Basketball from a fan’s perspective

Covid-19

I am unsure if this was the order of events, but I believe its correct. Covid-19 shut down the NBA regular season first, then it was college basketball. Later baseball spring training and then college spring sports. We add one additional casualty…Words eye view. For the immediate future publishing will occur every other day. Please continue to follow Words eye view with this revised schedule, thank you.

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Mizzou Nation was aware the Tigers were seeking to fill two roster positions. Based on the 2019-20 season one area of suffering for Mizzou was making 3-point baskets. Mizzou Nation mentioned several names the team were exploring, after dropping several names the one commitment was a relative unknown. Edward Chang is a 6-7 215 pound small forward from Salt Lake Community College. Chang committed to San Diego State but played a reserve role. 

He transferred to the junior college where he played a great deal more.  Chang's specialty…3-point shooting, we must reserve our judgement on this move for now. Mizzou also added point guard Drew Buggs transferring from Hawaii, he scored at nearly 10 points a game while dishing out 5.4 assists.  Buggs arrives as a graduate transfer and he along with Chang fill a need for the Tigers.  At this point both are warm bodies, we have no idea of their ability to play the game.  

If Xavier Pinson remains in the NBA Draft Buggs becomes an insurance policy, we could make the same statement regarding Mitchell Smith or Jeremiah Tilmon also in the draft.  Chang would replace one or both with his 3-point shooting skill.  Chang and Buggs join 7 foot 2 inch 245 pound Jordan Wilmore profiled last November, it's hoped this trio will provide an improved Tiger presence in the 2020-21 season.  

Danny and the Miracles

In 1988 Danny Manning literally picked up an average team, he led the Kansas Jayhawks to the NCAA Championship that year.  Many believed this might have been the least talented Kansas team in history, in truth it might have been but thanks to Danny they won it all.  His basketball acumen and leadership led the way that season for the Jayhawks.  He would become the first pick in the first round of the 1988 NBA Draft by the Clippers. 

Manning never fulfilled the NBA promise due to injury but managed a 15-year career with several teams.  2006 to 2012 Manning returned to Kansas as an assistant coach, in 2012 he left for Tulsa as head coach.  Manning served as head coach at Tulsa for two seasons prior to his hire at Wake Forest.  After 6 seasons Manning was fired on Saturday, he was never able to raise the basketball program as hoped. 

This is not an end of the world scenario Manning will be hired again in the future.  Coaches have been fired and become winners with another program, they could be the case here.  It should be of note this Mizzou fan has a personal relationship with Manning.  While Manning was an assistant at Kansas, I had a personal encounter with him.  I was in Dallas waiting for my flight to take off for Kansas City and Manning was a few short feet from me.  I walked up to him asked for his autograph which he graciously signed.  

This is not 1949

Are we at a point as my friend suggests the NBA is going to war against the NCAA?  My colleague believes this might be the case based on two high school players headed for the G-League plus future planned moves.  My ire is aimed at the NCAA which continues to operate with a mindset in the past plus strange rulings.  Someone needs to inform the NCAA this is not 1949, you cannot continue to operate as you did in the past.  There are two basketball examples to explore, the first is the University of Kansas and the other Memphis University. 

How Silvio De Sousa arrived on the campus in Kansas was scrutinized by the NCAA based on information uncovered during the Adidas trial.  Pay was to have exchanged hands to allow the 6 foot 9 De Sousa to enroll at Kansas.  The school would not allow him to play beginning in October 2018 due to an NCAA investigation, February 2019 the NCAA suspended De Sousa for the season.  May 2019 De Sousa won his appeal and was granted eligibility, there was no further explanation to our knowledge other than he could play. 

Meantime in Memphis the NCAA determined in December 2019 James Wiseman was ineligible to play.  It was revealed his coach Penny Hardaway donated money to the program five years previously therefore he was deemed a booster.  Wiseman was required by the NCAA to pay $1,000 to a charity of his choice.  He must have said, “Thanks but no thanks I’m outta here, I’m headed for the NBA.”  As this is written Wiseman is in training preparing for the 2020 NBA Draft.  The NCAA will not cease operations but might indeed lose some of its ability to govern unless changes are made.