Basketball from a fan perspective

The experiment

By the time you read this the Jazz-Pelican and Clipper-Laker game will be in the books.  According to figures released by the NBA 344 players have been tested since July 20 with 0 positives.  With the outbreak of the virus among baseball players let us look at the logistics.  Baseball has begun and soon football will as well, these sports will be forced to travel from city to city.  NBA players are housed in a bubble, the only opportunity to leave is for emergency purposes. 

Even barbers have been flown in to take care of the players hair care needs.  Several players left Orlando, when they returned, they were COVID tested and quarantined prior to interacting with teammates.  Having experienced quarantine firsthand lets state with conviction it ain’t no fun but is necessary.  Did the NBA get it right over major league baseball and the NFL?  Only time will tell if the experiment worked however as was pointed out earlier the logistics of the sports are quite different. The NBA could afford to do what these other sports were unable to accomplish.   

Top 10    

Once upon a time you said, “foreign player” and you might automatically receive a frown.  The first few numbers arriving on these shores did not measure up to the level of play expected.  That is no longer the thought process, numbers of players have arrived from Europe and Asia to enhance NBA rosters.  In this attempt to compile a complete Top 10 my list contains active and retired players.  With that statement below is my list and not in any order just the best of the best including the nation of their birth. 

Dirk Nowitzki-Germany

Giannis Antetokounmpo-Greece

Hakeem Olajuwon-Nigeria

Nikola Jokic-Serbia

Yao Ming-China

Patrick Ewing-Jamaica

Steve Nash-South Africa

Joel Embiid-Cameroon

Drazen Petrovic-Croatia

Tony Parker-Belgium

I found it extremely difficult to whittle my list to just 10 players, there were several players that could have been included.  I thought long about Diekembe Mutombo or Toni Kukoc however their body of work while good did not measure up to earn a spot.  There were others considered but they along with the two mention would earn second team distinction.  

Coach

It appears for the present time the Nets will begin this re-start of the season with Jacque Vaughn at the helm.  We figured the team would either name a head coach or offer the job full time to Vaughn.  Neither event occurred so we begin this re-start with the former point guard leading the way.  Vaughn has plenty of experience coaching, first an assistant with Spurs then head coach of the Magic.  Vaughn then served as an assistant with the Nets and became interim head coach when Kenny Atkinson was fired.   

NFL rather than the NBA

The NFL Eagles placed a memorial plaque to Kobe Bryant on a wall at their practice facility.  As most are aware Kobe grew up in Lower Merion Township about 12 miles from downtown Philadelphia.  The plaque contains “Kobe’s 10 Rules.”

. Get better every single day

. Prove them wrong

. Work on your weaknesses

. Execute what you practiced

. Learn from greatness

. Learn from wins & losses

. Practice mindfulness

. Be ambitious

. Believe in your team

. Learn story telling

Conference strength

Anytime a discussion is held regarding conference strength the conversation begins with the Atlanta Coast Conference.  With traditional powers such as Duke and North Carolina leading the way the ACC is almost always heard in the discussion.  Until recently it was Kentucky in the Southeastern Conference and the “others”, over the last few years the conference has witnessed Auburn, Vanderbilt, Texas A&M and LSU and others raise the level of play in the SEC.  The same might be said for the Big 12, dominated by the Kansas Jayhawks over the years. 

Recently Baylor, Texas Tech and West Virginia have contributed to the increase in strength witnessed by Big 12 play.  Back in the day it was UCLA dominated Pac-12 play but that no longer exists, Oregon and Arizona are competitive.  The Big 10 was once the bastion of Indiana basketball and Bobby Knight, those days are gone.  Michigan State, Michigan, Maryland, and Wisconsin are the names most mentioned these days.  As for the Big East, Syracuse left the conference years ago, and Georgetown is a shadow of the competitive basketball the Hoyas once played.  Only Villanova and Creighton appeared prepared night in and night out to battle foes.

