Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday & Friday  

The last edition

This is the last weekend edition of Off the Dribble, the next issue will be available on Monday August 2. The basketball off season has officially begun. We now begin a Monday, Wednesday, Friday publishing schedule. At an undetermined date in late September or early October Off the Dribble will return to a daily. Thank you for being a loyal visitor and it’s hoped you enjoy this as much as we enjoy placing it before you.    

The Lakers tossed us a curve

Several in Laker Nation including this member believed the Lakers would get younger. They would draft 24-year-old Chris Duarte out of Oregon. At his age he’s probably the oldest player in the draft. Instead of acquiring a 24-year-old the Lakers settled for a player 9 years older. He was just any 32-year-old he was the mercurial Russell Westbrook thus the woeful shooting from 3 will continue for the Lakers. I should bring it to your attention West-brick is one of the worst in the NBA in shooting beyond the line. Despite his nearly 10 assists a game total there are the TO’s, at times he becomes a turnover machine.

Guards are expected to be quality shooters from the free throw line, that has not been the case for Westbrook the last several years. Last season he shot 65.6% from the line, not terrible but nowhere close to the 79% for his career. Those are the negatives in his game, how about the positives? Westbrook has a very good mid-range game; he is fearless when driving to the basket doesn’t matter who is in front of him. The fearless nature of his game also includes rebounding the basketball. Westbrook’s been a double-digit man in rebounds 3 out of the last 4 years for the Thunder, Rockets and Wizards.

Will LeBron consent to Westbrook handling the ball, better yet can Westbrook become a pass first shoot second point? Laker offense suffered whenever LeBron was resting, can this detriment be alleviated with Westbrook on the floor minus LeBron? This trade becomes a “win now” mentally by the Lakers rather than plug in a youngster and hope for growth. Russell Westbrook is a Laker now; I will embrace him as part of the Laker family. I will attempt to be objective regarding his game and remain concerned about certain aspects of it. In closing this next portion is interesting, as this is being completed, I’ve discussed the trade with three people by text or phone. Knowing my passion for the Lakers all are attempting to convince me this trade for Westbrook is a good thing.

In other news

We know a great deal about top pick Cade Cunningham chosen by the Pistons. We had an advantage, there was opportunity to witness Cunningham in action at Oklahoma State that generally didn’t exist for number two pick Jalen Green of the Rockets. Several college programs across the nation had scholarship offers for Green however he made a different news. Instead of heading off to college last fall it was the G-League and Team Elite. With just a few games on NBA TV we had little occasion to witness Green in action.

Green stands 6 foot 6 and a slim 180 pounds, if he is good as advertised, he should be able to move into the Rockets lineup almost immediately. Having little opportunity to see his play this statement might appear premature. The Rockets have cleaned house, there remain just a few who play shooting guard on the roster. The break to play immediately looms quite large for Green in the fall and winter ahead. This next statement will appear shocking however I didn’t originate it, he’s been compared to the late Kobe Bryant. We know there is only one, surely, they must be discussing Green’s work ethic and athletic gift. I’m unsure of your thoughts, the Rockets will probably not be very good however seeing Green in action might prove interesting. 

You remember, don’t you?

Mac McClung broke the Virginia high school scoring record of a guy by the name of Allen Iverson, he surpassed 948 points in 5 fewer games than Iverson. Despite his prolific scoring and dunking ability there is an issue with him. It’s been said in some circles, “McClung is a shooting guard in a point guard’s body.” Don’t allow that statement to confuse he can and does pass the rock.  The issue most pro scouts mention McClung stands 6-foot 3 ideal for the point not so much for a shooting guard.

McClung began his collegiate play at Georgetown and later transferred to Texas Tech but decided it was time for the NBA. He wasn’t drafted although he declared, McClung would sign as a free agent with the Lakers. This probably entails NBA Summer League play in his immediate future, if he plays well then, an invitation might be extended to Laker training camp in the fall. There is at least one factor working for him possibly earning a roster spot, with KCP gone a roster position is now open. 

Here’s hoping McClung earns a roster spot as a reserve. The former Texas Tech Red Raider might have difficulty earning a position on the team. The Laker roster is somewhat unclear at this point, bodies are required to complete it. KCP is gone so one spot is free however the competition McClung faces is from other rookies. The Lakers signed Oklahoma’s Austin Reaves, Joel Ayayi of Gonzaga, and Chaundee Brown Wake Forest. All these athletes are shooting guards and all stand 6 foot 5 or taller, it might do McClung a world of good if he concentrates on playing the point. 

A strange and unusual occurrence

Do you love “Rudy” stories, this is certainly close to one. How did a guy averaging 2 points a game in high school manage to get drafted in the NBA?  He improved to 6 points a game as an Ohio University freshman however his story is more involved. Evidently, he did one thing, he worked at his craft and improved to the point an NBA team was willing to gamble he could play at this level. Jason Pearson of Ohio University was drafted in the second round by the Magic with the 33^rd pick. As most of you are aware second round is not guaranteed however Pearson’s journey gives us an idea, he might stick even in a reserve role.

Pearson is a 6-foot 4-inch point guard, from Orlando Florida. Part of the reason he might not have played much at Boone High School he stood 6 feet tall but weighed a slim 140 pounds. He decided to attend Believe Prep Academy in Athens Tennessee, in addition he grew four inches. Pearson began play on the B team was elevated to A for a period but opted for the C team after limited play. By the time he was ready for college only Ohio University and Longwood offered him a scholarship. Preston began rather slowly in college as evident by his scoring, by the time he reached his junior year it was time for the NBA. The Magic drafted him however he was sent to the Clippers in a trade. Just in case a movie titled Rudy was released in 1993 it told the story of a football players struggles to earn playing time at Notre Dame University. 

Basketball from a fans perspective

No pick

I am stunned, after expecting the Lakers to consider two prospects they decided on neither one. Instead, they pulled off a blockbuster trade which caught Laker Nation off guard until late Thursday afternoon. The Lakers will receive mercurial point guard Russell Westbrook. Leaving the Lakers in exchange are Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and the Lakers 2021 draft pick. Saturday’s edition will contain more detail on this shocker of a trade.  

The draft

This is written about an hour prior to the start of the 2021 NBA draft, we have no idea how this will be viewed in the future. We had to wait several years to assess the 1984, 1996 and 2003 NBA drafts. We approach each draft as good however a number have fallen short, these certainly didn’t. In 1984 we saw Hakeem Olajuwon, Michael Jordan, John Stockton and Charles Barkley being selected all in the Naismith Hall of Fame. In 1996 drafted that year was Ray Allen, Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson and Steve Nash, all are now in the Naismith Hall of Fame.  In 2003 the NBA added LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh and D. Wade to its list of 2003 talent. There are others while not quite All-Star talent in the 1996 and 2003 draft managed to have respectable careers. 

As for 2021 prospects Cade Cunningham, Jalen Suggs and others stand out because they have received great coverage in various forms of media. This is almost a guarantee, we cannot name him at this point there will be one perhaps two prospects who fly beneath the radar. Murray State a mid-major school produced 2020 NBA Rookie of the Year Jae Morant. We can also insert the name Dwayne Wade here; Wade wasn’t an unknown having played at Marquette. It’s the level of talent he exhibited that amazed and surprised many. After an NBA championship career spent for the most part with the Heat Wade will be inducted in the Naismith Hall of Fame one day, that certainly might not have been projected in June 2003. There is a sleeper somewhere in this draft we are just yet to discover his name.

