Basketball from a fan perspective

M.I.A.---Mizzou’s past won-loss record saw them fail to be included in the Annual Big 12/SEC Challenge.  Although Mizzou didn’t play particularly well last season, they have been invited to participate in the 2021 challenge, the Tigers finally make the cut.  Texas Christian University will play the Tigers January 30.  As this is written the time is yet to be announced.  

We know this name---Unlike the Pacers we know the name now associated with the Pelicans.  Stan Van Gundy will be hired as head coach and will sign a 4-year contract.  I believe there are at least two in the media will criticize this hire believing it should have gone to a minority hire. 

September 2018---Was 2 years and several weeks ago from this mid October 2020 post, that was the date the Lakers and veteran Luol Deng agreed to a buyout.  What most of us are just now realizing a large sum of money owed Deng remains on the Lakers books.  The Lakers are now attempting to secure an injury exception for Deng, according to many the chances for success are certainly limited but worth the effort.  This gives us a thought the cash-strapped Lakers are attempting to free additional funds to sign prospective free agents.  We shall see how this plays out in Lakerland.  

“Is he the top pick?” --- The NBA draft is less than a month away, today a website claims “LaMelo Ball will be drafted number one.”  If that is the case the Wolves would add the youngest brother to their roster.  On the depth chart D’Angelo Russell is listed as the starter at the point, Malik Beasley is the shooting guard.  Ball is listed as a 6-foot 8 180-pound combo guard, the larger question will Ball dislodge either Russell or Beasley as a starter? 

One source claims the Wolves backcourt would be limited defensively should Russell and Ball play major minutes.  Performance on the court is number one, are you ready for question two, the LaVar Ball aspect.  As reported previously this Ball appears to place distance between himself and his father.  The first instance LaVar “excluding at least one team for his son and LaMelo indicating in essence “I’ll go anywhere the NBA plays.” 

Then LaMelo leaves the Big Baller Brand for Puma.  Puma was battling Nike, Adidas, Under Armour and other brands in the recent past, for unknown reasons the company decided to curtail its effort to sign NBA talent.  In any event last season Puma decided they would renounce this effort and begin signing shoe deals for several NBA players.  We are not expecting LaMelo to move completely from his father’s shadow, LaVar will continue to influence LaMelo, Lonzo and LiAngelo.  We see proof LaVar is not going to coerce LaMelo in the same manner as he’s done with son’s 1 and 2. 

How does this work---The seating capacity of the 5 largest college arenas in the nation are listed below?  If you note the college game is played is much larger arenas than most NBA arenas, our question becomes how does this seating capacity work in a pandemic?  As for the 5 largest areas:  

Carrier Dome, Syracuse 34,616

Rupp Arena, Kentucky 23,000

KFC Yum Center, Louisville 22,090

Dean Center, North Carolina 21,750

Thompson-Boling Center, Tennessee 21,678

Capital One Arena, Georgetown 20,356

Madison Square Garden, St. John’s 19,812

PNC Arena, NC State 19,722

The Schottenstein Center, Ohio State 19,500

Prudential Center, Seton Hall, 19,500

Will the administrations of these universities use criteria like the NFL?  The big difference the game is played indoors versus an outdoor football contest.