Basketball from a fan’s perspective

The season

Although not yet finalized it appears the NBA will resume play July 31.  At this point we are unsure of the details but there is another issue.  This re-start will run the NBA smack into the NFL season, but I do not believe that will be an issue, I have always maintained we have three diverse groups of fans.  Those dedicated NBA fans, passionate disciples of the NFL and the undetermined percentage who follow both sports.  Will there be a dip in television viewership, probably in the NBA as for the NFL its likely to remain at the same level.  

Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome

The head coaching job of the Knicks is not quite Thunderdome although we certainly can draw near identical parallels.  You remember the Mel Gipson/Tina Turner movie especially the line judgement was rendered entering Thunderdome, “Two men enter one-man leaves.” At the rate, the Knicks turn over coaches it has not really been two men enter but it might be somewhat close to accurate. 

The other famous line from the movie is more than fact, “Bust the deal face the wheel” i.e. the wrath of owner James Dolan.  Despite the apparent issues of this front office folks are still lining up for a job.  The names mentioned as head coaching candidates include Kenny Atkinson let go by the Nets and former Bulls and Wolves Coach Tom Thibodeau.  The next hire should be quite interesting considering the turnover in that department for the Knicks.   

Asterisk

The debate this morning on First Take deals with an asterisk NBA season.  The 1999 strike season Spurs team was mentioned.  That is not fair in a sense, more recently Shaquille O’Neal at that time a member of the Lakers made mention of an asterisk.  Today he claims it was an effort on his part to irritate the Spurs and their fans.  The argument of an asterisk really has no validity for me, we could look at several championship seasons.  A key injury totally upset things and the team we figured would win lost. 

Example the 2019 Raptors championship, Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant are uninjured.  How about the 1989 NBA Championship, the Lakers lose their backcourt?  Byron Scott and Magic Johnson are both injured, the Pistons sweep the Lakers.  There are likely other examples however the point is clear whether you play 50 games (as in the 1999 season) or devastating injuries occur almost any season could contain an asterisk.  I know the counter argument might be injuries are not the same thing as playing fewer games or having the season played in two separate parts as 2019-20.  

“Show me the money”   

In a manner like Rod Tidwell (Cuba Gooding Jr.) in the movie Jerry Maguire “Show me the money” might be the topic for college basketball coaches.  Example, Eric Henderson head coach of South Dakota State is paid $495,000 in salary and bonuses annually.  He is on the low end of salaries, how about the top salary you ask?  That would be John Calipari at Kentucky, Calipari earns $8,158,000 counting salary and bonuses.  Surprising to many Bill Self at Kansas is not a Top Five earner he is in 10^th place earning a cool $3,985,857 in salary and bonuses.  As for second through fifth place are:

Coach K. Duke $7,256,924

Mick Cronin UCLA $5,500,00

Rick Barnes Tennessee $4,700,000

Chris Beard Texas Tech $4,443,000

The surprise based on the pay scale a few high-profile coaches were not earning the amount we might have believed.  I am sure many reading this account are likely upset, in several instances the coach probably earns more in salary than the dean of the school.  The amount of tax dollars spent to educate our youth vary from state to state and school district.  Educators especially in impoverish school districts will look at these salaries and become intensely distressed.  This article is not intended to defend or offer critical remarks its simply meant to provide information most of us were unaware. 

USA Today May 11, 2020

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

Basketball dominance

Anytime you cause the rules to be adjusted that becomes the test of your basketball dominance.  That was the case for first Wilt Chamberlain and later Kareem Abdul Jabber.  Below is information and video compiled from the web.   
  

“These rules changed included widening the lane, instituting offensive goaltending and revising rules governing inbounding the ball and shooting free throws (Chamberlain would leap with the ball from behind the foul line to deposit the ball in the basket).”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXCdWMIGVVw

“When Lew Alcindor started playing basketball in college for UCLA, the NCAA officials felt that he was too dominant a player—one who could dunk the ball at will. They felt he would be unstoppable, so they changed the rules to forbid dunking in college games. This was called the "Alcindor Rule."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkceXK6l_ok

Bits n Pieces 

There are several stories which we could title “He Said-She said” or “He Said-He said”.  This appears to be the case involving Pelicans rookie forward Zion Williamson.  At this point it appears he signed with a company to represent his interest then apparently fired them, they in turn filed a lawsuit against him.  As I often say when the story is unclear, there are too many moving parts to fully dissect this story. 