Mizzou in the NBA

Around these parts the local media always reminds us of the number of Kansas players in the NBA. Although Mizzou is not close to the Jayhawks in volume the number is not what you might believe. I’m talking drafted or free agent in the NBA even if but a few months. Currently we have the Porter brothers, Jontay with the Grizzlies and Michael Jr. with the Nuggets. We must also include NBA 6^th Man of the Year Jordan Clarkson.

The trio are the only active Tigers but there have been others who are now retired, if the names are not familiar that’s okay, they did play at Mizzou and once upon a time in the NBA. We begin with Larry Drew whose been a player and coach plus Anthony Peeler. Injuries curtailed what might have been an All-Pro career for Pacer Steve Stipanovich, we also include Keyon Dooling and Jon Sundvold in the count along with Kareem Rush and DeMarre Carroll. Those named and additional athletes total 33 in all, more players than might be first believed.  

The Empire Strikes Back

Okay now that I have your attention let us explore the latest development with the Big XII Conference. Let’s speculate a bit on the latest news, commissioner Bob Bowlsby has declared war on the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network or ESPN. The commish has accused the network of being responsible for Texas and Oklahoma divorcing themselves from the Big XII. How serious is this matter you ask; they believe in their position so much they sent a cease-and-desist letter to ESPN? I ain’t no attorney, Business Law 101 and 102 is the depth of my legal expertise. One guy says one thing and the other says the opposite. One person with a legal background claims the conference might be indicating the next step is legal, as for the other guy. He claims a cease-and-desist letter is just a piece of paper with little power, we shall see how this case plays out. We shall see if “marriage counseling” is required for these two partners.  

Piston moves in time 

New York’s had several buildings with the name “Madison Square Garden” on the front of the arena. We might find a similar situation existed in Detroit as well although not under the same name. The Pistons franchise was founded in Fort Wayne Indiana but later moved to Detroit. In 1957 the Pistons would share Olympic Stadium with the NHL Red Wings, Olympic would serve as home from 1957 to 1961 and then it was Cobo Arena. On the banks of the Detroit River Cobo was the site of play until 1978.

The history is unclear as to why the change was made because unlike many of the others Cobo remains in use today. The Pistons moved to Pontiac and the Silverdome a football stadium which they shared with the NFL Lions. In 1988 the Palace at Auburn Hills would become the location of three Piston NBA championships (1988, 1989 & 2004). New owner and change occurred once again; the team moved into Little Caesars Arena in downtown Detroit in 2016. How about the sites of former arenas, in 1987 the wrecking ball found Olympic, and it was demolished? The same story held true for the Silverdome in 2018 and The Palace in 2020. 

Basketball from a fans perspective

What’s next?

We understand Stephen A. Smith has provided a review of Space Jam II, makes sense. I realize the statement might appear shocking but bear with me. Movie reviews are entertainment, Smith is an entertainer, so it makes sense. Next up for Smith will be a review of several Broadway plays, after this he will begin reporting news on Entertainment Tonight. Soon co-host Kevin Frazier and Nischelle Turner will be calling on correspondent Smith for juicy news stories regarding movies and television. Friends, apart from the opening sentence this is strictly a work of my imagination. We realize Space Jam II is a basketball cartoon however why is it necessary for Smith to critique what essentially is a children’s program?

My choice

The NBA draft will be held this evening, the usual suspects should be near the top. Cade Cunningham Oklahoma State point guard, Jalen Green, G-League and Evan Mobley power forward USC are just a few of the names. As for my Lakers we have been all over the map with the 23^rd pick however I am going to stick my neck out again. I believe the Lakers will choose 1 of 2 players in Thursday’s draft, by the way these are not in order of preference just as I see it. Chris Duarte, a 6-foot 6-inch 190-pound shooting guard who played his basketball at the University of Oregon. The other possible choice is 6-foot 8-inch 230-pound power forward/center Usman Garuba from Spain.

We must look beyond 2021 however as proof of this drafts value, on the surface it appears deep so there is an opportunity for a win by the Lakers whomever is chosen. Why these two, because it’s my belief they are probably ready to contribute right away based on the needs of the Lakers. One mock site in describing Duarte states “Think Klay Thompson.” That’s enough for me if he can add offense firepower off the Laker bench like the Warriors sharpshooter., another site claims "He's one of the most NBA ready rookies." As for Garuba he compares to a “Faster Tristian Thompson” according to this same mock site. Rest assured I’m not aware what that states however Garuba appears dominate on the defensive side of the ball.  Both players appear capable of stepping into the lineup on day one. As for my forecast, we shall see what occurs later tonight, I could be wrong in both instances.  

The ability to fly

Once upon a time in my youth I played basketball against a guy who stood 6 feet 1, he was able to dunk the ball with ease although he never did this during a game. The Hawks Spud Webb who stood all of 5 feet 6 inches entered the 1986 NBA Slam Dunk Championship. Guess what, he won the event the shortest player to date. No human can fly it just seems as though that occurs when the ball is being dunked. The player goes up and up and simply slams the ball through the cylinder, how and why did the dunk come about? The first slam occurred long before Dr. J., Connie Hawkins and Michael Jordan were even thought about. A name few of us are familiar with is credited with the first dunk, his name Joe Fortenberry the year was 1936. The location was the basketball mecca Madison Square Garden in New York City. From 1946 to 1952 Oklahoma State was led by Bob Kurland and he regularly dunked the basketball in games.

How good was the 7-foot Kurland, good enough to intercept opponents shots toward the basket? He caused the NCAA to implement defensive goal tending rule. Several of you are informed while others are reminded the dunk was banned in college from 1967-68. This was done due to the impact Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul Jabbar) made on the game. In closing a couple more notes, the dunk has always been that it didn’t become “Slam” Dunk until word master Chick Hearn longtime Laker broadcaster added it to our lexicon. The event held Saturday evening would exist if not for the American Basketball Association. In that period the NBA just played the game. In 1976 the new ABA to draw fans held a Slam Dunk event prior to its All-Star game. Years later the NBA would follow suit and add this event to its Saturday evening activities. This part you might find just as interesting, the term Slam Dunk has crept into our everyday conversation. It no longer describes basketball rather it says, “whatever the activity the individual is guaranteed success.”

How to handle a bully!

You smack them in the mouth first, you deny them the opportunity to push you. In this instance the bully is the University of Texas and all that oil and gas money backing the athletic program. The Longhorns bullied their way in the Big XII having set themselves up with the largest revenue generator in the conference. They complained about the post season basketball tournament being played annually in Kansas City so what did the conference do? They moved the tournament to Dallas, and it remained there until they realized despite a larger market it failed to attract the audience they perceived.

The tournament was moved to Oklahoma City and finally back to Kansas City at least through 2025. This latest bully effort “We are going to take our basketball and go home; we don’t want to play with you anymore” i.e., we want the SEC. Why Texas A&M is in the SEC is unclear, as for Mizzou the basis is clear-cut. The Longhorns with their television network deriving additional revenue which was not shared with other conference schools. Texas is right where Texas wishes to be at this point, they have exactly what they wanted. They will leave the Big XII in the dust with little if any concern what might occur for it in the future. Bullies never learn, the Longhorns should have been smacked in the mouth at the start. 

