Basketball from a fan’s perspective

A clock

Over the years LaVar Ball has been one of those persons you attempt to ignore. For me it’s always been his arrogant attitude, perhaps it’s all smoke and mirrors but who really knows except him. Recently when youngest son LaMelo was named Rookie of the Year I went on record. I stated, “Maybe he’s due more credit than I’m giving him.” A reader and friend took me to task by stating the adage, “A broken clock is correct twice a day.” I guess he believes I was giving LaVar far too much credit for the success of LaMelo and Lonzo earlier. 

He said it

I once indicated I watch bits and pieces of most sports talk programs, that was the case on Tuesday morning. Keyshawn, JWill and Zuban, former NFL player Keyshawn Johnson said, “Everything Stephen A. Smith says he believes.” If that is the case Smith believes two present day players are superior to four enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame. The players in question are the Jazz shooting guard Donovan Mitchell completing his 4^th year in the NBA, Smith declared Mitchell “The best player in Jazz history.” We guess Smith’s never heard of Karl Malone, John Stockton or Adrian Dantley all in the hall.

Smith went further later, after the triple double game registered by Devin Booker, he declared the Suns shooting guard the next Kobe Bryant. As for his time the 2020-21 season was Booker’s 6^th year in the NBA. I believe Smith is correct in two instances, both Mitchell and Booker are ascending on the talent scale. These two as with most players of this generation are likely superior athletically to any of the three Hall of Fame players apart from Kobe Bryant. I could be missing the point here however I don’t believe that to be the case. Once again Smith’s voiced HIS opinion on a subject I disagree with, does that make him wrong…NO.

Top 10

What’s your Top 10 high school basketball areas in the nation, I’m going to provide you mine. Before I list them, I must inform you they are not in any order. 

Los Angeles

New York City

Dallas-Fort Worth

Chicago

Atlanta

Houston

Detroit

Minneapolis

St. Louis

Philadelphia

Memphis

You notice the count is 11, I couldn’t figure out which metro to delete so my Top 10 is 11. Did you note my home Kansas City Missouri metro is missing? 

Headed for the NBA...maybe

Ochai Agbaji declared for the NBA draft on April 8, more recently Agbaji received an invitation to the NBA Draft Combine. The annual combine will be held June 21 to June 27 in Chicago, for those unfamiliar with this event potential draftees are run through a series of drills. There are NBA personnel on hand to gauge the potential draft status of this year’s corps of college players. Agbaji certainly is considered a late bloomer, he was rated a 3-star prospect in high school at Oak Park High School in Kansas City.

It would appear Agbaji may have wanted Kansas more than the school wanted him. He wasn’t highly recruited and based on the roster depth he was redshirted his freshman year. His status changed due to several injuries Kansas suffered that year. Pressed into service that first year Agbaji experienced several highs and some lows as he adjusted to Division I play. Agbaji recently completed his junior year, whatever occurs we hope the best for this local young man, good luck Ochai Agbaji.

Wait…there’s more

We have been informed global warming is causing glacier ice to melt rapidly, the north and south polar caps are thawing much faster than any intended action by the NCAA. You might have believed it was just Kansas basketball ON HOLD, how about Oklahoma State basketball?  OSU coach Mike Boynton questioned the NCAA on pending penalties and has been told “any day now” for the last five months. Over a year ago the governing body levied sanctions against the school.

OSU has appealed the sanctions but are yet to hear anything from the NCAA. The charges, 1 “OSU received a postseason ban and a scholarship reduction June 5, 2020, for the actions of a former assistant coach who since been fired.” This account is not intended to defend the actions of OSU, apparently, they admit guilt but are appealing the penalty. Why can’t the NCAA give the school a simple answer, it’s unnecessary to drag out every penalty levied.    

 1. The Score June 16, 2021