates ready for the 2020 NBA draft.  It’s believed by that time the NBA will have rescinded its age 19 provision.  One difference of note, in the age of youth enrolled in prep schools Bates attends a public school.  One additional note, former NBA player and current ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins is on board.  He claims Bates is ready for the NBA now, that might be a stretch but in two years who knows.  Bates Lincoln team beat Ypsilanti 79-51 in a district semi-final game, he scored 19 points along with 6 assists. 

Michigan like other states cancelled its finals.  NOTE:  As this was being completed Emoni Bates made it known he is very familiar with Michigan State basketball and coach Tom Izzo.  Ypsilanti is less than 100 miles from the East Lansing campus of Michigan State, he’s got time to change his made repeatedly prior to his senior year of high school.  At this time, it appears he might not be headed to the NBA as quickly as many of us first believed. 

The forgotten man

LaMelo Ball was the focus of American media in Australia but there was another American former high school player in action.  This might not be correct however I believe R. J. Hampton committed to the NBL in Australia prior to Ball.  Hampton was believed headed for a college and decided in favor of a professional career, he’s a 6-foot 5 combo guard who checks in at 175 pounds. 

Hampton’s play in the NBL appeared fruitful and he’s headed for the NBA draft and a lottery pick no less.  According to scouting reports his only apparent weakness is his weight.  It’s believed he should pack additional pounds to combat the rigors of NBA play.  Hampton’s home is Little Elm Texas in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro, expect to hear his name called early in the first round of the 2020 draft. 

St. Louis versus Kansas City

The metro population of St. Louis contains 600,000+ residents more than Kansas City.  This count includes those in the neighboring States of Kansas and Illinois.  As for how this impacts basketball allow an unresolved conundrum for me, one of the chief reasons Cuonzo Martin was hired at Mizzou was his St. Louis connections, the coach grew up in East St. Louis Illinois.    

For years it’s been my belief high school basketball on the east side of the state has been superior to the west side.  Maybe there is no one reason however this should be a degree of proof.  MaxPreps.com provides a list of Missouri’s Top 25 boys high school teams.  The number 1 through 4 schools they provide are in the St. Louis metro, number 5 is Raytown South (Kansas City).  The total, MaxPreps contains 9 St. Louis schools and 4 in Kansas City.  There must be something I’m missing I’m just not sure what it might be. 

An interruption in the Love Fest

A local television station runs a nightly sports program, the content consists of more Chiefs football coverage than other areas.  The irritating part on the most recent program was the “love” expressed for Kansas basketball.  We heard words like “Too bad they didn’t have the opportunity to win an NCAA championship.”  It is too bad, no argument they were the best college basketball team in the abruptly ended 2019-20 season.  While the station was holding the love fest, they forgot to mention this link. 

 https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/2020/03/05/kansas-objects-to-ncaa-charges-in-response-to-allegations/111397794/

Five Level 1 violations, Kansas will not receive the Death Penalty however consider this fact.  They will not escape free, a penalty(s) is likely forthcoming.  What good would it do to win the championship or have one containing an asterisk with this hanging over your head?