Basketball from a fans perspective

Wishing n Hoping

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes is now part of the ownership group of Sporting Kansas City. Now he is part owner of the soccer team and an owner of the baseball Kansas City Royals. It is clear Mahomes is investing in Kansas City professional sports. It sure would be nice if this former high school basketball player would assemble a group of investors to bid on an NBA team. Former baseball player Alex Rodríguez is now an NBA owner…why not an NFL QB an NBA owner? 

There was a plan

If you are a LeBron hater you can stop at this point, don’t bother reading this account. This is written about him but only a small portion deals with his athletic talent. LeBron arrived in the NBA at age 18, back then high school athletes were eligible for the draft. He is now 36 years old and will have another birthday in December, a report indicates he is the first athlete to earn $1 billion during his career. How did he accomplish this one might ask, there was a plan? This was really two-fold, the first part he was blessed with God given talent which would become the building block to his financial success. While patting him on the back as with anything no one accomplishes feats on their own…they have help.

In this instance he was the driving force for the help. Behind LeBron was Carter, Paul and Mims who provided direction for many of the financial pursuits of the athlete. The names are Maverick Carter, Rich Paul and Randy Mims, of these named Carter played basketball with LeBron at St. Vincent-St. Mary’s but attended Western Michigan and the University of Akron. Carter has served as the business manager for LeBron while Paul has served as his agent. Mims runs a sports marketing enterprise we guess funded by earnings we believe earned by LeBron. The other day after the Bucks won their championship, I mentioned the local sports radio guy.

He was quite critical of LeBron for in his words “moving from team to team”, Giannis was more his type of athlete having made the Bucks better. LeBron continues to draw the ire of sports talk guys like him, he also draws criticism due to the social and political stance he often takes. Rarely do we hear about his philanthropic gifts to the society from this crowd. His I Promise School in Akron founded for at risk kids. This elementary school opened in 2018 but that’s just one example. In closing just, this is but a thumbnail sketch of LeBron James who began his NBA career immediately after high school, he decided early there would be a plan in place for him. Great financial success fails to make one a better person, but it certainly can’t hurt if that person is focused.

How about Kansas basketball?

We are pre-supposing several things here…how about Kansas basketball? Where does Kansas fit in the “earthquake” that’s become the Big XII? It’s our understanding once upon a time there was a movement toward the Big 10. If we are talking basketball that’s a good thing, the football is another matter. Kansas football doesn’t compete currently, in addition that’s been the case since the Mark Mangino days. After his departure in 2009 the program is 24-108 not an exciting record.

In fact, Mangino was the last Kansas coach to produce a winning record, this goes back to 1953. As for the focus of this blog basketball, rest assured the Big 10 or Pac-12 would probably love to have Kansas basketball in the conference. As for Kansas football that might be a slightly different matter. Jayhawk fans take note, unless we return to a Big 8 Conference the dominance by Kansas is over. Bill Self team’s will not run roughshod through the Big 10 or Pac-12 for that matter. Don’t confuse the statement there is no mention of a failure to win they will not dominate either of those conferences as they did with the Big XII.     

Age ain’t nuthin’ but a number 

Awhile back we covered 80-year-old Larry Brown and the fact he is still working. Brown is taking on the role as assistant coach for the University of Memphis this fall. Well Brown is second in line in the age category to Bill Bertka. Bertka will turn 94 next month and he is still working, his job title consultant and special assistant for the Lakers. He played basketball at Kent State finishing in 1951, he would begin the following season as a high school basketball coach. From there Bertka would move to Hancock College and finally to his alma mater Kent State in 1957.

In 1971 Bertka went to work for the Lakers as an assistant coach and the rest is this story is Laker history. There is a coaching overlap so it’s unclear if he was part of Joe Mullaney or Bill Sharman’s staff. He’s served in that capacity for several head coaches over time. He was on the sidelines during the Showtime era but remained through the Phil Jackson hire. The Lakers have changed coaches twice and both times Bertka took over as interim head coach (1994 & 1999). Bertka is presently providing input on talent the Lakers have brought in for workouts. As for Bertka is there an age he or anybody should retire? Perhaps Bertka might believe as others his age, if you can physically and mentally perform a task is there any reason for anyone including Bertka to retire?

Basketball from a fans perspective

August

Beginning Monday August 2 Off the Dribble will begin a Monday, Wednesday, Friday publishing schedule. The first week of April college basketball crowned the Baylor Bears 2021 men’s NCAA champions. On July 20 the Bucks defeated the Suns 4 Games to 2 becoming 2021 NBA champions. On Thursday July 29 the NBA draft will be held and August 1 NBA free agency begins. There is basketball news however the world slows at this point. If a story breaks in between the published dates a special edition consisting of that story will be published. In closing allow me to thank you once again for being a loyal reader.

Research, research

It’s proven valuable to me, and I hope to you as well. Conducting research, I’ve uncovered bunches of stuff before my time regarding my hometown Kansas City and it’s pro basketball connection. This one is brand new; the Professional Basketball League of America came into being in 1947 one year after the Basketball Association of America began play. The PBLA consisted of 16 teams spread across the nation, the team representing Kansas City was named the Blues. The name is interesting in more ways than one, the AAA baseball team playing here also utilized the same name, we guess it wasn’t much of a concern since the basketball team and league only lasted one season. According to the information I uncovered the PBLA was severely underfunded unlike the BAA and NBL.

It’s believed the basketball Blues played their games at the Pla-Mor Ballroom which has since been demolished. The cities second team and league was the American Basketball League mentioned earlier. The Kansas City Steers were certainly more successful than the ABL which lasted from 1961 to December 31, 1963. As with the PBLA the ABL was also not financially sound. The Steers played most of their games in Municipal Auditorium and a number at Memorial Hall in Kansas City Kansas. Finally, we cover the American Basketball Association which operated from 1967 to 1976, you say Kansas City never had a team in the ABA. Well, they did, for some odd reason the lack of an arena to play sealed their fate. The franchise after being awarded to Kansas City was passed to Denver which became the Rockets, they moved from Kansas City without ever playing a single game here. I’m sure several you probably might debate if these leagues and teams were professional level. Stop and think a moment, despite the winning record of the Celtics the NBA was perceived as a minor league probably through the late 1950’s. 

Wait for the dust to settle

As this is written we don’t have an outcome for the Big XII, despite that fact some thoughts by this local guy. It is possible the former Big 8 rivals (Kansas, Kansas State & Mizzou) will play in three conferences. Mizzou long time conference member moved to the SEC in 2012. Reports indicate Kansas is looking toward joining the Big 10, as for Kansas State it’s the Pac-12. Apart from Mizzou, the other portion is strictly speculation but worth considering based on the history of the institutions. Kansas City Missouri has served as host city for the old Big 8 and now the Big XII Basketball Tournament forever. Most interesting after the Texas schools were added the tournament was moved.

It’s been played in Oklahoma City and Dallas however it was moved back to Kansas City in 2010 and will remain here until 2024. With the status of the conference unclear will 2024 be the last tournament played in Kansas City. Mayor Quinton Lucas when questioned claimed the city earns about $15 million annually from the tournament. It was mentioned by one of the local sportscasters said, “whatever occurs hopefully Kansas City could compete for a tournament.” As for the immediate future we must wait for the dust to settle to determine how these proposed moves work out. Perhaps there are elements remaining who are still upset with for leaving the Big XII back in 2012. 

