Basketball from a fan’s perspective

The continued leader

I am quite sure many of you might believe the NBA pays me for promoting it’s hiring practices.  I have good reason to extol the virtues of the NBA in its diversity and gender hires.  Every year when grades are assigned by the Center for the Study of Sport in Society founded by Richard Lapchick, I expect the NBA to receive all A’s and the league usually does. 

The announcement on Thursday is not a surprise and is par for the NBA.  The Atlanta Hawks announced the hire of Tori Miller as general manager of their G-League affiliate, Miller becomes the first woman to serve in that role.  Katie Sowers with the NFL 49ers is a noteworthy hire, but it comes in second place.  The NBA hired its first female assistant coach several years prior to the the Sowers hire.   

We knew it was coming

The official announcement on Thursday was not shocking; Sprint Center in Kansas City underwent a name change.  We knew it would arrive after the merger of the two telecommunication companies Sprint and T-Mobile.  The surviving company in the name change is T-Mobile. The arena first opened in 2007 as the Sprint Center effective on Thursday the building was re-branded as the T-Mobile Center.   

The Decision

No, this is not a re-visit of the LeBron South Beach decision.  This is Avery Bradley’s deciding to remain at home rather than join the Lakers in Orlando.  At the time I believed and still do it is his call, later the Lakers announced their decision.  Bradley would receive a championship ring should the Lakers win it all.  I am okay with this as well, but it appears many Laker fans and other NBA fans are displeased with the Bradley decision. 

This is certainly not going to make for change but consider this scenario.  We have no idea of the details; we just do not know.  Does Bradley have an underlying health issue, do members of his family and immediate family have health risks we are not privy too?  There is an old saying, “Walk a mile in my shoes.”  We don't not know and must honor the players request no matter how much we might dislike the decision.   

Where are they now?  

He returned to Texas-El Paso to complete his undergraduate degree shortly before retiring from the NBA. He then went on to earn a master’s degree and began work on a PhD. In addition to sitting in a classroom as a student he has also been upfront teaching school too. He holds a unique distinction; he remains the only NBA player to lead the league in scoring and assists in the same season. In the 1972-73 season Nate “Tiny” Archibald averaged 34.0 ppg and 11.4 assists for the Kansas City-Omaha Kings.

Without checking the records this diminutive point guard may have been responsible for 75-80% with his scoring and distribution of the ball.  The woeful Kings had little offense at that time apart from Archibald. How good was Archibald he was voted to the Top 50 All Time NBA time, in 1991 he was elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Did I forget to mention he contributed mightily to the 1981 NBA Championship won by the Celtics? All this accomplished by an athlete listed at 6-1 (many believe he was 5-10) and 150 pounds. I am sure there is no argument he may have been the best baller to ever come from the Bronx Borough of New York City.