Basketball from a fan perspective

3 games a total of 69 minutes

The total above represents James Wiseman’s college stats while enrolled at the University of Memphis.  You know the full story, ruled ineligible until a charity of his choosing was reimbursed, the 7-foot 1 240-pound center/power forward chose to leave school.  This latest development certainly fails to represent a done deal however the Warriors through Zoom met with Wiseman and appear intrigued by his game.  

Wiseman’s moves around the basket and swiftness up and down the court would potentially be a good fit. For once LaVar Ball might be correct in his judgement, the elder Ball claimed the Warriors were not a good fit for LaMelo Ball.  Based on the skill set Wiseman possesses he just might be a better fit for the Warriors.  Zoom is just an electronic method of communicating in the age of COVID-19, the genuine test will the Warriors decide to bring Wiseman in to work him out?  With everything in the NBA pushed back due to pandemic we shall see what eventually develops regarding Wiseman. 

At home

The numbers are small but several on NBA rosters decided to remain at home.  These players made the decision with concerns for their families being the first concern.  M.I.A. on the NBA restart this week are:

Avery Bradley-Los Angeles Lakers

Victor Oladipo-Indiana Pacers

DeAndre Jordan-Brooklyn Nets

Wilson Chandler-Brooklyn Nets

Trevor Ariza-Portland Blazers

Davis Bertains-Washington Wizards

Willie Cauley-Stein-Dallas Mavs

Thabo Sefolosha-Houston Rockets

It should be noted Victor Oladipo stated early he intended to remain at home, Oladipo’s been spotted in Orlando.  At this point we remain unsure if he intends to play the remainder of the NBA season or return home. 

Bits n Pieces 

Sometimes the news moves swiftly you miss a story that should have been reported.  Shame on me, Rivals-5-star prospect shooting guard Max Christie verbally committed to Michigan State.  Christie a 6-foot 5 shooting guard is in the Class of 2021 but would join with 5-star Emoni Bates a 6-foot 9 inch small forward or shooting guard and 4-star Enoch Boakye 6-foot 10 center in the Class of 2022.  Christie made his attention known prior to Boakye however the news was reported in reverse order.  We cannot be for sure however it would appear Michigan State basketball will continue winning basketball now and into the future.   

Jordan Wood and Zach Kent will be on the basketball court this fall and winter for Howard University and Delaware State.  What makes these two so unique or standouts when they attend separate schools?  I am happy you ask the question, both Wood and Kent are white players attending historically black colleges.  We have no idea the talent level of the duo, Wood is a freshman and Kent a transfer from the University of Tennessee. 

I stopped counting, there are a minimum of 8 athletes born after Vince Carter entered the NBA in 1998.  Trae Young, Kevin Knox and Zion Williamson are just a few names.  Originally Carter planned on retiring after the 2019-20 season was complete, the pandemic fixed that.  He decided to quit now rather than wait until the end of the season.  Kenny Smith gave him the nickname “Half-Man, Half Amazing.”  Carter was a high-flier with his dunks back then, Carter is likely flying a notch below the skill level we witnessed 20 years ago.  Next stop for him the halls of fame are likely to call, we could see the FIBA and Naismith Hall of Fame for Carter soon.

Basketball from a fan perspective

Class of 2022

Michigan State’s Tom Izzo has done it again recruiting, earlier the coach managed to secure a verbal agreement from the top prospect in the Class of 2022 Emoni Bates.  Reports indicated Bates might head for the G-League or overseas after he graduates in 2022.  That could occur but for now it appears he is aligned himself with the Spartan program.  If Bates is enrolled in 2022, he should have talent around him for company, Rivals 4-star prospect Enoch Boakye has given his verbal commitment to Coach Izzo.  Bates is a slim 6 foot 9 and 205 pounds and likely will play shooting guard, Boakye is nearly 6 foot 11 and checks in at a hefty 240 pounds.  Boakye will likely play center or power forward, the prospect for the future of Michigan State basketball would appear to be very good.  

Crime of the Century

The title might be somewhat misleading, there was no loss of life although several might describe the events as a robbery.  Rest assured at the time that was far from the thoughts of the parties involved.  Ozzie and Daniel Silna made their millions in the textile industry but also were owners of the Spirit of St. Louis, the ABA team.  At the time, the NBA-ABA merger the ABA Spurs, Nets, Nuggets and Pacers moved into the NBA.  The remaining ABA teams were dissolved, and the players placed in a pool for dispersal to other NBA teams.  The only sticking point what to do with the Silna brothers. 