Across the nation we read and hear stories of landlords “forgiving” rents and lease payments due to the pandemic.  Evidently that has not been the case for the NBA Store, the NBA is being sued by the owner indicating the league failed to pay lease charges for April and May.  The store was closed as other retail businesses across the nation due to the pandemic.  Is this just a publicity stunt to embarrass the NBA?  Rest assured the payment due is certainly not walking around money, but the league is probably good for the payment. 

I had an occasion last summer to meet former NBA guard Jason ‘The Jet’ Terry, Terry was running shooting skills training for a middle school student.  After the workout I had an opportunity to meet Terry and talk with him briefly, I found him to be quite personable and friendly.  As for this story it was announced on Thursday Terry is headed to Arizona having been hired as an assistant coach.  This will be his first venture into the coaching for pay, congrats Jet. 

With no Draft Combine this year we have no idea the height of LaMelo Ball.  I just read one report indicating he stands 6 foot 6 inches; another claims he is 6 foot 8.  One assertion says it is 6 foot 9, the Draft Combine allows us to determine the actual height of an athlete.  NBA teams do not entertain this nonsense as much as they once did however colleges still play the game.  The on again story then off again story of Ball "purchasing" his former NBL is on again.  Sources are claiming Ball's party is close to finalizing the acquisition.   

NBA Draft

This is an unconfirmed report and should not be considered it is not set in stone.  It appears the NBA Draft usually held the third week in June will be moved to early September.  This is all speculation, but it might be held in the same manner as the NFL Draft.  We are likely to see only the draft picks, families, and close friends on our television sets. 

On a personal note I only watched the early rounds of the NFL Draft paying attention to players the Chiefs chose.  It was different but entertaining, the NFL commissioner appeared somewhat robotic the first evening of the draft.  The following evening Commissioner Goodell appeared to be more at ease in his role.  Commissioner Silver’s public persona is somewhat like Goodell so hopefully given time he will overcome some of the imperfections we saw with the NFL Draft.       

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

Mac is headed…

Georgetown’s loss is Texas Tech’s gain, Mac McClung Georgetown announced earlier he was leaving for greener pastures.  There was no further indication as to why he came to this decision.  McClung’s 3-point shooting improved in his sophomore year however he was hampered by injuries.  The guy that broke Allen Iverson's Virginia high school scoring record chose Texas Tech over several schools.   

Who is Leon Rose?

March 2, 2020 the Knicks announced the hiring of Leon Rose as president of basketball operations.  Who is Leon Rose, he is a former sports agent?  His client list was quite extensive at one time, it included Allen Iverson, Carmelo Anthony, and Joel Embiid to name just a few.  We read no indication as to the why but like the Lakers Rob Pelinka he left the world of sports agent to run an NBA franchise. 

To help Rose was the hire of a vice president of basketball and strategic planning, an assistant general manager for college scouting and another assistant for pro scouting.  Are these the “baby steps” required to return the Knicks franchise to a respectable level?  This is a time issue so Rose and staff must be given adequate time to turn the Knicks around.  He needs more time than the previous front office gave Coach David Fizdale.   

Scouting report

Did Emoni Bates really pick up a basketball as a three-year old?  It is claimed while in the 4^th grade he played against high school seniors in a rec league.  Those are stories only his parents can confirm.  This can be documented; Bates received a scholarship offer to DePaul while in the 8th grade.  All this basketball acumen came by way of having a basketball playing father as his trainer and it began at an early age.   

As Bates prepares for his junior year at Ypsilanti (MI) Lincoln High School the basketball eyes of the nation are focused on the 6-foot 9-inch 205 pound forward.  As all are aware Lincoln was unable to defend its championship after the pandemic caused a nation-wide shut down.  With Bates leading the way expect Lincoln to compete for the honor once again.  The season was cut short however Bates managed to be named Gatorade High School Player of the Year, quite an achievement for a sophomore.

Canadian basketball 

You might tend to believe a contingent of Canadian basketball players headed south every season might indicate our northern neighbor does not play the game.  That is untrue, you must question why talent heads to the U.S. rather than remain at home.  Largely untrue as well, the vast amount of talent likely remains home in Canada.  Research informs us there are six Canadian conferences spread across the nation.  Beginning on the Pacific Ocean side we have the Pacific Western Athletic Association consisting of 9 conference school. 