The nearness of Lawrence Kansas to Kansas City MO might be part of the reason, they conveniently forget conference members Nebraska and Colorado left prior to Mizzou and Texas A&M. The schools must have had a problem with the manner the conference was being operated. As for Mizzou they could state success on the football field or basketball court is negligible in the SEC. There would be no argument from this corner however there are benefits. The revenue has been greater in the SEC and now an additional plus. They certainly have stability now over Kansas, Kansas State and other Big XII programs. Is it the Big 10, Pac-12, WAC or something else for the "former" Big XII Conference?

How important is a name?

It was mentioned at the time the owners of the Cincinnati Royals moved the NBA team to Kansas City they made a name change. Because the baseball Royals were in place, they chose to avoid confusion with two professional teams with the same name, it seemed in other historical instances it didn’t matter. Did you realize there was a New York Yankees baseball team and football team that played at the same time? The football Yankees were in the All-American Football Conference and played in NYC from 1946-1949.

You just read a story of the basketball Kansas City Blues above, there was a Blues baseball team that played in the city from 1907 until 1954. Brooklyn Dodgers baseball and Brooklyn Dodgers football operated during the same period. The NFL Dodgers played under that name from 1930-1943, baseball Dodgers had use of the name for a much longer period. The City of Chicago had two NFL teams, the Bears and the Cardinals. In 1960 the NFL Cardinals moved to St. Louis, so we had a baseball team and an NFL team playing at the same time as the St. Louis Cardinals. Perhaps the Royals ownership wanted to make a distinction between the city’s baseball team and NBA…who really knows?

Basketball from a fans perspective

What do you think?

We continue to read Kawhi Leonard stories, those indicating he remains a potential hot commodity on the free agent market. The Mavs and Heat were early bidders for his service now it appears the Knicks have joined the group, there might be others over the next few weeks. The part we find most interesting we are unsure if he even plays next season. The medical update failed to provide a timeline when he would be able to return to action. Healing power and return to action varies among players, ACL surgery probably entails Leonard being out at least to late February or March.

Although Kevin Durant did not suffer the same injury and he was missing in action for a full season which is certainly a possibility for Leonard. Worst of all Leonard might return but not have the skill level as before. The late Kobe Bryant is an example, again different type of injury but he never returned to the pre-injury Kobe. His advancing age may have been a contributing factor in the erosion of Kobe’s game. Despite all the potential negatives these teams will be bidding on The Claw on August 1. What do you think, not the talent issue we acknowledge that? Signing a player who might not play for you in the 2021-22 season. What do you consider, you are in the front office of one of these franchises? Do you attempt to sign Leonard? 

Qualifying offer

The Lakers extended a qualifying offer to Talen-Horton Tucker, what is it and exactly what does it entail? I’m glad you ask the question because not only does it apply to the Laker guard but others as well. These are not my words rather direct from nba.com, “The qualifying offer is a standing offer for a one-year guaranteed deal, which becomes a regular contract if the player decides to sign it. This ensures that the team does not gain the right of first refusal without offering a contract themselves.” Have you got that; I sure hope so? 

No guarantee

This blog has been praising the potential of Warriors center James Wiseman for a while. We did this at a point many questioned his being drafted so high. Unfortunately, an injury shut him down for the greater part of his rookie season however the 2021-22 season continues the promise of a bright future for the youngster. No less a voice than Warriors coach Steve Kerr has said it, recently he went on record regarding Wiseman. “Over the long haul, we’re going to develop James and we feel like he’s going to be our starting center at some point, for a long, long time ahead.”

Note the last part of the Kerr statement which indicates they have the belief Weisman is a keeper. Kerr indicated they were looking at the development of DeAndre Ayton as a model for what they believe the 7-foot 1-240-pound Wiseman is capable. The return to action of Klay Thompson is a key to improved play by the Warriors along with a return to action by Wiseman too. As this account was being completed, we read of a proposed trade sending the youngster to another team. Unless we are misreading Kerr, I don’t think this is going to occur at least with Wiseman being a part of the trade. 

clutchsports.com

The middle brother might have a job 

The Hornets announced LiAngelo Ball will play for their Summer League team; this is no indication the move will be permanent. The middle brother certainly has a degree of talent it’s unlikely he would have been able to play at UCLA no matter how short the time. It’s been the belief by NBA scouts the middle brother is not as talented as the others. With the Ball brothers comes father LaVar, many claim LaVar’s bravado is a throwback to Muhammad Ali or Joe Namath, he’s been a promoter of his family’s basketball talent. In other news baby brother LaMelo has signed with Puma, Lonzo is wearing Kobes so we have no idea the status of Big Baller Brand begun by LaVar.

West Virginia…where?

Where does West Virginia head if the Big XII Conference breaks up as it appears might occur. For me this thing of adding WVU to a conference in the middle part of the nation was a little strange in the first place, geography was certainly not part of the decision. Another example, all Big XII schools are in the Central Time Zone, WVU is only one on Eastern Standard Time. What does WVU do now, they cannot return to the Big East from which they departed in 2012.

It appears their parting from the Big East was not one of convenience for either the conference or WVU. What’s left for WVU to consider, the SEC might be the last conference to choose based on the moves of Texas and Oklahoma. This is certainly not intended to be in any order of choice just random thoughts on a direction for WVU. The ACC could be a fit for the Mountaineers, the America Conference might also be taken into consideration. Also, the Atlanta 10 might work or the Big 10 might be the choice. There is certainly no rush for a decision at this point this potential Big XII breakup is possibly 3-4 years from now. 

Basketball from a fans perspective

Convince me please

On Saturday a list of point/shooting guards were named associated with the Lakers. All are talented however a couple of players are head and shoulders above the rest of the pack. Best of the best is Dame Lillard who I place at the top. In second place is Russell Westbrook but that is the issue for me. Westbrook is a walking triple-double, but portions of his game are suspect. His shooting has caused a name change instead of Westbrook it’s become West-BRICK as he’s struggled the last two seasons shooting from the floor.

Westbrook’s game has suffered at two levels, at the free-throw line and shooting from the field. He remains supreme driving and dishing the ball to a teammate, it’s the other thing. NBA teams play off him attempting to stifle his sprint toward the basket, they routinely dare him to take a shot 15 feet or more from the basket. So, what does the future hold for the Laker backcourt? Lillard is out of the picture strictly due to money, here’s hoping Westbrook is excluded based on his poor shooting from the field and at the free-throw line. I know I omitted Chris Paul but it's my belief he wants to be paid and the Lakers can't meet his number.  

He speaks 

We thought college was out the window for wunderkind Emoni Bates…not so according to the statement he released.  He now indicates there are 8 possible destinations on his radar, the projections are not in any order just as it’s published. Bates could turn pro with the NBA G-League, Overtime Elite or the NBL (Australia). Although he de-committed from Michigan State the Spartans remain on his list, as for the others they are, Oregon, Memphis, Baylor and Miami. Where do you think Bates is headed, is it an early pro career or college?