The surviving ABA teams agreed to pay the brothers $2.2 million ($906 million 2020).  In addition, the brothers would receive 1/7 of the television revenue of the four surviving ABA teams in perpetuity.  If you are unfamiliar with the definition of perpetuity it is defined as endless.  Your first thought might be “What were they thinking” to sign a contract with no end date?  The first-year payment was made the brothers received a modest $500,000, as the NBA increased in popularity the financial payment to the brothers has been on a steady and upward trend. 

“In January 2014, a conditional settlement agreement between the NBA, the former ABA clubs and the Silnas was announced.   As part of the deal, the Silnas are reported to be receiving a $500 million upfront payment from the former ABA teams.   In return, the former ABA teams will get majority stake in the Spirits of St. Louis Basketball Club, L.P., which will retain control of a portion of the TV revenue streams of the former ABA teams, with the option to purchase the remaining stake held by the Silnas in the future.   Also, the Silnas will drop their litigation against the league seeking a share of additional media revenue streams, with the NBA agreeing to grant some of the disputed funds to the Spirits.” *

*Wikipedia

Traded for Kobe

Most either forgot or do not realize a trade was required for the Lakers to acquire Kobe Bryant, that detail will be forthcoming.  As for our subject Vlade Divac is vice president and general manager of the Kings, in 1989 we knew little about him.  Divac began play for a team in Yugoslavia prior to that nation breaking apart.  This 7-foot 1-inch Serbian was drafted by the Lakers and began play in the 89-90 season.  Divac made the NBA All Rookie team that first year, over the next six seasons he distinguished himself for the Lakers.  He was never a focal point of the offense however his skillful passing lent a great deal to the Laker success.  Then it came, he was traded, this move had nothing to do with his skill set it was just the athlete the Lakers could acquire. 

Jerry West then VP and GM was enthralled with the potential he saw after working out Kobe Bryant.  West was aware the Lakers had no opportunity to draft Kobe, in the 1996 NBA Draft the Hornets selected Kobe with the 13^th pick.  The Lakers would trade Divac for the draft rights to Kobe and that is the history.  As for Divac he would move on to the Sacramento Kings and became a vital key to their success over the years.  The one sticking point they never were able to beat the Lakers in a playoff series but that was no fault of Divac.  In the 2004-05 season Divac would return to the Lakers but that would be his last year as an active player.  Retirement saw him involved in humanitarian efforts in Serbia and Africa.  Divac was promoted to vice president and general manager of the Kings where he remains today. 

Sterling was not the first   
There are occasion we tend to believe this is the first time ever for an occurrence.  That might have been the general belief at the time Donald Sterling was forced by the commissioner to sell the Clippers, despite the general belief at the time this was not the first time.  Mavs owner Mark Cuban has often been a pain in the butt for former Commissioner David Stern and now Adam Silver, but he is nowhere close to Sterling or Ted Stepien for that matter.  He disappeared from the NBA ranks so long ago much of this account had to be researched.  Stepien purchased the Cavs in 1981, by 1983 he was gone having sold his interest in the team. 

Was he forced out, no record to that effect exists however that is the general belief by many at the time?  What made Stepien so incendiary was the manner he ran the Cavs; this was prior to the lottery being instituted although there might questions if that would have helped them anyway.  Stepien traded 1^st round draft choices like nobody’s business, one year he fired three head coaches while hiring another four.  The Lakers have Stepien to thank for Magic Johnson, the Cavs made a trade with the Lakers the previous year giving up their first-round draft pick.  That pick would become Magic Johnson and the rest of the story is Laker history. 

Basketball from a fan perspective

Googles

Lew Alcindor sustained a scratched cornea prior to the historic 1968 UCLA-Houston game.  How much the injury effected his play we do not know.  This is history, the Elvin Hayes led Houston Cougars defeated the UCLA Bruins ending the Bruins 47-game winning streak.  Once in the NBA and a name change Kareem Abdul Jabbar suffered an eye injury missing 17-games in the 1974-75 season. 