Next up is the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference with 17 schools in the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan.  The Manitoba Colleges Athletic Conference with its 6 schools and the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association contains 27 schools.  The   Quebec Student Sports Network with its 32 schools followed by the Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association and the 9 schools in its conference.  There is a national championship like the NCAA Championship played every season.  So, there you have it, collegiate basketball is indeed played in Canada. 

The Hall of Fame ceremony

The Naismith Hall of Fame becomes one more victim of the pandemic.  As most are aware the enshrinement ceremony is held annually in August and that appears out of the question for 2020 based on the current climate.  Jerry Colangelo responsible for the tournament indicates his committee will meet to determine a date for a spring 2021 time.  Colangelo also made it known the Class of 2020 and 2021 will not be combined just because they will be held in the same calendar year.  Our guess a spring 2021 date for the Class of 2021 and later in August the Class of 2021 will be enshrined.  

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

Bits n Pieces

Andre Drummond Cavs Big Man shocked his server recently.  On a $164 tab Drummond left a $1,000 tip, she did not realize the size of the tip until she rang it up.  She indicated once she looks at the ticket she was in shock, a feel-good story for the morning. 

Adrian Wojnarowki claims the agreement to start the season will not make all parties happy.  Perhaps the playoff picture will possibly be expanded for one thing.  The best defense I heard was by a local guy, "These are not usual times, we must make adjustments if the season is to be completed."  

Free throws      

The emphasis is on “free” and nobody receives a pass on shooting them. Hall of Fame athlete Rick Barry once said; “nobody is guarding you; it should be the easiest shot in basketball.” I think we might conclude Barry knew the subject matter well. He shot .893 over the course of his 14-year career; separately it was .880 in the ABA and .900 in the NBA. Consider this, court length the 3-point line and other variables exist depending on the level of competition. 

Did you realize standing at the free throw line the distance to the basket is 15 feet. It does not matter if we are discussing junior high basketball, high school, college, or the NBA. The only difference is FIBA which measures at 15.9 feet. It is my belief a portion of the difficulty shooting free throws kids do not practice it enough. In addition, it is not exciting for the shooter; they grow up with the mind set of scoring a 3-point basket in the waning seconds of a game. Shooting free-throws is just not cool, sexy whatever adjective you wish to use. 

Mid-Major  
The subject has been discussed in the past, but I thought it was worth a re-visit for those who might not know.  What exactly is a mid-major school, it has nothing to do with a university’s student enrollment?  As an example, Wichita State has an enrollment upwards of 15,000 students, the school is considered a mid-major.  On the other hand, the University of Notre Dame in 2016 had an enrollment of less than 9,000 students but is considered a major, your question is why?

I am glad you asked the question; Notre Dame is a member of the ACC in basketball.  The Power Five schools are dubbed majors and everyone else mid-major, any school competing in the Pac-12, Big 10, Big 12, SEC and ACC are considered majors no matter their student enrollment.  In the non-conference portion of a school’s schedule we could see a mix of major and mid-majors.  Generally, the mid major plays on the home court of the major.  

An upgrade?

Mizzou’s Jeremiah Tilmon stands 6 foot 10 and a solid 250 pounds, in addition Tilmon’s always shown potential however there is an issue which has dogged him from day one.  Tilmon has struggled to remain on the court, he is often in foul trouble over what Shaq once referred as “nick-nack” fouls.  Sometimes Big Man are whistled for fouls where an opposition player is barely touched.  Tilmon spends more time seated next to one of the coaches than on the floor. 

Tilmon’s sophomore season was also curtailed by injury and when he was able to return to action let us just say his play was just okay.  Hopefully, the 2020-21 season will see Tilmon challenged by one or perhaps both Big Men on the roster.  Tilmon submitted his name in the NBA draft so the center position fight might occur between Okongo and Wilmore.  7-foot 240-pound Axel Okongo arrived last season from Northwest College in Wyoming. 

Okongo was the Invisible Man as he saw little playing time last season.  Hopefully the 2020-21 season will witness him in action and perhaps justify the promise the coaching staff envisioned.  Freshman Jordan Wilmore arrives from Atlanta and the Skill Factory, Wilmore stands 7-foot-3 inches and weighs 245-pounds.  We cannot expect great play from this youngster, the leap from high school to Division I can be quite imposing.  The hope is given time Wilmore can play valuable minutes. 