R.I.P. Big XII…maybe

The Big XII conference is not dead but it’s in ICU and might soon expire, Texas and Oklahoma headed possibly to the SEC and talk of Kansas and perhaps Iowa State joining the Big 10. Left in the wake of this exit would be Oklahoma State, West Virginia, Kansas State, Iowa State, TCU, Texas Tech and Baylor. West Virginia on Eastern Time might explore a conference in the same time zone. The Texas schools along with Oklahoma State could look at the Mountain West Conference or WAC.

These moves might leave Kansas State and Iowa State out in the cold, but they could find a conference I’m just unsure which one. Once again, the mover and shaker in this possible change remains the same, the University of Texas. The Longhorns are the culprit in Texas A&M and Mizzou leaving the Big XII as mentioned in the Thursday edition. What becomes of the Big XII, they have three possible outcomes? The conference can play with 8 teams, add teams or dissolve as the Southwest Conference did back in 1996. Several might remember the old SWC which contained all the schools listed below, behind the school's name is the conference they now represent. 

Texas-Big 12

Texas Tech-Big 12

Baylor-Big 12

TCU-Big 12

Texas A&M-SEC

Arkansas-SEC

Rice-Conference USA

SMU-American Athletic Conference

In the 1993 movie comedy Freaked the hero of the movie was taken prisoner by henchmen who worked for the mega corporation E.E.S. You are probably wondering what this has to do with university conferences the subject at hand. In the movie E.E.S. stood for ownership of Everything Except Shoes. That is the future, with probably rare exception the power will be concentrated with 2-3 conferences consisting of 16 to 24 teams. Can you just imagine what type of round robin post season tournament must be configured?

Where does he stand?

If we check the Mizzou roster and listen to the coach it says guards and faster paced play this season. That makes for a question, where does Jordan Wilmore fit in this picture? Wilmore is a 7-foot 3-inch 310-pound post player, he played limited minutes as a freshman. Was it Wilmore’s adjustment to Division I basketball or the fact his skills might be limited? We can only check out highlights from high school since Wilmore played so little as a Mizzou freshman. That can be deceptive since he’s matched against players much smaller in stature and weight than him.

Video indicates Wilmore can move up and down the floor easily despite his weight. He is adept defensively although to play in the SEC he must adjust his game. The video available indicates he is skilled offensively, naturally his height makes the dunk most easily for him. Despite that fact Wilmore has a jump hook with range and a bank shot from the wing. Where does this leave Jordan Wilmore as he moves into his sophomore season. Last season senior Jeremiah Tilmon was in front of him on the depth chart as was expected. Although coach Cuonzo appears to be leaning toward an up-tempo offense Wilmore might be able to convince him otherwise. The job is Wilmore’s for the taking however he’s got to prove to the coaching staff he wants it. 

Basketball from a fans perspective

I only read the headline

The resident entertainer (that’s what I now place in front of his name) Stephen A. Smith is at it again. He’s decided the U.S. should stop playing basketball at least for this Olympics. The headline read “Should the U.S. withdraw its Olympic team” or something quite similar. Question Mr. Smith why, because they are not playing at the level of previous teams or what you might have expected? Don’t you think that type of decision might rest with the head coach his staff or someone other than you offering an opinion? 

Oh, I forgot you are just exercising your right to free speech and have only voiced your opinion on the matter. You say you are not to be taken seriously despite a large portion of the nation and world have access to your daily rantings. By the way did you know Kris Middleton, Devin Booker and Jrue Holiday are on the way to Tokyo. We have no idea if they have any gas left in the tank after a competitive championship however, they should help to a degree. As for the possibility of losing, I’m not a doom and gloom guy isn’t it better to compete and risk losing over withdrawing from competition? We are eagerly awaiting your answer Mr. Smith. 

It’s been quite a journey

Can we state Khris Middleton might be the second-best Bucks player? That’s not intended to be a put down on him or his talent, allow a further brief explanation. After he played at Texas A&M Middleton was made the 39^th pick in the second round by the Pistons in 2012, notice we said it was round two before he was chosen. Not able to earn a roster position with the Pistons Middleton was sent to play for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the G-League.

The Pistons would later recall him, in July 2013 Middleton was traded to the Bucks along with two other players. The balance of this story is known, he moved into the starting lineup. Since his arrival with the Bucks Middleton’s been an NBA All Star twice (2019, 2020) with the Bucks. Middleton is now an NBA champion having been a key to the Bucks championship run. What about this series of life events, second round draft pick spent time in the G-League and would become a twice NBA All Star and now champion? 

The landscape is liable to change

Wednesdays news contained a story indicating Texas and Oklahoma had “reached out” to the SEC. The sonic boom you heard was the reaction of the other Big XII schools. Our reading indicates the SEC generates the most revenue among all conferences in the nation. Just imagine what the Big XII might appear with no Texas and Oklahoma. What’s that you say, Kansas remains a conference member. Allow me to clue you in Kansas doesn’t count as much as you might believe. For universities its football, football and more football. The sport with the oblong ball rules supreme, we love basketball, but it is just not at the revenue generating level of football. Don’t get it twisted Jayhawk Nation, you have one of the most successful basketball programs in the nation.

On the other hand, Kansas football is pretty much pathetic, I would venture to say some of the high-profile high school programs in the metro such as Bishop Miege or Rockhurst might really give Kansas football a match on the gridiron. As for this potential move consider this, Texas in the SEC with the Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston metro populations could prove a boon to SEC sports. We might find this next part interesting, its being reported if a vote is to be taken Texas A&M and Mizzou will vote against any measuring to allow the two Big XII schools in the conference. It’s said Texas A&M moved originally to get out from under the shadow of the University of Texas. Mizzou possibility for financial reasons, Mizzou left the Big XII originally due to revenue not divided equally. Texas received a larger share than other schools in the conference. Before the sunset, we heard from the Pac-12, apparently, they intend to enter this competition to add teams as well. We are no longer handicapped by geography everyone travels by air, so despite the distance it’s possible to see a UCLA-Oklahoma conference football or basketball game. Stay tuned for additional updates on this continuing developing story. NOTE: As this report was completed its being reported Texas intends an announcement on Monday.

Laker backcourt

The rumor mill is working overtime regarding the Laker back court next season. As you are aware the offense suffered with no AD or LeBron on the floor. This statement is made despite the two missing in action during February and March this past season when injured. Based on this fact and the word on the street at the time the season starts, we could find the following player(s) in the backcourt with LeBron.  These are just the names mentioned thus far as possible additions:

Russell Westbrook

Chris Paul

Dame Lillard

Lonzo Ball

Buddy Hield

Kyle Lowrey

CJ McCollum

That’s a total of 7 players, rest assured the Lakers certainly cannot add some to the roster. $$$ certainly, might affect Westbrook, Paul, Lillard and perhaps Ball. What occurs, my best guess is the Lakers add Ball, Hield or Lowrey. Keep in mind I am unable to see the bottom line for the team, the Lakers are still paying Luol Deng. 

Basketball from a fans perspective

Only two

It’s apparent promises have been made to Oklahoma State’s Cade Cunningham regarding the draft. The 6-foot 8-inch point/shooting guard is projected to be the top pick in the 2021 NBA draft next week. Cunningham is working out for only two teams, the Pistons and Rockets. Certainly, makes sense if we think about it, the Pistons have the number one pick while the Rockets have number two. If for some reason he is passed by the Pistons surely the Rockets will select him is his belief.  Many will say he’s arrogant only working out for two teams, I see it as just the opposite. Cunningham is certain the maximum he might drop in the draft is to the number two pick.    

