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.