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

To Be or Not to Be

I believed up to this point all discussion regarding Last Dance was complete.  The latest bit circulating on social network says, “Michael Jordan lied about Isiah Thomas being excluded from the Dream Team.”  It is all water under the bridge at this point, whatever we camp we decide to pitch our tent.  We've read and heard reports there were others on the Dream Team who didn't want Isiah on the team, MJ was just one of the chorus.   

What do you think?

The 2020 Rivals list contains 11 centers 7 feet or taller, 4 who are 6 foot 11 and another 7 at least 6 foot 10.   That totals 22 players headed to the G-League or college campuses in the fall.  Despite rather dire thoughts of the future expressed by yours truly it remains a Big Man’s game.  For several years, I have always held a cyclical belief over an ascending plane, allow a brief explanation.  Civilization might be on an upward scale or plane but for others it is a circle, fashion might be a prime example of this view.

We could make a similar statement regarding basketball, 3-point shooting and small ball became the norm a few years ago.  The old saying “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery” states we tend to copy what appears to be successful.  Today 3-point shooting and small ball represent success on the basketball court in this age.  As for the talent none of these Big Men appear to be cut in the mold of Kareem, Shaq, or Wilt but we do not know for sure.  If for example they are not coached properly they may perhaps never reach the level of many past centers.     

Jeanie speaks

For the first time (at least in my memory) Lakers owner Jeanie Buss explained why she fired her brother in February 2017.  I am paraphrasing her comments, this is not a word for word account.  At the time owner Jerry Buss died his will made specific recommendations for the future of the Lakers, Jeanie would run the business side of operations and brother Jim the basketball operations. What caused the change at the top, the short answer poor results on the basketball court.   

Jeanie said, “It seemed every 18 months we changed coaches, we went from Mike Brown a defensive coach to Mike D’Antoni an offensive coach.  These changes required a change in player personnel which impacted overall play.”  Jeanie went on to say, “I couldn’t see what was going on, where he (Jim) was trying to go and what our identity was going to be as a team.” 

Jeanie took the highly unusual step of firing her brother and hiring Magic Johnson along with Rod Pelinka.  Since that change Magic has left the team however Pelinka remains in place.  Jeanie gave Magic credit for signing free agent LeBron James.  As for the changes she made we are yet to see continued evidence of success, last season LeBron’s injury seriously impacted the team.  The 2019-20 season is unfinished so it might be a barometer if this management change was a success.  

Portions from Lakers Nation  

He marches to the beat of a different drummer   
I have always taken the above quote to indicate rather than follow the pack you establish your own routine, so it is with long-times Spurs Coach Greg Popovich. Media was always fond of poking fun at Phil Jackson for his sometimes-informal manner of coaching. Well Phil has long since retired however he’s got a clone in San Antonio in Greg Popovich. The two might be total opposite personality it is just the manner they chose to coach. Once got in trouble with the NBA front office for sending Duncan, Parker and Ginobili home early.

The trio did not play in the last game of a road trip; of course, Pop was fined by the NBA. We are aware with travel and back to back games NBA teams don‘t really practice. They will often go through a morning shoot-around and that is about it. The Spurs had a heavy road schedule during November and December one season. Pop was asked by a member of the media when was the last time the Spurs practiced. It is reported Pop said he could not remember he had always been giving his team the day off. His interview with television broadcast crews is the stuff of legendary especially his exchanges with the late Craig Sager.  The curtain will close on Gregg Popovich’s coaching career soon, this Laker fan will miss him. 

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

You have questions? 

The 2020 NBA Draft is a mix bag, we have no idea if it is going to be a good or bad. One of the mysteries in this draft is James Wiseman who played but 3 games at Memphis.  No requirement to go into detail as to why his number was so low.  Last fall the young man was projected as the top pick in the 2020 draft and then bam, he disappeared.  He did not vanish but seemed to drop off the radar of most mock draft sites after he left school.  Was it the fact he only played 3 games, well not exactly?  In those 3 games Wiseman scored nearly 20 points a game along with 10 rebounds shooting 77% from the field. 

Wiseman was able to sprint up and down the floor good for a 7-1 235-pound center.  The question mark might be his size, in this age of 3-point shooting small ball perhaps classic Big Men are no longer sought by NBA teams.  On the other hand, the time issue might be the culprit, most rookies have difficulty adjusting to the faster pace of the NBA game.  Maybe nowhere is that more evident than at the center position, the emphasis on small ball has forced many coaches to give up traditional style offenses.  Who knows for sure, this I believe draft Wiseman and prove he CAN’T play at the NBA level? 