A return to 2013

There were numerous significant events occurring in 2013 in this instance our focus is the NBA draft. With pick 15 the Bucks selected international prospect Giannis Antetokounmpo from Greece. Antetokounmpo stood 6 foot 9 and was a rather thin 196 pounds at the time. How about the top pick in 2013, that would be Anthony Bennett chosen by the Cavs? Three NBA teams later and two stints in the G-League he was found to be severely lacking in talent despite being the number one pick that year. What did the media grade the Antetokounmpo pick you might ask? USA Today awarded the Bucks a B grade and the same B grade was given by Bleacher Report?

We are not picking on Bennett alone there were several players drafted ahead of Antetokounmpo with less than stellar NBA careers. As an example, Cody Zeller was chosen with the 4^th pick and Trey Burke was the 9^th pick both still in the league however we could say their NBA careers have only been average. Oh, that Antetokounmpo guy, he grew another 2 inches (6 foot 11) and gained 46 pounds to 242. This is certainly proof scouting is not an exact science, it was believed in 2013 Bennett was a can’t miss prospect while Antetokounmpo was a borderline talent. I uncovered one source from that time containing a huge error, this .com site misspelled his last name. In fairness I double check my spelling every time I write his last name.

Is this a guess?

The NCAA landscape is ever changing however this is believed to still be correct. Prospective talent is limited to 5 official visits, we guess unofficial visits to a school might be unlimited. The question revolves around the ultimate destination, should the travel provide us a hint on this prospects range of possibilities? Currently I have no answer just a thought, what do you think?  Aidan Shaw a 4-star small forward from Branson (MO) is the number 56 prospect in Rivals Class of 2022. His 5 visits are complete among the schools he visited over the summer have been Mizzou and Kansas. The others he stopped at include Iowa, Maryland and Oklahoma State. While nothing is an exact science curious minds wonder how this all works out. 

This is written ahead of time

Members of Nets Nation might look at the 2021 NBA championship and say, “If only.” If only our trio of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Hardin had been healthy season long, Durant might have been the healthiest of the three. If only James Harden hadn’t suffered a hamstring injury at a crucial time. If only Kyrie Irving hadn’t sustained an ankle injury, we could go on, but this is a stopping point. The Nets acquiring Harden after the season had begun were clear favorites to come out of the east.

Most of the experts had the Nets facing the Lakers for the championship with many crowning the Nets 2021 NBA champions, that was then, this is now. It is interesting neither the Lakers nor Nets were the opponents. It’s too early as this is written to discuss the upcoming season in detail for at least two reasons. Item 1. The NBA draft is yet to be held and Item 2., free agency doesn’t begin until August 1. As for the draft it appears with both their first and second round picks the Nets should be able to draft a quality player. The statement is made because this draft on the surface appears quite lucrative. As for the issue of free agency signing Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving plus trading for James Hardin the Nets appear to be a potential destination for talent. The trio can score with the best of them, can they defend effectively?

Basketball from a fans perspective

You are the One

Remember in The Matrix, over and over early Morpheus had to convince Neo “You are the one.” No matter what was said or done Neo didn’t believe until near the end of the movie.  We also might have been skeptical, we knew Giannis Antetokounmpo was extraordinarily talented but only to a point. We must be convinced, we said, “He doesn’t shoot the 3 well”, or maybe this one “Giannis is poor from the line.” Perhaps worst of all this one, “I don’t think he’s capable of taking his team to the championship level.” All that commentary and others went down the drain on Tuesday night as Neo…Giannis prove to all “He is the one”. He went over, around and on top of the Suns defense.

We know basketball is a team game however it certainly helps with a Giannis in your lineup. You may have read or heard these numbers but one more time. In 4 of the 6 games Giannis shot over 60% from the floor while scoring 211 points, he shot 62% in the series. 62 rebounds (10.3 a game), 26 assists and 10 block shots during the series. Remember the mention of his poor free throw shooting, how about 17-19 from the line? A friend pointed out few of the shots taken by Giannis were from distance, which is true, but this is my point. When you are in a zone as Giannis was is it necessary to hoist up 3-point shots? As for my prediction of a Suns win, I missed this one big time but props to the Bucks in winning the championship. The Bucks are winners of their second NBA championship and the first since 1971. In closing don’t allow this to conclude he belongs in the conversation regarding all-time greats. He’s got to do this 3 or 4 more times to be included among that group of players. 

The Hawk & The Doctor

The headline is no reference to a movie old or new; in addition, it doesn’t relate to a television program. It’s what might be a connection between Connie Hawkins and Julius Irving. Hawk grew up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, Dr. J. was born in East Meadow New York and from the age of 13 grew up in Roosevelt New York, these locations are roughly 25 miles apart depending on address to address. As for the physical part, Hawk stood 6 foot 8 inches while Dr. J. is the same height, both played at 210 pounds. With only 8 years age (1942 vs 1950) difference between the two did it occur? It’s my contention the pre-teen Erving might have witnessed Hawk play at Rucker Park in Harlem or perhaps at a Boys High School basketball game.

As pointed out earlier Hawk’s game was played in rarified air with his flights to the basket for a dunk or put back, wasn’t Dr. J.’s game somewhat similar? Both players had enormous hands allowing them to palm a basketball with their left or right hand. Hawk had already turned pro when he may have witnessed Dr. J. in action at Roosevelt High School or perhaps at UMass. The games of both players are so similar, due to circumstances of the time few of us had the opportunity to witness Hawk in action as we did with Dr. J. The question, did the good doctor pattern his game (to a degree) what he saw in the game of Hawk? Could it have been the other way around, could Dr. J. have influenced the game of the Hawk? This is all conjecture now, Connie Hawkins died in 2017 at the age of 75 from cancer. In numerous interviews we’ve never heard Dr. J. mention the Hawk but surely, he must have seen him play. The Hawk and the Doctor have been enshrined in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. 

Bits n Pieces 

In addition to the Bucks win Tuesday also resulted in additional NBA news. Former Yankee Alex Rodriguez and business partner Mark Lore were approved by the NBA Board of Governors regarding the sale of the Wolves franchise. The new owners purchased 20% share of the team Wolves plus ownership state in the WNBA Lynx. According to the information provided Rodriguez and Lore will begin as minority owners of the franchise however they can purchase additional shares in the future should they desire. An additional 20% can be purchased in 2022 and another 20% in 2023, that would make them majority owners of the Wolves. It is unclear for now if they intend to purchase additional shares allowing them 100% ownership. 

The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference might be making news in a different manner. The conference will require all players, coaches, officials, band members and cheerleading teams to be COVID-19 vaccinated at the start of the season. SIAC is a Division II conference, if you are unfamiliar with the conference most of the schools are in the southern region of the nation. Conference schools are Kentucky State, Albany State and Clark Atlanta to name just a few.

Not so fast Kansas Jayhawks it might not be quite that easy. Most are aware Kansas had somewhat of a down year competing last season. Those declaring for the NBA draft decided in favor of returning to school, that’s the good news. The not so good news is south of Lawrence Kansas in Austin Texas. Shaka Smart departed for Marquette but replaced by Chris Beard. Beard always adapt at recruiting at all stops appears to have used his recruiting skill to improve the respectable Texas roster. Transfers along with holdovers and newcomers will see Texas competitive with, you guessed it Kansas.

