Basketball from a fan’s perspective

 “Money is not the only answer, but it makes a difference.” – Barack Obama

Is he the next big thing?

He might not be big however he’s certainly tall, 7-foot Chet Holmgren who recently committed to Gonzaga.  The journey has been long but not without reward and in this instance notoriety and numerous colleges offering scholarships.  Holmgren’s work ethic says after some adjustment he should do okay at the collegiate level beyond that is anyone’s guess.  Realizing we are discussing high school however Holmgren has been taught and adapted the skills of a much smaller player.  It’s funny listening to a description of himself by several, “They thought I couldn’t play I was just a tall white skinny kid.” 

We have discovered Holmgren is more than that.  The ability to dribble, dribbling behind the back plus 3-point range and other stuff.  Skills that you might not uncover on most players his size which is another question.  Currently Holmgren is listed at 195 pounds, there is no requirement for a “Shaq” body however an increase in muscle is a requirement, notice we said muscle and not weight.  This is not an assessment by the writer alone, his former high school teammate Jalen Suggs speaks highly of Holmgren.  After seeing Suggs in action for Gonzaga we might trust his word, if he says you good then you are.  Can’t wait for the season to begin to see Holmgren in action at Gonzaga.   

Not sorry

Not sorry, that’s the general reaction to a coach be they college or the NBA with problems.  One might state “You knew the job was dangerous when you agreed to accept it” however there is an exception.  For me that might be the Rockets head coach Stephen Silas.  He’s no late arrival to the coaching ranks, he’s paid his dues, he’s been an assistant for several NBA teams serving since 2000.  When Silas finally receives an opportunity as a head coach he is hired by a team in transition, coach Mike D’Antoni left then it was GM Daryl Morey’s turn. 

The moves by the head coach and GM could have been the other way around without research on my part, I just don’t remember who left first.  These changes also witnessed the Rockets trading Russell Westbrook; shortly after the season began James Hardin forced a trade leaving Silas with one of the worst teams in the NBA.  Hopefully, the coach is given adequate time to build the team he desires and not one he inherited.  Of course, the job is difficult, unless you are the coach replacing John Wooden at UCLA or Phil Jackson with the Bulls there will be difficult days for any coach.  Hang in their coach Silas it will improve one day. 

G-League news     

On Friday came word 6-foot 9-inch Michael Foster is headed to the G-League rather than college.  Saturday brought additional news as 6-foot 10-inch Fanbo Zeng from China decommitted from Gonzaga and is also headed to the G-League and Team Ignite.  As you might remember G-League Team Ignite is comprised of highly skilled high school players and was formed last year by the league.  For those unfamiliar with the name Foster, he was the Rivals number 12 prospect in the Class of 2021. 

As for Zeng he was a 4-star prospect and played at Windemere Prep in Windemere Florida. We are yet to determine if the G-League and the effort by Team Ignite has been successful, you remember last season they cornered substantial talent many believed were headed to college.  A portion of that talent, Jalen Green, Johnathan Kuminga, Daishen Nix and Isaiah Todd are listed on NBA mock draft sites.  Our answer as to the success of the G-League will likely be borne out with the results of the July 2021 NBA draft.  If any member of the quartet is drafted it will certainly raise the profile of the G-League.   

I will believe it when I see it

The college basketball season ended with a whimper for Kentucky basketball and their fan base.  The Wildcats finished with an 8-9 conference record and 9-16 overall.  Question, when was the last time a Kentucky team finished below .500?  Well, sort of, the 1973-74 team was 13-13 the next was 1966-67 and that team also finished 13-13.  With that kind of gap, you can see Kentucky basketball has been a winner under a successive number of coaches. 

Due to the poor record registered this past season by Kentucky there’s been all kinds of speculation regarding John Calipari’s future.  This is all speculation, but it’s my belief Calipari has no desire to leave the game with a losing record.  In addition, he’s not likely to leave Kentucky for greener pastures unless that job pays more than Kentucky and has more prestige, scratch that last statement.  Kentucky basketball is one of the Blue Blood college programs in the nation.  I along with a bunch of other folks will be surprised if John Calipari is anywhere next November other than Lexington.