NBA history made different

The Celtics may not have returned to championship level, the Kings franchise might have remained in Kansas City.  The 1978 NBA Draft was the instance, the Kings with the second pick in that draft chose Phil Ford All-American point guard from North Carolina.  Ford would become Rookie of the Year in 1979 but he would later suffer an eye injury along with substance abuse would impact his NBA career. Ford retired after the 1985 season while a member of the Rockets, he left with scoring of 11.6 ppg along with 6.4 assists. 

Certainly, good numbers for Ford but nowhere near the output of the number 6 pick made by the Celtics, that pick was Larry Joe Bird from Indiana State.  Bird would play an additional year and begin play for the Celtics in the 1979-80 season, he was named Rookie of the Year in 1980.  The balance is pure conjecture, what if the Kings bypassed Ford and chose Bird?  Those NBA Championships in the Celtics future might have never occurred.  In addition, Bird along with Moses Malone and teammates allowed the Kings to become a competitive team, they never hint at moving anywhere. 

Family Feud 

This is an old story that once occurred, but I thought it was worth a re-read.  Anybody view or remember the television quiz show Family Feud? We had a real-life family feud in North Carolina on the campus of Duke University. A woman filed a lawsuit against her sister, her sister's husband, and Duke University regarding season basketball tickets. As a life-time contributor and fund raiser for the university their Dad was given two season tickets, when he died the tickets were transferred to the sister and her husband by the university.

The athletic department awarded the tickets without any forethought according to the legal brief. The Duke graduate wants to continue support of the basketball program. If you thought this was just an argument over tickets, it is about money too. According to news reports there are financial obligations required for the owner of the tickets. The holder of the tickets must pay a $50,000 transfer fee and be willing to contribute $6,000 annually to the Duke athletic program. Surely there must be more to the story than basketball tickets?

Speak it

At this point there is no public statements made from any pending draft prospect except “I want to play in the NBA.”  The following account is strictly my thoughts based on events of the past.  Some of you might remember The Mouth otherwise known as LaVar Ball.  In 2017 the elder Ball made his thoughts known he wanted the Lakers to draft son Lonzo.  

He talked and talked and talked and the Lakers must have believed, they decided LaVar “might be” correct and drafted Lonzo. We know how that turned out and maybe LaVar is doing it again.  Over the last 4-6 weeks we hear stories weekly “LaMelo Ball is going to the Knicks” and where do these accounts originate?  We can never be sure until something is confirmed however I believe the Knick stories originate from the mouth of LaVar Ball.  The father saw this tactic work with one son, it could work for the second son too and is worth a try again.   

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

We are creatures of the now

Michael Jordan defies the norm; human beings are creatures of the now…i.e. what is in front of us currently.  Some of us have little use for the past, we believe the players of the past were less athletic and fewer teams etc. etc.  For a variety of reasons middle age and youthful teens relate to MJ.  MJ appeals to all generation of fans while others of the past tend to be omitted. 

We see LeBron, Steph, and others as “The Best” of the best, we tend to forget about Russell, Kareem, Wilt, and others.  The principal reason is time, the trio mentioned, and several others left the NBA game more than 20 years ago.  We are only familiar with players of the past through video and grainy film.  You can choose your path I have always declared its far too difficult to compare players of different generations.    

On the recruiting trail

Recently the Mizzou report indicated the 2020-21 season will be unfavorable for Coach Cuonzo Martin if there is no improvement on the court.  In this pandemic era scouting remains essential and Mizzou appears to be active.  Rock M Nation the fan website for Mizzou reported several significant 2021 prospects have been identified and received offers. 

The writer while detailing profiles finished by indicating Mizzou should limit itself on the number of incoming freshmen.  Freshmen have a difficult enough time making the leap from high school to D-I basketball, why make the adjustment even more trying by surrounding them with other freshmen?  The previous statement becomes null and void should Mizzou recruit a "Fab Five" team.   

One of the All-Time greats

Over the weekend came word former Coach Eddie Sutton passed at age 84.  I heard someone state, “He was personally responsible for placing Arkansas basketball on the map” while serving as head coach from 1974-1985.  Sutton would later go on to coach Kentucky 1985-89 but returned to coach at his alma mater Oklahoma State in 1990. 