Once he returned to action, he wore googles from that point till the end of his basketball career.  Why out of the blue did this come to the forefront you might ask?  Anthony Davis missed the Laker exhibition game versus the Wizards due to sustaining an eye injury in the previous game.  Tall guys have this problem due to their height and opposing players swiping at the basketball when it's above their reach.  Perhaps the nearly 6-foot 11-inch Davis should consider wearing googles, they worked capably for Kareem. 

The scale remains unbalanced

Most of us are aware WNBA player salaries are nowhere near the level of the average NBA player.  Several in the WNBA have chosen to sit out the season due to corona or social issue concerns, stepping forward with help is Kyrie Irving.  Irving's KAI Empowerment Initiative is committing $1.5 million to aid in the support of several WNBA players.  This commitment of funds by Irving’s group will aid the cause greatly since the scale remains unbalanced regarding salaries. 

Are there others?

Based on their college and NBA careers yesterday we posed a question.  We believe the trio of Michael Jordan/James Worthy/Sam Perkins might be the best in college and the NBA.  We could locate 5-6 teams with great starters however the teammates were outstanding in college but only registered limited or no success at the NBA level,  In 1970 UCLA faced Jacksonville State for the NCAA Championship, 7 foot 2 Artis Gilmore plus 7-foot Pembroke Burrows clearly were talents.  Gilmore is in the hall of fame; Burrows became the tallest law enforcement officer in Florida State history. 

St. John’s and Chris Mullen come to mind; Walter Berry was outstanding but never came close to the numbers he exhibited alongside Mullen.  We could make the same statement for LSU, Shaquille O’Neal Hall of Fame but Stanley Roberts never approached his LSU numbers.  Chris Jackson (Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf) was good however his career was cut short and, in this corner, we believe the NBA may have black-balled him that story for another time in the future.  Much nearer to the present the University of Indiana had two outstanding players, Cody Zeller, and Victor Oladipo. Oladipo certainly has been more successful at the NBA level.  This will conclude the account unless someone can add names. 

He is not we have been advised
Over the years I have read several stories indicating how frugal number 23 Michael Jordan is.  We heard the story, “He’d (Jordan) would rather spend your money than his.”  We had no ability to determine if the story was true or false.  In this instance we know the accuracy or at least the reported truth.  Once upon a time Michael Jordan had a lawsuit filed against Chicago area department chain?

The store had used his likeness in a series of commercials the only problem they appeared to have made little if any effort to contact him.  The suit went to trial and the jury sided with Jordan the court awarded him $8.9 million dollars.  After the judgment was rendered Jordan stated he “intends to sign the check over to 23 area charities he believes have benefited Chicago area residents.”  We gained insight into Jordan’s personality viewing “Last Dance”, much of it confirmed what we believed.  MJ is one of the most competitive persons alive, despite this mantra it appears as an owner he's remained in the background with his Hornets.   

Basketball from a fan perspective

What to expect

With the apparent hire of Tom Thibodeau, the revamp Knicks front office is ready for the 2020-21 NBA season.   The spring season witnessed the hire of Leon Rose as president, also added was General Manager Scott Perry.  There might be other changes in the executive management team, but those hires plus Thibodeau are probably the majors.  Thibodeau becomes the 11th head or interim coach since 2005, what to expect from the Knicks is very much on the mind of rabid but often disappointed Knick fans.  Talent exists in the form of Julius Randle, RJ Barnett, and Mitchell Robinson. 

The balance of the roster appears to be a mix of talent but no particular player that stands out.  The Knicks will have a lottery pick however unless one of those names is a LeBron James or Kareem type expect them to struggle even with a new coach.  There might have been a time New York City would have been a prime destination for a free agent but no more. Nothing to do with the city it is the poor play on the court and James Dolan.  There are plenty of unanswered questions, chief among them is the owner.  For reasons too numerous to detail Dolan is among the worst owners in the NBA, there are a select few who fit that role.  