This is news

You remember Makur Maker don’t you, he was the 5-star prospect who decided to attend Howard University. This was news in the spring of 2020 because the last several years has witnessed few high-profile black athletes attending HBCU schools. Maker said at the time he hoped his enrollment would be a spark for other athletes, that was then this is now. Maker played but two games before an injury and then COVID-19 shut the Howard program down completely.

Fast forward to the spring of 2021, Maker announced he was declaring for the NBA draft. Just recently the 6-foot 11-inch forward announced he was withdrawing from the draft. On Wednesday came word from Maker, he wouldn’t be returning to Howard. The brief explanation his desire to be the top pick in the NBA draft and this would not occur due to no play this past season. Maker indicates if he remained in the draft, he would be a 2^nd round pick. At this point with no further word, we are unsure what the immediate future holds for Maker. Stand by we should receive an update on his intentions in the next few weeks.

Baloney

I listen to local sports talk radio in 5-minute segments, that’s about all I can handle, and this provides you an example why. Driving to work this I turned on the radio, one of the co-hosts was giving the listeners his reasons for believing Giannis Antetokounmpo was a better player than Chris Paul. This had nothing to do with athletic ability rather his perception. This is the manner he explained to listeners, “Paul has moved from team to team while Antetokounmpo has remained in Milwaukee and signed an extension.”

Everything this host stated is true however I beg to differ with his view and the following is my counterpoint(s). I conducted a quick count; it appears Paul has been traded three times in his career. Free agency is one thing being traded is something completely different, I seriously doubt Paul requested to be traded three times…however I could be wrong. As for Giannis with all the talk about him headed to a large market team he decided to remain in Milwaukee and that’s a good thing. If Giannis is this host favorite players that’s okay too but I take issue with the manner he concluded which is the better player.  

Basketball from a fans perspective

Invited to the Green Room

All the years I’ve followed the NBA I have no idea how this works. On Tuesday, the NBA extended invitations to 20 athletes to attend the NBA draft on July 29 in the Barclays Center, they will be seated in the Green Room. This is done for television purposes, the commissioner or his deputy announce the draftees name and the athlete comes on stage to shake hands with them. Then photos are taken and generally but not always a television interview is conducted. This sequence of events doesn’t occur with all the draftees but certainly a segment go through this process. As for the statement made at the beginning, who gets invited? Most times those extended invitations are generally thought to be the top 30 or so prospects in the annual draft and we guess that still prevails.  

She’s added to the staff

In Tuesday’s other news Edniesha Curry was added to the Blazers coaching staff. Are you unfamiliar with her name, so was I until I read on, she’s a former WNBA player? She played for the Mercury and Sparks prior to her coaching career. Get this, she held two jobs while at the University of Maine. Her first job was woman’s coach at the school, she left for a period and when she returned moved over and became an assistant on the men’s side. Curry was the only woman to coach men’s Division I basketball in the nation. On Tuesday it was announced she will become part of Chauncey Billups coaching staff, she now becomes the 8^th female assistant coach in the NBA. 

Climate Pledge Arena

The former Key Arena in Seattle built in 1962 is reborn this fall, and it’s now Climate Pledge Arena. The arena is being refurbished for the NHL expansion Kraken beginning play for the 2021-22 season. It is designed as the first 21^st Century structure with the environment in mind when construction is complete. As an example, ice for the rink will be collected rainwater even the Zamboni to be used is electrically powered. Climate Pledge will hold 17,100 for NHL hockey and if (or when) the NBA returns the Sonics will play before 18,100 fans.

The part most confusing to most outsiders like me, why now? At the time Clay Bennett purchased the Sonics there were reports “he was interested in the team remaining in Seattle.” It seemed like at least two years Bennett and city officials went back and forth attempting to hash out an agreement. In fact, at one point, I believe Key was even in the discussion at a point. For several reasons neither he nor the city could ever come to a meeting of the minds. Here we are some years later and the city and private industry have managed to come together when they couldn’t in 2008. In any event Seattle is ready for the NHL in the fall of 2021 and the NBA at some future date. According to figures the entire project will come in around $1.1 billion, we can hardly wait for the expansion Sonics to begin play. 

What do you think?

Wunderkind Emoni Bates will enter his senior year of high school at Ypsi Prep Academy in Michigan next month. At this point we don’t know if its college or a professional start in the fall of 2022. That question aside you might deliberate the “What do you think” requiring your thought process? It appears (notice that) Bates stands 6 foot 9 inches, depending on your source he weighs as little as 185 pounds or a “hefty” 201. Most sites list Bates as a small forward which might present a problem when he begins play at the next level, we might witness Bates pushed all over the floor defending small forwards who could weigh up to 235 pounds.

It’s my belief (unless he gains weight) Bates might be a better fit at the shooting guard. It’s been pointed out previously Hall of Fame player George Gervin was 6 foot 7 but spent his time in the ABA/NBA at a slim trim 180 pounds. Gervin might have been one of those guys who couldn’t gain additional weight, that might be the case for Bates. Back to Gervin a moment, he spent a great deal of his play at the shooting guard although he did spend some time at small forward. I discussed the question with two co-workers, they believe given time Bates will “grow into his body.” Both indicate they see no need of my proposal. Okay, that’s your question…should coaches consider moving Bates to the shooting guard?

Hmmmmm

Just in case there might have been a question on the record, this reminder.

Lakers

17 NBA championships

19 Conference titles

33 Division Titles

Clippers

0 NBA championships

0 Conference titles

2 Division titles     

Basketball from a fans perspective

The International game

Despite Stephen A. Smith’s pompous commentary, apparently, he’s not reached the realization the world basketball game continues to grow over time. Curious I decided to check NBA.com, I was interested in the number of international athletes, and this is what I discovered. The 2019-20 information indicated there are 108 International players from 41 nations playing in the NBA. We could offer as evidence the dynamic play of Luka Doncic and 2021 NBA MVP Nikola Jokic.

We could add the name Rudy Gobert to the discussion as well. As this is written we don’t know if the Bucks win the NBA championship. If they manage to accomplish the feat there is a principal reason, the play of power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo. Based on the statements it might appear I’ve thrown up my hands and ready to surrender to the world. Far from it my desire is for USA to win in international play including the Olympics. At the same time with the continuing influx of international players into the NBA we cannot or should not expect to dominate basketball as might have occurred in the past. Don’t believe I’ve given up on international play, especially the Olympics I am just being a realist.

Hold on there

We speculated Kawhi Leonard might be bound to the Clippers due to surgery. Despite what might have been stated this might not be reality. Entering the picture, the Dallas Mavs who are below the salary cap and anxious to spend in free agency. This change is based on a fansided.com story, the Mavs have a list of prospective free agent they are expressing interest. Of course, of the names mentioned Kawhi Leonard is the one that attracts the most attention. New Mavs GM Nico Harrison indicates he wants to create a culture that makes Dallas a player destination, no Texas state tax should certainly aid the cause of attracting players.

We don’t know

An account in Rock M Nation Mizzou’s fan website contained interesting information. If every player remains eligible plus no one transfers the cupboard is full. Mizzou has one scholarship remaining for 2021-22 and one for 2022-23. Coach Cuonzo Martin is non-committal whether an athlete is added prior to the start of school this fall. Despite a full roster we have no idea what the future holds for Mizzou in the SEC this fall and winter. The main reason for the question marks, Kobe Brown is the only returnee who played major minutes this past season.

