Basketball from a fan’s perspective

A trade…in college basketball?

In college basketball news K-State wing DuJuan Gordon is transferring to Mizzou, this completes the trade earlier in the week with wing Mark Smith headed to K-State.  Just kidding folks, there are no trades at the collegiate level for talent although this one certainly appears to be just that.  Earlier in the week it was mentioned senior guard Mark Smith had entered the transfer portal, later it was confirmed he was transferring to Kansas State.  Late Friday Mizzou received a commitment from DuJuan Gordon Kansas State wing who also entered the transfer portal. 

Gordon’s numbers are comparable to those of Smith so it would appear the “trade is now complete.”  Their height difference is insignificant, Gordon is 6-4 while Smith stands 6-5, Gordon checks in at 190 pounds while Smith is heftier at 220 pounds.  Although there were numerous occasions to witness Smith in action there was little opportunity to view Gordon in action so it’s difficult to access this move.  This move and others in the future will probably receive a “huge so what” from those in Mizzou Nation dissatisfied with Cuonzo Martin.  For these Mizzou fans only wins occurring on the court are more important than recruiting players.  But this becomes a chicken and egg, which comes first, a team cannot win successfully unless they recruit talent?  

The Big Toe  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C76wGBl4i7I

Laker Nation was excited with the prospect of Andre Drummond being added to the lineup, on Wednesday they would face the Bucks and Brook Lopez.  The main reason Lopez is mentioned over Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo is the part he played in the game, not scoring but something else.  The Bucks center all 280+ pounds of him stepped on Drummond’s toe which only allowed him to play limited minutes in the game. 

Unlike Sergeant Hulka in the movie Stripes rest assured Drummond had no desire to be The Big Toe for anyone however that’s what he would become.  We learn much later the Laker center would detail for the world he lost his entire toenail, “Ouch” that’s gotta be quite painful.  The Lakers lost the game however it was no fault of Drummond, hopefully he will only be sidelined for a few games.  We haven’t seen the complete package yet and Laker Nation waits anxiously for that to occur. 

5 things I hate about NBA basketball

You think I love the NBA and have no criticisms, contrary to that view there are several complaints about the game that upset me.  Without further ado let’s proceed to the subject at hand, the 5 things I hate about NBA basketball.  

No Defense-Technically that’s not quite true NBA teams do play defense, with rule changes and emphasis on scoring it appears modest defense is often evident. I am certainly not an advocate of Bad Boys basketball or the Bruise Brothers (look them up), team defense in the NBA across the board could stand improvement.

Post Play-This has been a chief concern for years, why must every 7-foot player stand at the 3-point line jacking up shots?  Should we suppose when the next Wilt Abdul Jabbar O’Neal comes on the scene, we are going to force him to shoot from distance too?  Shooting from 3 for a Steph Curry and several others is almost a layup, for others do what you do best which might not be the 3.  As this is written we’ve yet to see it fully displayed, many claim Andre Drummond has less importance to the game of today because he’s a traditional post player.  To that I loudly shout baloney.    

The foul line-I hate the fact many of today’s NBA players are extremely poor from the line.  As Hall of Famer Rick Barry would say; “It’s a free throw, nobody is guarding you.” My belief, not a single NBA player should shoot below 75% from the line.  Free throw shooting is like any other form of shooting, you must practice, practice and more practice. 

Inconsistent officiating-This one is brand new to the list, I cannot place a day date and time, but the officiating began to slide downward.  Coaches being able to challenge, and other changes added over the years have not raised the level of officiating.  I believe we get it perhaps basketball officiating especially in the NBA might be the most difficult sport of all.  The court is compacted unlike football or baseball however the speed of the game makes for this problem to exist.

3’s -The game becomes unbearable at times to watch, players jacking up 3 after 3 after 3 and missing.  During a recent game one team had a 4 on 1 break with seconds remaining in the game so what do they do?  All 4 players stop at the line and one passes the ball to another instead of driving in for a layup the one receiving the pass shoots a 3 and misses, they lose the game by one point.  I just finished reading an article about former Rockets GM Daryl Morey (current Sixer president).

Morey is complaining about the game and it being unbalanced (his words) and he’s one of the culprits.  This is where I inform you despite the negatives raised the NBA remains the Mount Everest of basketball.  Think about it a moment, the best 450 basketball players in the world play the game in the NBA, they compete at the highest basketball level in existence. 

A place in history

The name Willie Worsley is unfamiliar to you even some who might be steeped in basketball history.  55 years ago, this 5-foot 6-inch guard played a pivotal role in a landmark game.  This game would change the basketball landscape of America forever.  It’s been mentioned previously Texas Western now University of Texas at El Paso faced the Kentucky Wildcats for the 1966 NCAA Championship.  That year the all-white Kentucky team faced Texas Western with its 5 black starters;

It might have occurred earlier, a Division I team might have started an all-black lineup up to that time however it never occurred in a national championship match.  Worsley was a late addition to the lineup coach Don Haskins believed he would be key to winning.  Haskins would become a third guard in the lineup.  He would score but 8 points while pulling down 4 rebounds, but he played an essential role in the Texas Western Miners beating the Kentucky Wildcats 72-65.  Worsley would go undrafted by the NBA but managed to play one season with the ABA New York Nets at 5 foot 6.  Worsley is 75-years old and still just as vibrant as he coaches youngsters in the game of his youth.