Best college lineup

The UCLA teams of Lew Alcindor were exceptionally good, so were several other college teams.  If we look back in time the 1981-82 North Carolina Tarheels might have had the best starting lineup ever.  Who can compete with a lineup featuring Michael Jordan, James Worthy and Sam Perkins?  The Perkins name might be unfamiliar to many depending on your age.  The 6-foot 9-inch power forward had a 17-year NBA career playing for a few teams. 

Consider this tidbit of information, Michael Jordan, Naismith Hall of Fame, James Worthy, Naismith Hall of Fame, and Sam Perkins James College Basketball Hall of Fame.  There are likely other outstanding collegiate teammates who experienced NBA careers.  We doubt if there are any compared to this trio of Tarheels.  Keep in mind this account is strictly memory with a check of bio information on Jordan, Worthy and Perkins.  Perhaps I could be wrong there might be another tandem as noteworthy as these.   

I like Shaka Smart

The disclaimer so to speak is in the headline for a reason, I like Shaka Smart.  This man crush first occurred when he burst on the national scene in 2011 with his VCU team earning a Final Four Berth.  His VCU teams were always on the plus side in winning, when he left, they were 163 up and 56 down for a sparkling .744 winning percentage.  At the time Smart was hired at Texas I thought, “easy peasy”, he could just recruit in the State of Texas and turn out winning teams’ season after season.  A strange thing occurred on the road to consistent accomplishing wins, there is modest proof. 

Smart has a +.500 record however his crown is not sparkling at the manner it did while he was head coach at VCU.  Is Smart overmatched trying to compete in the Big 12 Conference, is there something else we cannot see with this view from 20,000 feet?  Last season Texas finished with a 19-12 record along with 9-9 in the conference.  Rest assured that record likely does not sit well with the Athletic Department, students, alumni, and fans.  I have no idea the length of Smart’s contract, but the coach must be skating on thin ice at this point.  Will the 2020-2021 season become the swan song for Smart?   

They moved too

We profiled the many moves of the Atlanta Hawks, there are other NBA teams with multiple moves.  Today’s Sacramento Kings are that team, beginning on the east coast there has been a steady westward migration.  The Royals as they were known began play in Rochester a city in upstate New York in 1945.  They were members of the National Basketball League but defected to the Basketball Association of America in 1948, the following season the leagues merged becoming today's NBA.  

In 1957 came a move to Cincinnati as the history indicate they failed financially in Rochester.  Once in the Ohio city they drafted the great Oscar Robertson and several other talents but always faced the vaulted Celtic Dynasty.  In 1972 the team moved to Kansas City-Omaha, they brought the talented Tiny Archibald and Sam Lacey with them however they were never able to sustain success on the court.  In 1977 Omaha was dropped and the team became the Kansas City Kings playing games in the Missouri city only.  In 1985 the Kings moved to Sacramento California, we have the Rochester/Cincinnati/Kansas City/Sacramento Royals/Kings history.   

Basketball from a fan perspective

Just when you think you know it all

The Knicks now have a head coach, former Wolves Coach Tom Thibodeau has/will sign a 5-year contract to coach the Knicks.  I did not realize this will be his second go round with the Knicks, he served as an assistant from 1996-2004.  Later he moved to the Rockets and Celtics as an assistant, Thibodeau’s first head coaching job was the Bulls and later he would coach the Wolves.  He certainly has his work cut out for him with the Knicks, although talent certainly exists they are one of the worst teams in the NBA.  

If you hate Duke, you can skip reading

This is no rush to judgement; the court is yet to rule.  It appears, notice the word Zion Williamson appears to have been eligible to play at Duke.  You remember the story a former agency had taken him to court over a contract his advisors terminated.  They made the claim Williamson had signed a contract while enrolled at Duke which would have made him ineligible his freshman year. 

The account from there becomes muddled even more, evidence was entered which turned out to be doctored.  A fake driver’s license and payment was made to a Williamson “family member” is a portion of the claim.  Is Williamson guilty of anything, certainly we cannot be sure at this point.  That does not appear to be the case as this is written, stay tuned for further developments.  If this account proves incorrect it will be so noted at the conclusion of this trial.   

