Basketball from a fan’s perspective

Just a few thoughts

A follow up to our discussion of the Emoni Bates decision on Monday.  Although it was pointed out Bates has plenty of time to change his mind the verdict registered between 3-4 on the Richter Scale.  For scientists among you that suggests ceiling lights would swing and people would feel vibrations beneath their feet.  Allow us to explore a few facts, East Lansing Michigan home of Michigan State is less than 100 miles from Ypsilanti home to Bates. 

The closeness would allow Bates to “leave home without being too far away.”  The second factor, it appears Tom Izzo managed to establish a relationship with the youngster which certainly impacted his decision.  Another factor, the G-League, or foreign shores.  We have witnessed high school talent venture overseas rather than college, in addition the G-League’s been quite visible recently in attracting high school talent.  There are other factors that might have influenced Emoni Bates to decide on Michigan State rather than another choice.   

One more change

The Mississippi legislature voted this week to change its state flag.  As a result, the state becomes the last remaining southern state to remove the symbolism of the Confederate flag.  The job is only partially finished as was mentioned recently, the sports team is next.  The University of Mississippi or Ole Miss needs a name change for its sports teams. 

Rebel is a term from the past generally associated with the Civil War and the Confederacy.  It was mentioned St. John’s and Stanford University both changed the nicknames of their sports teams.  The Redman of St. John’s became the Red Storm, the Stanford Indians were rebranded as the Cardinal.  A team name change is certainly possible, teams do it all the time, come on Ole Miss make it happen.    

Division II plays the game too   

Unless you reside in a nearby city or maybe you are a student there are few opportunities to witness Division II basketball play.  For the most part the networks appear to only telecast the games of “Big Boy” Division I schools.  There is a basis for this unequal coverage as tall as 7 foot 1 Shaq, the chief one might be talent.  Let us face facts, the vast majority of NBA talent arrives from Division I programs or Europe.  Division II in a similar manner to NAIA has suffered a severe drought in talent. 

Do not misunderstand, talent continues to remain at the Division II level it is just a smaller number of athletes at this level manage to earn an NBA payday.  Research indicates a significant amount of NBA players arrived from Division II schools, but the number has continued to shrink.  How about an impact player, we could only uncover one name in recent years?  Retired center/power forward Ben Wallace, Wallace arrived in the NBA in 1996 undrafted and managed a long career retiring in 2012.  Wallace was a key contributor as the Pistons won their most recent NBA Championship in 2004. 

Big East

Princeton and Rutgers are recognized with playing the first collegiate football game in 1869.  Play began thereafter in several schools across the nation as schools came together forming conferences.  The first collegiate basketball game was played numerous years later in 1895.  The point is to set the stage for this account of conference play. 

Its likely football began conference play and later basketball teams would follow suit, football first and then basketball.  The Big East Conference begun in 1979 is one of the few beginning life as a basketball conference although several the schools would later add Division I FBS football.  The Metro Conference also had its founding as a basketball conference in 1975.   We could add the American Athletic Conference to this story, it was founded in 1979 and represents sevral former Big East schools.   

The franchise 

The Lakers are the product of Gerald Hatten Buss better known as Dr. Jerry Buss. They always say, “Timing is everything” and that might have indeed been the case.  Dr. Buss would become the third owner of the Lakers purchasing the team from Jack Kent Cooke.  Cooke purchased it from Bob Short who own the team in Minneapolis and later moved it to Los Angeles in 1960.  The success on the court was quite different under Short and Cooke, talented players, and good coaches. 

The competition that stood in front of the Lakers particularly the Celtics quashed any championship aspirations.  It always seemed in those early days their archrival Celtics always had an answer.  The Lakers in Los Angeles were never able to duplicate the success of their Minneapolis success with George Mikan and company. The Lakers did manage a breakout year in 1972 as Wilt Chamberlain and Jerry West led the way to the only championship they won until owner Buss purchased the team. 

The Lakers had a competitive roster including Elgin Baylor they were never able to reach the pinnacle they would later achieve.  Buss would purchase the Lakers in 1979 and the balance of the story lies in NBA history, the Lakers would win a total of 10 championships before the owner died in 2013.  It could have been timing, talent, good coaching, and personnel moves contributing to the success.  It could have been one or two or maybe all the combinations contributing to the success on the basketball court.