The 6-foot 7 Brown averaged 6.3 points and 4.1 rebounds a game hardly eye-popping number. The hope Amari Davis Green Bay, Jarron Coleman Ball State, DaJuan Gordon Kansas State plus Ronnie DeGray UMass arrive and not miss a beat. All those named have experience playing basketball at the Division I level. The difficulty is molding this varied collection of talent into a cohesive unit. It’s possible we might not see this team play as a “team” until February. This Mizzou team will have plenty of practice prior to the first game but practice is just that. It reminds us of the former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson quote, ‘Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.”

Hopefully the “punch in the mouth will not be fatal for the program. The 2021-22 crop of Mizzou Tigers contains only one senior, with the prospect of losing only one player can a team possibly “over-recruit”? That is certainly a possibility, Rock M Nation indicates as much based on Mizzou’s roster. The Tigers could lose several players based on the lack of opportunity to play. Surely prospective talent must check the roster of Mizzou or any other destination prior to deciding that’s where I want to go. That prospect must determine in their head who the competition might be for their position and if they believe they can play major minutes.

Upset…yes, a number are 

The NBA in some instances is no different from other professional sports. We are often reminded, “Nobody is watching the NBA, they are not watching because of all the Black Lives Matter and other political and social stuff.” Yes, rest assured we’ve read the letters, there are a vast number of NBA fans turned off by the political and social stance taken by the NBA and many of its athletes. Despite that fact there is visible proof of the other, a larger number of fans either believe in the effort or frankly don’t care what the players do.

Remember there was a question prior to the championship beginning, “No major market teams competing for the championship, viewership would be down.” Well, that’s not exactly occurred according to the numbers released thus far. In addition, there are serious doubts if we could witness more rambunctious and vocal crowds than we’ve seen in both cities. New York, Los Angeles and Chicago might be able to turn out larger numbers however the crowds certainly wouldn’t be as demonstrative as we’ve witnessed. Do social and politics turned off fans, rest assured a percentage don’t agree with it or even like it. The issues outside of basketball certainly appears to have minimal impact on fans in Phoenix and Milwaukee especially those gathered outside the arenas.  

Basketball from a fans perspective

The Fat Lady  

I have followed the NBA for an untold number of years. I am continually amazed at times with the outcome of games especially once a team(s) begin a playoff run. Saturday evening was certainly an example of a classic Finals game. The Suns shot 55.2% from the floor, 68% from 3 and 90% from the line plus the game was on their home court. Those stats would indicate game winner Suns but not Saturday night as they lost 123-119. As my friend Kattie said; “So many other things come into play to nip statistics in the bud!!!” The Bucks now take a commanding 3 Games to 2 lead with Game 6 being played Tuesday in Milwaukee.

Can the Suns win Game 6, of course they can, I picked them to win the whole thing? That is not the situation currently the Suns face, as Kenny Loggins might sing, they are in the “Danger Zone.” And the other portion of the lyrics fit them to a tee, “Highway to the Danger Zone” and there is no one capable of flying in and rescuing them except them. The Suns have now lost 3 games in a row with the next one on the road, the Fat Lady is not singing yet but she certainly might be tuning up. A pause here, I didn’t pick the Suns because of a belief they were the outstanding team.  The pick was made strictly based on Chris Paul and my belief he wanted a championship ring prior to retirement. Unless something spectacular occurs, we’ll witness enshrinement in the Hall of Fame like Charles Barkley…ringless.

Sneakerheads

I am always asking questions, but I hope they are valid, here goes. As many are aware at the time Kobe Bryant arrived in the NBA, he signed with the Adidas brand. He wore the brand in several models over the course of the contract. Once the Adidas contract expired, he signed with the Nike brand and wore various models of it over the remainder of his NBA career. Adidas is back in the game again so to speak; they are offering the design shoes Kobe wore while he was under contract with them.

Rest assured sneakerheads who don’t have the Adidas by Kobe are probably excited about the possibility of acquiring them, as for the rest of us there are questions. Is this being done due to the death of Kobe Bryant in January 2020? Is there still a contract in place allowing Adidas the right to manufacture this shoe again? Finally, is the Bryant family to earn revenue from this re-issue or do all the funds return to the coffers of Adidas? Those are questions we hope are answered over the next few weeks and months.

Have they turned the corner? 

This is the Hawks of Atlanta, prior to a response there are two keys to continued first-rate play. Nate McMillian is retained as head coach of the team (this was written prior to his 4-year contract) and injuries don’t impact them as was evident this playoff season. Over the years the Hawks have been a good team however they never appeared capable of advancing in the playoff picture. This statement is made despite having Dominque Wilkins, Mookie Blaylock and Kevin Willis. This version of the Hawks have solid performers at every starting position, in addition the reserves are good.

Trae Young moved into a different realm in the 2020-21 season especially after McMillian took over. The agile point guard is primarily thought of as a shooter but he’s a ball distributor too. During the regular season Young finished in 4^th place with nearly 10 assists per game. He increased his per game scoring by 3+ points in the playoffs (28.8). As for the others Clint Capela is not much of an offensive threat but can be depended for lobs from Young, he also was a double man in rebounds. The others John Collins, Kevin Huerter and Bogdan Bogdanovic are quite capable in the offensive and defensive area. If I were a Hawks fan, I would be excited about the future of this team. 

Action rather than words

There was debate whether to write this, someone once said “Why must it all be about race or gender.” Well, it’s not all the time however significant events need to be mentioned. We acknowledge the NFL is the most popular sport especially in the U.S. that’s a fact. The NFL has gone on record numerous times attempting to point out its minority and gender hiring. Much was made about the female game official working the February Super Bowl.

Violent Palmer began officiating NBA games in 2006, although she’s now retired there are 7 female NBA game officials working currently. Besides the official working the Super Bowl are their others in the NFL, yes there are, two. How about head coaches, there are two (2) black head coaches in the NFL? With the recent hires and holdovers, the NBA now has 12 black head coaches and 2 other minority holdovers. The issue often evident is words and little action by the NFL. Example The Rooney Rule implemented by the NFL was intended to increase the number of head coach hires. Despite the rule as noted above the hiring process apparently has not been fruitful and it appears nothing more than lip service by the NFL.

The NBA’s future

There are several young NBA players who are the face of an exciting future. One of those faces belongs to Zion Williamson Pelicans power forward. There are two questions which continue to linger about him, will he remain in New Orleans and must he lose weight. First response, the Pelicans front office appears disjointed. They have managed to assemble a good team through the draft and trades but not a great deal of improvement reveals itself on the court. The problem they continue to change head coaches which leads to uneven play.

Unless the Pelicans began a move upward it is likely Williamson might be history. The weight issue, Williamson stands 6 foot 7 but weighs 284 pounds. No less an authority as Charles Barkley believes the youngster should lose several pounds. While he played Barkley was 6 foot 6 and 252 pounds. Barkley has gone on record indicating there might be knee problems in his future without losing weight. Williamson only played 24 games his rookie season due to injury, his second year was productive. He improved his scoring from 22.5 to 27 points per game and his .611 field goal percentage ranked high among NBA players. The two down areas which could stand improvement his 3-point shooting and his shot from the line. His 3-point and free throw shooting are areas that could improve in time.