It is me

It seems almost every day we receive news an NBA player has left Orlando for a wide variety of reasons.  Why not just stop a minute and consider a single fact, these players are all in a bubble? If they were in their home cities issues of a similar nature might still exist, they only become highlighted due to the pandemic and the conditions NBA players are enduring at this point. As for the returning players, they are tested then quarantined before they can return so there should be little issue with transferring COVID-19 to other players.  

The Logo  

Stephen A. Smith was one of the culprits, he was among several folks who believed the NBA logo required a change.  He and others were suggesting the Jerry West logo be replaced by LeBron James.  No argument from anyone LeBron James is the most recognized name in the NBA today.  Too much time has elapsed for me to provide detail on why Smith and others were promoting the change. 

The NBA in popularity ranks only behind on the NFL, West carried the weight of the NBA at the time this change was instituted.  At that time, the NBA ranked behind baseball and the NFL in popularity; it was slightly above a minor league at the time.  There is no issue with change however please provide a logical requirement other than “we want it.”  It should be of note the NBA had the logo designed and implemented without contacting West.  Nothing similar to that could occur in this age. 

Technology 

It should be apparent by now technology has outpaced the speed of today’s game.  An example might be a game between the Bucks and Thunder prior to shut-down.  Bucks forward Giannis Antetounmpo stepped out of bounds in his last drive toward the basket before he scored what became the winner 97-95.  In the NFL and MLB, the officials call a timeout turn to instant replay and make the call good or bad depending on your perspective.  Basketball certainly has replay capability but not on a similar type play.  NBA basketball has become too speedy a game to make the correct call all the time. 

If you checked out the replay the official is within 5 feet of Antetounmpo at the time the player is driving toward the basket.  The officials focus is on Antetounmpo’s upper body he is not looking at the location of the players foot.  Was the official in error, likely not he was in the position he should have been in.  Thunder broadcasters were not pleased with the outcome of the game however there is really nothing that could have been done to prevent the result in my view.  The NBA Competition Committee will explore viable solutions to late game out of bound plays, all I can say to that is good luck.  

Basketball from a fan perspective  

It was just an exhibition game

The Nuggets and Bol Bol won their game over the Wizards 89-82, immediately after the game he was drug tested.  Bol scored 16 points along with 10 rebounds and 6 blocked shots.  In one instance he blocked a shot dribbled down the court and sank a 3-point basket.  The 7 foot 2 Bol was drafted by the Heat in 2019 however his rights were traded to the Nuggets, he did not see much action due to a foot injury while at Oregon.  Two notes, the NBA conducts random drug tests, so this had nothing to do with Bol’s sterling game.  In addition, this was only an exhibition game, nor requirement to become too excited about the outcome or Bol.   

He wants to be an owner

The other day we reported owner Glen Taylor was placing his Wolves on the market.  Taylor indicated he wanted the new owners to keep the team in the Twin Cities.  Former Wolves forward Kevin Garnett had fallen out with Taylor while still an active player with the team.  That might have been the main reason for the trade, after a “career” with the Wolves he was sent to the Celtics in a trade. 

It is now being reported Garnett has assembled a group to place a bid for the Wolves.  There is never a lack of potential owners, this is commonplace in the NBA.  It is difficult to find an NBA team that failed to secure a buyer within a reasonable amount of time.  This from memory rather than documented, there is only one instance.  The owner died and the estate had to be settled before the team could be sold, that team remained om the market for several months before it was sold.   

No comparison intended

The disclaimer is up front, I ain’t saying he is that good yet.  We posted the news earlier Emoni Bates was headed to Michigan State in 2022.  At 6 foot 9 inches and 205 pounds his dimensions remind us of other slim basketball talents.  The first name is that of George Gervin, the Spurs guard stood 6 foot 7 inches and weighed 180 pounds.  Gervin had the best finger roll in basketball history…better than Wilt Chamberlain who stood 7 foot 1. 

