Basketball from a fans perspective

Only one job remains

The Magic affirmed the news several sources have been reporting since last Friday, former Mavs assistant Jamahl Mosley has officially been named head coach. It’s also being reported former NBA player and Pelicans assistant Willie Green will soon be moved up to the front seat for the Pelicans. As this is written there are only one NBA team requiring a head coach and that is the Wizards. Unless we are surprised there are only two “names” in circulation at present.

One of them is former NBA player Sam Cassell a Sixer assistant and the other name, Spurs assistant Becky Hammon. At this point it might appear Hammon is displeased with the process based on her statement, “If you don’t want to hire me, you’ll find that reason.” Is that the future for Hammon or will it change, it’s likely Hammon returns to the Spurs in her present role. Based on the publishing schedule of this blog you will have the information on the Wizards hire prior to reading it hear. As for the new hires including Nate McMillian it’s patience, patience and more patience. A coach must be allowed adequate time to implement his or her program. The Pacers replaced Nate Bjorkgren after but one season, 11 less wins caused him to be fired.

These are the names

The Lakers have brought in several players to work out or interview ahead of the July 29 draft, they are:

Chris Duarte 6-foot 6-inch SG Oregon

Cameron Thomas 6-foot 4-inch SG LSU

Jaden Springer 6-foot 4-inch SG Tennessee

Matthew Hurt 6-foot 9-inch SF Duke

Corey Kispert 6-foot 7-inch SF Gonzaga

Trey Murphy III 6-foot 9-inch SG/SF Virginia

Neemias Queta 7-foot center Utah State

As you can determine the Lakers have been all over the map with potential draft choices. Get this none of the names above might not be drafted based on choices ahead of the Lakers at pick 22. Although we have no idea who might be chosen this might provide us an insight to the thought process. It would appear from this list a shooting guard would be the priority and small forward the second choice. Queta would appear to be the odd man out since he’s the only center interviewed thus far.

The Bahamas

According to information uncovered there are 17 islands that form the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, this former British colony gained its independence in 1973. How near the U.S., flight time from Miami to Nassau the capital is only one hour so that gives you an idea how close most of the nation is to the United States. This South Atlantic nation has a tropical climate and contains scenic land and ocean locales. The latest figures indicate the islands are populated with about 400,000 people, despite this the islands produced 7 basketball players talented enough to earn time in the NBA, the most successful are profiled here. The first was Rick Fox, he played for the Celtics and later was on several championship Laker teams, Fox is now retired and has turned to Hollywood as an actor.

From Fox we move now to Buddy Hield from Freeport. This standout guard for the Kings has become a lights out shooter after playing at Sunrise Christian Academy in Wichita and later at the University of Oklahoma prior to being drafted in 2016 as the 6^th pick by the Pelicans. We have two active players from the Bahamas in Hield and DeAndre Ayton of the Suns. Ayton’s basketball journey after leaving home was San Diego and then Hillcrest Prep Academy in Phoenix, he played his college ball at the University of Arizona. Ayton was made the first pick in the 2018 draft by the Suns. It’s interesting we read the most popular sport in the nation is basketball with cricket coming in second. After several years as a British colony, it’s easy to understand cricket but the closeness to the United States plus Buddy Hield and DeAndre Ayton might have become inspiration for many island youth. 

Quite a lineage

Milt Wagner Jr. is rated the top prospect in the Class of 2023, this 6-foot 3-inch point attends Camden High School in Camden New Jersey. That lineage thing, his grandfather Lester Wagner played at Louisville and then had a pro career with the Lakers, Heat and several other teams in the U.S. and Europe. Lester had a son, Milt Wagner an outstanding high school player. Milt played his college basketball at Memphis and had the world in front of him when drafted 6 in the first round of the 2002 NBA draft.

Milt would become ill in his first year in the NBA and it was later discovered he suffered from ulcerative colitis. This is a condition where the individual suffers inflammation and ulcers of the colon and rectum. Milt underwent surgery where his colon was removed but the basketball journey that began with so much promise was not over. Milt had a son, Milt Wagner Jr. a 6-foot 3-inch point guard from you guessed it Camden New Jersey. Junior just might turn out to be the best in the family, he’s rated the top prospect in the Class of 2023 and is certainly a talent to follow for the future. 

Money or For the Love of Money

We could be discussing the hit tunes by Pink Floyd (Money) or For the Love of Money by the O’Jays. We are discussing NBA players in this instance. Free agency is fast approaching, and several players will make astronomical demands of prospective teams. I’ve mentioned on more than one occasion I have difficulty in this area for several reasons. In the NBA and other professional sports most earn far more in income than most of us will ever see unless our name is Jeff Bezos or Warren Buffett.

Police, firefighters and the military place their life on the line sometimes every day without the prospect of earning giant sums of money. On the other hand, we must stop a moment and realize this is fact. Most athletes have or about to retire by the time they reach age 40, they could live another 50 years with “no income.” Most of us have nowhere near the amount to last the balance of our life if we retired at age 40, I know I didn’t.  Athletes, negotiate your large contract in private we don’t wish to hear you complain about Joe Smith earning more than you.  That ain’t gonna make any of us feel sorry for you, on the low end of the salary scale you are earning 20-30 times the salary of most of us. Again, conduct your business in private and then we have no reason to be upset with your earnings.