Sutton resigned at Oklahoma State in 2006 and briefly served as interim head coach for San Francisco University during the 2007-08 season.  The coach is one of the double honorees enshrined in the Naismith and College Basketball Hall of Fame.  Sutton is one of only four coaches with win totals over 800 games at the Division I level, he won another 84 at junior college.  Eddie Sutton is one of the giants and another legendary basketball coach, R.I.P.   

Just in case

The block shot per game total of 8 and 8.8 for Russell and Chamberlain cannot be authenticated, if you remember in yesterday’s explanation in Words eye view it was pointed out the NBA did not begin to track block shots until after Russell and Chamberlain retired.  To place the block shots in perspective, consider these present-day numbers.  The Pacers Myles Turner led the NBA in 2018-19 with 199 total or 2.7 a game, Hassan Whiteside currently leads the NBA with 187 blocks and a 3.1 game average. 

No answer yet

According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst the NBA will present a proposal June 1 regarding the 2019-20 season.  Most of this report are mine and not those of Windhorst.  The NBA has completed about 80% of its regular season, teams with no opportunity to earn a playoff berth should remain in place.  Only playoff bound teams should be allowed to complete the regular season.  A proposal put forth has Western Conference teams playing exclusively in Las Vegas and Eastern Conference teams in Orlando. 

At the time the season was halted my Lakers had 19 games remaining, I say they play 8 games and the season is complete for them and others.  The playoffs begin with lower seeded teams playing a best 3 out of 5 series, the balance would play 4 of 7.  There are two issues with any plan on restarting the season even mine.  1.  The prospect of coronavirus striking participants.  2.  The season running smack into the NFL season, I have long believed NFL and NBA fans are in two different camps.  As for starting the 2020-21 season around December 25th sounds ideal to me.   

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

Bits n Pieces

Friday evening Georgetown University announced basketball Coach Patrick Ewing contracted the coronavirus.  Ewing is hospitalized and is under care, at the time additional information is known it will be provided in Words eye view.

Don’t you just love trade rumors, oh well maybe you are not me?  The NBA Draft date is still unknown as this is written but the latest rumored news.  At least two sources claim if the Warriors secure the top pick, they will trade it.  Trade it like Scottie Pippen going to the Bulls in exchange for Olden Polynice draft night maybe?  It is extremly rare to trade a draft pick for a veteran although it has not occurred in recent memory.   

How many…it is an unknown figure

Bill Russell perfected the skill of blocking shots when he played for the Celtics.  Wilt Chamberlain arrived later and made it a fine art form; we just have no idea how many blocks he registered.  Consider this, former Jazz center Mark Eaton holds the NBA career record totaling 456 in the 1984-85 season, averaging 5.56 per game.  You might ask why it is so difficult to determine the number of block shots for Chamberlain (and Bill Russell) for that matter. 

We must believe blocking an opponent’s shot must have always been practiced however these two excelled at it and it WAS NOT counted.  For unexplained reasons, the NBA did not began tracking blocked shots until the end of the 1973-74 season, Russell retired in 1969 and Chamberlain after the 1972-73 season.  So, you see the issue, realGM.com claims Russell averaged 8 and Chamberlain 8.8 blocks a game.  NBA history indicates both were prolific at this practice. 

This is no slam at Eaton however the career total by Chamberlain and Russell surely must exceed 456.  Another reference basketballnetwork.net agrees with the 8.8 blocks for Chamberlain claiming they have accounts which verify the number.  Even more amazing the numbers are compiled cover a period Chamberlain was 35 or 36 years old. Would either Chamberlain or Russell average anywhere close to that number in today’s NBA?  The answer is probably not however the totals are amazing for period for Chamberlain and Russell.   

I cannot stop it
Despite my trepidations the Border War will soon be on again.  It certainly is no fear of playing Kansas teams it’s the other stuff that comes along with playing them.  It will begin with Kansas-Mizzou basketball first, it has now progressed to Kansas-Mizzou football being revised as well.   The first football game will be played at Mizzou in September 2025, in 2026 the game will be played at Kansas.  The football games will be alternated as a home and away for the next two seasons.  As for the basketball the schools will play a total of six games between 2020-2021 and 2025-2026 seasons. 