Next up, former Pacer Reggie Miller who also stood 6 foot 7 but was 5 pounds heavier at 185.  Bates body of work is high school only so the comparison is likely speculative however the comparison is strictly dimensions.  There are other athletes we might compare however Gervin and Miller are the first that come to mind.  Bates is likely to gain weight and height he just might eventually come closer to Kevin Durant than Gervin or Miller.   

All Time Sonics

The franchise ceased to exist in 2008 with the move to Oklahoma City.  Beginning in 1967 as an expansion franchise they tasted success on the basketball court with talented players.  How about an all-time Sonics roster, which begins with two of the most high-profile players of the franchise?

Gary “The Glove” Payton

Shawn Kemp 

Jack Sikma

Spencer Hayward

Nate McMillan

Fred “Downtown” Brown

Gus Williams

Ray Allen

Detlef Schrempf

Xavier McDaniel

Depending on your age and NBA knowledge several names might be unfamiliar to you.  Check the names in basketball sources for detail on the players career. 

Once upon a time

Makur Maker earns a spot in this story not for what you might think.  This has nothing to do with his Howard University decision rather his 6 foot 11- or 7-foot height.  Maker is considered a power forward and not a center, if we teleport back to 1990, he is a center.  I jokingly place the blame on former Mavs player Dirk Nowitzki, he might have been the first “good” 7-foot athlete with a consistent outside shot.  One year later Kevin Garnett would arrive on the scene with outstanding shooting range for a 6-foot 11-inch guy. 

If we journey further back in time the Knicks Willis Reed and Piston Bill Laimbeer had decent range but nothing close to Dirk or Garnett.  Reed played at 6 foot 10 and Laimbeer 6 foot 11 both were genuine centers.  Perhaps the blame partially belongs on the Warriors and small ball rather than Dirk.  After all they certainly experienced a modicum of success with little if any offense coming from the center position.  Everything cycles, there will come a day the traditional center will return to the college and NBA game. 

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

Little news

If you noticed Words eye view contains a great deal of NBA news these days there is a valid explanation, COVID-19 has shut down all elements of amateur basketball.  There is little news as it relates to this level of basketball, the occasional high school prospect turning pro or naming a college is it.  No summer AAU basketball play and tournaments to cover, at some future date things will return to normal and youth basketball will be with us again.   

The first major step 

The Inglewood City Council approved the environmental impact study regarding the proposed Clippers Arena.  According to reports this approval is a major hurdle in the quest for owner Steve Ballmer to construct his own arena.  This might be considered the first major step by this owner because it details the man is serious.  The exit from sharing Staples Center is approaching, the 18,000-seat arena has a planned opening of 2024-25 season.  

As a Laker fan this is pleasing news, consider this fact.  At the time the Nets decided to move from New Jersey into New York City there was no thought of sharing the Knicks home Madison Square Garden.  The order is unclear however Barclays Center was constructed to serve as home court for the Nets.  Due to the owner’s business connections my initial thought he intended to move the franchise to Seattle.  The effort to build his own arena indicates he is tied to Metro Los Angeles if he remains the owner. 

They share a rare accomplishment

This list of college basketball coaches winning three consecutive national championships is tiny.  Take into consideration collegiate basketball has been played well over 100 years, in that time there have been only three coaches to accomplish a trifecta.  One of the names you are likely familiar with is John Wooden, he first began coaching at Indiana State, but it was UCLA where he earned his reputation.  The other two names might be unfamiliar however take note of their bio.  John McClendon’s team at Tennessee State an HBCU school won three consecutive NAIA Championships in 1957, 1958 and 1959.  McClendon graduated from Sumner High School in Kansas City (KS) he would later play at the junior college before transferring to Kansas University. 

At Kansas he was tutored by the game’s founder Dr. James A. Naismith.  The list of firsts by McClendon are too numerous to mention, just a few.  McClendon not Bill Russell was the first black coach in professional basketball when he was hired by the Cleveland Pipers of the American Basketball League.  McClendon would later coach Cleveland State becoming the  first black head coach at a non HBCU school.  The coach is enshrined in the Naismith and College Basketball Hall of Fame.  You should also know the name of Lucias Mitchell, he led his Kentucky State Thorobreds also an HBCU school to three consecutive NAIA Championships in 1970, 1971 and 1972. 

