Basketball from a fans perspective   

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This is the last time

We’ve heard voices raised in two areas about the NBA’s 75^th Anniversary team.

*The players who believe they were slighted because they were not included.

*The fans who decide because “Sam Smith” played in 1951 he doesn’t belong on the team.

Let’s check, sorry Klay Thompson you have been an outstanding player thus far. Outstanding enough to include on an All-Time list? Dwight Howard was slighted, he should have been a member of this team. As for others it is impossible to account for all players in the 75-year history of the NBA. This is the last article about the anniversary team.

He might be the tallest mayor in the nation

Carl Gerlach is mayor of Overland Park Kansas, a city in the Kansas City Missouri metro. Gerlach was first elected mayor of this city in 2005, he was re-elected in 2009 and 2013. He decided against running in 2021. The basketball connection, Gerlach played basketball at Kansas State University, how good was he you ask? He was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks in 1976, an injury in training camp would dash his hopes for an NBA career so he went to work in the private sector. Gerlach began his political career first being elected to the Overland Park City Council in 1995. As for the basketball background, we have no method to confirm this claim. At 6 foot 10 inches surely, there is no other mayors in the nation as tall as Gerlach.

Bits n Pieces   

Chet Walker lasted into the 2^nd round of the 1962 draft, we must pause and consider a key factor. The NBA at that period had only 9 teams. If we look at that year’s draft, it had a number who would later earn a Hall of Fame career. That would include Chet Walker who played his college basketball at Bradley University however this is what is most interesting. Bill McGill, Paul Hogue and Len Chappell were outstanding players in college, the NBA would prove difficult for those named and others. As for Walker he arrived as a two time All American first team member plus once a second time All American. He was a member of the NBA All Rookie Team.

What to expect, it’s just that we don’t know. In this instance we speak of Mizzou Nation and the outlook for the upcoming basketball season. Javon Pickett along with Kobe Brown return plus Jordan Wilmore and get this Wilmore never played. As for the other two they played although we can say with certainty, they didn’t play major minutes so that’s it. With graduation and transfers the cupboard would appear bare. Mizzou will field a crop of newcomers with incoming first-year students plus the transfers. This team is flying beneath the radar with the national and SEC media, this might be a good thing for them. A young team having to build on the fly says they might surprise once conference play begins. That last statement certainly reflects the belief of most in Mizzou Nation.

I’m one of the few who does not see the need, in this instance we are discussing GOAT conversations. I’ve stated over and over it serves no purpose and offers no solution. Was Pete Maravich a better shooter than Ray Allen, how about post play…Wilt Chamberlain or Shaquille O’Neal? We could go on and on and on painting this picture which serves no purpose except discussion or in a few instances an argument. The game changes, players change and even game conditions change. There is no true answer except the one in your HEAD.

He doesn’t belong either

There is another 75^th Anniversary player that “doesn’t belong on the team.” Billy Cunningham was nicknamed The Kangaroo Kid during his NBA career. Cunningham played his college basketball for Dean Smith at North Carolina; he was made the 5^th pick in the 1965 NBA Draft by the Sixers.  That Sixer team was so loaded with talent the former All American began as a Sixth Man. After 7 seasons as a member of the Sixers Cunningham jumped to the ABA where he continued to distinguish himself. He played for the Carolina Cougars for two seasons before returning to the Sixers to play the balance of his basketball career.

When he retired Cunningham served as an analyst for one season for CBS before assuming the role of head coach for the Sixers in the 1977-78 season. Cunningham has two NBA Championship rings, one as a Sixer player in 1967 and the other as head coach of the team in 1983. Cunningham has a dual honor being enshrined in the Naismith and College Basketball Hall of Fame. The first sentence saying “doesn’t belong on the anniversary team” was just to poke fun, we decided because an athlete played in a certain era, they shouldn’t be part of the 75^th Anniversary team. Isn’t that the idea behind an anniversary, i.e., to honor ALL?

This is interesting news

You might remember NFL Europe; this was an attempt by the NFL to expand the game to Europe. There were as many as 10 teams spread across the European continent at one time, the league went out of business in 2007. There might be debate on the success or lack of this effort to import NFL style football to Europe. How about today’s news, a report exists the NBA and FIBA have begun talks to create NBA Europe, this new league would take in 13 of the current Euroleague teams.

We are only in the talking stages is all we can report. A couple of notes, this predicted effort coincides with the dream of the late David Stern. While Stern served as commissioner NBA teams began playing exhibition and regular season games in Europe. Creating NBA Europe has huge advantages should it come to fruition. These teams would only play on the continent, no flights to the U.S. to play an NBA schedule. There is a built-in advantage here, Europe is more accustomed to pro basketball than American football. That’s not to say it will be a slam-dunk, but this has a built-in advantage NFL football never had.