Basketball from a fans perspective

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Update

Reclassification has presented us a change in Rivals.com Class of 2021 basketball prospects. As pointed out earlier Jalen Duran (6-10) and Emoni Bates (6-9) were prospects in next year’s class, both reclassified to 2021. The Rivals revised list for 2021 places Duran at number four and Bates number five in the nation. As you are aware Duran will play for Memphis and Penny Hardaway; Bates is yet to commit although he visited Memphis and Oregon last week. A decision should come forth shortly for Bates. One more note or thought, it would be fantastic if sites like Rivals and others could include Euro, African and Asian prospects in their number of prospects. Perhaps the labor required to accomplish this might be too difficult to achieve.

Vaccination

The Miami Heat are requiring all employees to be administer the COVID-19 vaccine. As for the NBA commissioner Silver indicates there is no requirement in the NBA although he believes most players will eventually choose to do so. According to Michelle Roberts executive director of the NBA Players Association 90% of NBA players are vaccinated. Let’s not kid around with this issue, several folks have been stricken despite taking the shot.

It’s our understanding illness by those stricken are less severe for those vaccinated. In addition, there are a large number who won’t be convinced of the vaccine despite the efforts by local, state and federal government. If that is the case okay however those individuals should socially distance and wear a mask for the good of others. Professional leagues are adopting policy although like the NFL there is no national directive. In the NFL proof of vaccination will be required to enter Allegiant Stadium home of the Las Vegas Raiders this fall. On the other hand, the NFL Chiefs have guidelines in place hoping that fans attending Arrowhead Stadium will comply.

GOAT 

Despite what many say it’s not Michael Jordan, shockingly for this proud member of Laker Nation it’s not Kobe. The hook shot was in the repertoire of others however Kareem Abdul Jabbar took it to a level never seen either before or after his time. Allow me to toss one more accolade his direction, he pick the Bucks to win the 2021 NBA championship before it began. He kept his belief even when the Bucks fell into an 0-2 hole. Where did it all began, it was Power Memorial High School in New York City, that’s the location the basketball world discovered the 7-foot 2-inch Lew Alcindor as he was known then? He would lead Power Memorial to three consecutive New York City Catholic championships, the school had a 71-game winning streak while he played. Overall Power Memorial only lost two games while Alcindor was enrolled, they won seventy-nine total.

We have no idea how many colleges offered him a scholarship his choice would become UCLA. UCLA won three consecutive NCAA championships while Alcindor occupied the center position, they would have won four if first-year student were eligible. At that time first-year students were ineligible for varsity basketball, but this should give you an idea of how good he was. His first-year team played the varsity in a scrimmage and beat them, you say that’s no big deal. Consider this fact, that varsity team missing only one player was coming off an NCAA championship year. 2021 would see the Bucks win their second NBA championship, the first occurred in 1971 and guess who was on that team? By now he’d converted to the Muslim faith and become Kareem Abdul Jabbar, his basketball prowess continued as he won five more NBA championships.

The 7-foot 2-inch giant had the ability to shoot his patented Sky Hook with his right and left hand. Although the shot was difficult to block it was revealed several players accomplished the feat during Abdul Jabbar’s career. Wilt Chamberlain was reported to have done it twice and in one game no less, Ralph Sampson (who stood 7-4) and Artis Gilmore (7-2) accomplished it however Gilmore’s block was ruled a goaltend. The other block was registered by Bill Willoughby a 6-foot 8-inch journeyman forward with a 47-inch vertical. By the time Abdul Jabbar retired from the NBA he’d broken Wilt Chamberlain’s all-time scoring record. Twice he was finals MVP, six times NBA MVP, the Bucks and Lakers and UCLA Bruins retired number 33. Those are just a small part of the basketball history of Kareem Abdul Jabbar, if you think Jordan or Kobe someone else that’s okay but for me Abdul Jabbar is my GOAT. This is the one exception for me, no more debates from this corner going forward.

Name change

NBA teams have changed names for a variety of reasons, as an example the Thunder. They were prohibited contractually from becoming the Oklahoma City Sonics. As for others they changed names for varied reasons, the Pelicans are the most recent. The owner wanted a name connected to New Orleans and Louisiana and thought it was not Hornets. Meanwhile a move from Cincinnati to Kansas City made for a change, it was believed the Royals would not work with the baseball Royals already in the city. The Royals became the Kings a name they bear to this day. The franchise is now the Wizards, but they were the Chicago Packers then Zephyrs and finally a move to Baltimore where they were re-born as the Bullets.

Of course, the team moved to the nation’s capital where Wizards replaced the name Bullets. The owner believed bullets reflected violence and believed the team needed another name. The Syracuse (NY) Nationals would move to Philadelphia replacing the Warriors. The Warriors having moved to the Bay area, as for the Nationals they became the 76ers. Team never changed names; Minnesota the Land of 1000 Lakes is a state moto. In 1960 the Minneapolis Lakers moved to Los Angeles but continued play under the same name.

At least 4-5 former ABA teams managed to change names as well, in Denver the team was the Larks in 1967. Prior to the first season the name was changed to but changed their name to the Rockets before the start of that first season, in 1974 they became the Nuggets which they are still to this day. The Spurs history is connected to Dallas where the team first began play, they were the Chaparrals. At the time the team moved to San Antonio they were to be the Gunslingers, but the name was dropped prior to their first game, they became the Spurs first in the ABA and later NBA. The Nets have played all over the New York/New Jersey metro, but the team was first known as the New Jersey Americans. They have been the New York Nets, the New Jersey Nets and finally the Brooklyn Nets. So, name changes have affected franchises in the ABA and NBA.