Basketball from a fan’s perspective

College versus the NBA  
The players dribble the basketball, the team with more baskets scored wins the games.  The college versus NBA game is not that different is it, yes, it is?  Kentucky’s John Calipari has tasted success at Kentucky, Memphis, and UMass.  Calipari failed as an NBA coach, not because he cannot coach the game is plain different.  We could make the same statement for Rick Pitino prior to his recent issues, success at the collegiate level failure as an NBA coach. 

Billy Donovan had a winning record at Florida, coaching the Thunder he’s attained moderate success but nothing approximating the two NCAA Championships he won at Florida.  Leonard Hamilton is another name to mention, the long-time Florida State coach spent but a single season as head man at the Wizards.  Former Coach Larry Brown is the only coach that comes to mind who managed successfully at both levels. 

NBA Championship with the Pistons, NCAA Champion at Kansas University.  Perhaps this is the reason NBA owners are reluctant to hire college coaches.  Former NBA player Avery Johnson began in the NBA and moved to the collegiate game, after moderate success at Alabama Johnson resigned in 2019 after the NIT. So, there you have it and there is no single answer, perhaps the chief factor coaching basketball is difficult. 

Slam Dunk

The Knicks need a slam dunk in the 2020 NBA Draft, the unfortunate part that does not appear to be the case.  Unlike the past two years this draft appears to be somewhat weak in talent.  Do not misunderstand there is likely someone I am overlooking who will burst on the scene and scream “See me.”  If we check two sources, we see an interesting view of the potential picks. 

If we look at draftroom.com they project the first-round pick to be Deni Avidija.  He is a 6-foot 8 inch small forward from Israel and is really an unknown talent.  Despite this fact I refuse to believe he is not talented.  The other site extensively used, nbadraft.net identifies Iowa State point guard Tyrese Haliburton as the choice.  Haliburton has good size (6-5), there you have it the two potential picks for the Knicks.   

How distinctive     
Periodically a blast from the past is included for those who might have missed it at the time it was first published, that is the case here.  I am unsure when I first heard the name Dr. James A. Naismith.  Unlike other sports the game we love basketball was made-up by Naismith.  I cannot speak for soccer (football), but others football, baseball and hockey all came into being after being derived from another sports.  Basketball was invented due to a need; the cold New England winters had not allowed Dr. Naismith’s YMCA class outdoors to properly exercise.

Dr. Naismith had two peach baskets attached on opposite ends of the gym.  I do not remember seeing any film of Naismith in the past and never heard his voice until this week.  A professor at the University of Kansa uncovered a 1939 radio interview in the archives which featured an interview with Naismith.  Dr. Naismith was asked about that very first 1891 game in Springfield (MA), it was interesting listening to his description of the game as he envisioned it and how he was forced to refine portions of it in order to avoid injuries to the players.

St. Louis in da House      

After completing a story on the Chicago Stags, I decided to conduct further research on defunct NBA teams. Much to my surprise I discovered our cross-state city St. Louis (MO) had an NBA team prior to the 1955.  That was the year the Hawks moved from Milwaukee to become the St. Louis Hawks.  The franchise would remain in St. Louis before moving to Atlanta in 1968 where they remain to this date.  What about the other team that called St. Louis home? 

The St. Louis Bombers came into existence in 1946 as an original member of the Basketball Association of America. Of course, you might remember from reading earlier the BAA would merge with the National Basketball League in 1948 to become the NBA of today.  What occurred to the you might ask, they folded in 1950 along with four other teams?  Keep in mind this was during an unstable period in professional basketball.  The American Basketball Association also called St. Louis home. 

In 1974 the Carolina Cougars would move to The Gateway City and were reborn as the Spirits of St. Louis.  The name was a reference to famous early aviator Charles Lindberg, he flew the Spirit of St. Louis in his solo flight across the Atlanta to Paris France in 1927.  The team was operating at the time of the NBA-ABA merger but was not one chosen to join the NBA.  The NBA only wanted four franchises and St. Louis was not one of them, they ceased operations with a large payout to the owners which is still in existence thanks to shrewd foresight.