I never wanted basketball-football to be revived it should have never ended in the first place.  I have mentioned on more than one occasion my belief Bill Self was behind the “We don’t play Missouri anymore” rant.  Why Self was so opposed to the schools continuing play was never fully explained by him.  I have mentioned this previously but just another reminder, Kansas basketball has scheduled both Colorado and Nebraska, they left the Big 12 prior to Mizzou.  Sorry I cannot provide the other school however Rutgers had a long-time conference rival.  At the time Rutgers moved to another conference these two schools continued to play one another in the non-conference portion of their schedule. 

They were done

In many discussions regarding the NBA Michael Jordan is generally mentioned as the GOAT.  MJ played the game at the highest level; he should know what he is talking about but!  His talk regarding a 7^th championship is just that, talk in my view.  That Bulls team was spent, could everyone had returned including Phil Jackson?  No doubt however the competition the Bulls faced in the Eastern Conference might have doomed their hopes no matter who they played in the west. 

Dennis Rodman played but 35 games after the Last Dance; he was 37 years old.  Pippen was 33 years and managed to play another 6 years but only managed to play one full season for the Blazers.  MJ was age 34, although he would play briefly for the Wizard it was clear to most his best days were behind him.  The competitive Bulls would have scratched, clawed, and figured out a method to achieve a playoff if they remained together.  A championship is clearly questionable in my view, this becomes conjecture because there is no method to prove whether MJ is correct or me.   

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

He was the Jazz

An alert popped up early Friday morning on my social media page.  Jerry Sloan longtime Jazz coach had passed, he was 78 and had suffered from Parkinson’s and lewy body dementia.  After a playing career with the Bulls Sloan became a scout later an assistant and then head coach of the Bulls.  He would be fired by the Bulls and then became an assistant with the Jazz.  When Frank Layden resigned to become team president, he asks Sloan to take over. 

That was 1988, Sloan would coach the Jazz for the next 23 years.  His Jazz teams became known for their tough defense anchored by point guard John Stockton and power forward Karl Malone.  Although he had signed a contract for the following season Sloan resigned in 2011. Two years prior Sloan along with Stockton was enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame as a coach.  Jerry Sloan a great coach who did it his way, R.I.P., Jerry Sloan.    

Why no hire?     

Mark Jackson was on our television screens recently; I did not see the entire interview.  I am not sure if coaching was discussed although it should be.  For reasons unknown whenever a coaching job opens his name is never mentioned in the discussion.  Wanna know what’s crazy, Mike D’Antoni is working on a one-year contract with the Rockets.  We read the team is “considering Jeff Van Gundy.”  Didn’t that guy coach the Rockets at one point and was fired? 

The Warriors roster has changed 3 times over, but it has been my contention Mark Jackson built the playoff Warriors.  Want proof, the Warriors team in Jackson’s first season finished 23-43.  The next season they made the playoffs with a 47-35 record, year three it was 51-31 although they lost in the first round of the playoffs.  Was it the 50-win team and losing Jackson’s downfall, better yet has he been blackballed by the NBA?

Lenny Cooke

The story of Lenny Cooke is part fact and part fiction, we read reports he was a superior talent to LeBron James while both were in high school.  Others claim that is not the case, similar stories surround peers Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire.  Cooke was reported to be more talented than the duo as well, what happened to him, why don’t many of us know his name?  Cooke is 38-years old and the prospect of an NBA career never materialized as once many believed. 

Cooke ran out of eligibility changing high schools a few times, he turned 19 at his last high school.  He would have been eligible for the 2002 NBA Draft, but he never heard his name called in either round.  Every single team passed on the 6-foot 6-inch 206-pound Cooke in the draft.  He played in Europe and had several minor league stops before concluding his basketball career in 2006.  There is no single answer why his star which shone so brightly never materialized. 

MSG

Madison Square Garden or MSG is “The world’s most famous arena.”  Whether that is true or not that is the claim.  The arena at 4 Pennsylvania Plaza New York City is known the world over.  Opposition players love to play in this basketball mecca, Michael Jordan said it so did Reggie Miller plus Kobe and a host of other famous players throughout the years.  This MSG is the 4^th incarnation and opened in 1968 is the oldest NBA arena in use, it was renovated in 1989-1991 and 2011-2013. 

Renovation eliminated the tunnel Willis Reed used to enter the court for the NBA Finals in 1970 no longer exists.  MSG was operating under a 10-year lease in 2013, at the end of the term a new arena location would be sought.  That came to an end in “January 2016 when Governor Cuomo announced a redevelopment plan for Penn Station that would involve the removal of the Theater at Madison Square Garden, but would otherwise leave the arena intact.”*  Despite talk of locating to another area of Manhattan the Garden will remain home to the Knicks for the next several years. 

