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.