Two players from Mitchell’s three-peat team Travis Grant and Elmore Smith were first round NBA draft choices.  Mitchell was a successful coach at several other HBCU schools, his career record of 325-103 places his winning percentage at .759 ranking him 28th among all-time coaches in all divisions.  Mitchell was honored by Kentucky State with an induction in the school’s hall of fame in addition to his induction in the NAIA Hall of Fame.  John Wooden and two relatively unknown giants of the game.  All three stand at the peak of basketball success, due to limitations there is so much additional information available on the sterling careers of John McClendon and Lucias Mitchell.  With their names linked to that of John Wooden they are placed in an exclusive basketball club.

Penny

We might have never envisioned Penny Hardaway as a coach, if so, it might have been at the NBA level.  After a good but injury shortened NBA career he certainly would not have been coaching in college and probably more so at his alma mater the University of Memphis.  How about this truth, early on the public wondered about his given name “Anfernee?”  The story was told his name was Anthony and was mispronounced as Anfernee, that is not correct as his mom indicates she knew an Anfernee. 

As for Penny the coach he sorta backed into the job, a childhood friend who was the head coach at East High School ask for help.  His friend was ill and possibly was aware he might die.  Penny was hired as an assistant and later became head coach after his friend died.  In 2018 the University of Memphis hired him as its head coach.  It appears Penny has this recruiting thing down pat; the next issue is to mold the talent he’s managed to corral as a cohesive team.  This is but a brief account of Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway and his coaching journey.     

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

Exhibition play

Real play begins next week, it will not occur without scrimmage games, teams began play on Wednesday July 22.  Because these games do not show up on the schedule, we are unable to provide you a heads up.  As for Wednesday:

Orlando at Clippers,

Wizards at Nuggets,

Pelicans at Nets,

Kings at Heat  

The other guys

There has been so much media coverage on the missing Knicks head coach perhaps we forgot about the other guys.  We are about to do a re-start next week and the Knicks have no head coach, well the other New York team has no head coach either.  I am watching the Pelicans-Nets game on NBA TV; I did not turn the game on at the beginning so maybe this next item was covered.  During a break Jacque Vaughn was being interviewed, my thought, “Did they hire Vaughn and I missed it?”  Well not exactly a quick internet search indicated Vaughn is serving in the role of interim head coach.  A week from the start of the season and the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets have no head coach, interesting.   

The Hawks

Atlanta has been home for the Hawks franchise since 1968 however this was not always the case.  The team had New York, Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri, and Georgia in its history through several cities since its founding.  The team had its beginning in 1946 as the Buffalo Bisons but did not remain in New York.  After 38 days in New York State they moved to Moline Illinois and were re-named the Tri-City Blackhawks, the other two cities were Rock Island Illinois and Davenport Iowa. 

The Blackhawks were a founding NBL team but moved into the NBA with the 1949 merger between the NBL and BAA.  The legendary Red Auerbach once served as head coach while the team represented the Tri-Cities.  In 1951 the owner moved the team to Milwaukee, and they were re-named the Hawks, they remained in the northern Midwest city until 1955 when they moved again.  This time it was 5 hours and 31 minutes road miles south to reside in St. Louis where they remained until 1968 and the move to Atlanta.  So, there you have it the history of the Buffalo/Tri-Cities/Milwaukee/St. Louis/Atlanta Hawks.   

A missed wedding

We have one more instance of this pandemic impacting life, this time it is a wedding.  Rest assured this is not the first wedding however it is in the public eye due to one of the individuals.  Alex Caruso’s older sister will not have his presence when she marries.  Caruso a reserve guard with the Lakers looked at specifics before deciding to remain in Orlando.  This is a planned indoor wedding with 1,000 family and guests, secondly the State of Texas plus Arizona and Florida are hotbeds for the virus.  Finally, if Caruso left the “NBA Bubble” he would have been quarantined upon his return.  We must believe these three factors possibly others might have impacted Caruso's decision to miss the wedding.