*Wikipedia

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

Too many same names

Last season Coach Cuonzo had to be specific when he said, “Smith I need to sub you for ________.”  Was it Mitchell, Dru or Mark Smith he was sending into the game or giving special instruction?  It might have become even more complicated for the upcoming 2020-21 season.  All three of the Smith’s return but Drew Buggs was added to the Mizzou roster joining Dru, both D’s are point guard…are you confused?  It might be easy to see why you might become confused with the same sounding names and the Smith contingent. Hopefully, none of the Mizzou teammates will suffer confusion with the names. 

They had an opportunity

This account is repeated, several may have missed reading when first published.  Bet some of you did not realize Moses Malone could have played for the Kansas City Kings? The merger reduced the number of ABA teams (and players). The remaining ABA players were placed in a pool and NBA teams (based on their W-L record) conducted a draft.  The Kings with the 3rd pick in 1976 choose serviceable 6 ft 2-inch shooting guard Ron Boone, the Blazers with the 5th pick chose Malone.

Money appeared to be the deciding factor with Kings management; Boone's signing bonus was $250,000 as for Malone his bonus was $350,000.  He would not remain with the Blazers; Malone would go on to play for the Rockets and Sixers.  He would become an important contributor to the Sixers winning the 1983 NBA Championship.  Malone’s outstanding ABA-NBA career would later see him enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame.  Even more depressing to fans here the Kings might have never left Kansas City if they made the correct decision, they may well have become a perennial contender with Malone in the middle.   

Like his father

It is sometimes worthy and challenging if you take up the game of your father.  Good if you can play at or near your father’s level, i.e. Kobe Bryant.  The challenge, the son(s) are talented enough to play in college but never reach the skill level of the father.  Marcus and Jeffrey Jordan the sons of Michael would be our example or Rick Barry’s offspring.  This profile is a feature on Ryan Mutombo son of Dikembe.

Ryan is in the middle of the picture so to speak; he is a senior in the Class of 2021. He is yet to play at the college level but appears to have talent.  At 7 feet Ryan is nearly as tall as his father but is 50 pounds shy at 210.  A 4-star Rivals prospect with offers from 13 schools, the leaders for his service at this point appear to be North Carolina and Georgetown. 

New York City hype 
He’s 45 years old now, out of the NBA since 2002.  He appeared to have all the tools for an outstanding shooting guard (6-5), LeBron James was on the cover of Sports Illustrated while in high school however Felipe Lopez accomplished the feat much earlier. Born in the Dominican Republic his parents emigrated to the U.S. when Lopez was 14-years old.  He became a New York City sensation while playing at Rice High School in Harlem New York. McDonald’s All American and several accolades came his way.  Despite the fact Lopez had a choice of schools across the nation he decided to remain at home and play for St. John’s University.   

Lopez choice of St. John’s proved beneficial and he was productive during his four years at the school.  He was the number 24 pick in the first round of the 1998 NBA Draft by the Vancouver Grizzlies.  The NBA proved quite a different story for Lopez as he was never able to gain a foothold.  He would last but four years with two other NBA teams. The question did New York hype build him up to be greater than his talent level-----perhaps?  We could pose the question to Stephon Marbury, Pearl Washington, or Lenny Cooke.  Lopez and the others mentioned certainly had talent however perhaps they were victims of New York City hype.

G.O.A.T   

I had to return to 2019 to locate this account.  We have had arguments in all professional sports who was the GOAT, greatest of all time.  Jim Jackson former NBA player and current Fox Sports analyst says, “It’s Kareem Abdul Jabbar, 4 high school championships, 6-time NBA champion, 6 NBA MVP awards numerous other awards.”  We realize unless we are discussing golf, gymnastics or some other single sport teamwork is key.  

Kareem had talented teammates except those early years while a member of the Bucks, that aided him in accomplishing many of the accolades and achievements during his illustrious college and NBA career.  Somebody wrote “We cannot bestow the honor of GOAT on a center, it’s necessary for somebody to feed him the ball.”  No argument from me with that statement, I can ask this question.  What did Kareem accomplish once the ball was passed to him, he would shoot his patented unstoppable sky hook?