Basketball from a fans perspective   

Published Monday through Friday

His new job

What to do, what to do…that might have been the question and thought process of JJ Redick. After a splendid 15-year NBA career the sharpshooter announced he was retiring prior to the 2021-22 season. Redick will go to work as a studio analyst for ESPN beginning November 3, he will also be part of the broadcast crew for several NBA games. This is not his first venture into this realm, he previously hosted his own podcast. Redick’s best years in the NBA might have been with the Clippers and the Lob City crew, unfortunately that bunch was a talented team that never ascended to the heights expected. In any event Redick certainly did, his NBA career might have been stuck in neutral if he’d not become one of the best 3-point shooters and 6^th man in the NBA. Good luck with this future endeavor Mr. Redick.

We need a reminder from time to time

A fellow member of Laker Nation reminded me of my past statement. I told him, “I was concerned about the Lakers trading for Russell Westbrook but I’m okay now.” I went on to explain the basis for my statement and then he countered with this. “Remember you made a similar assertion about LeBron James?” I was brought down to earth because he was correct, although LeBron arrived via free agency I wasn’t pleased with the addition, and it had nothing to do with his ability to play the game.

The journey back in time took me to one Dennis “The Worm” Rodman, although his tenure with the Lakers was brief, I was still skeptical of his arrival and not pleased at the time he was picked up. This member wants the best additions for the team that has set the gold standard in the NBA. Sure, you can say they are tied with the Celtics for the number of championships (17). We can say with conviction the Lakers have won more over the past 10-15 years over the Celtics…want a count? The Celtics last won it all in 2008, the Lakers have won three since then. If we go back to the year 2000, we can add three more championships, that is a 6 to 1 advantage. As for the subject at hand, I never claimed Westbrook wasn’t talented my issue was part of his game. Could he adapt and become more of a collaborator with this storied Laker franchise?

The question can, or will Westbrook adapt will remain unanswered until playoff time however he is certainly capable. I’m just an ordinary guy who loves basketball especially that of the Lakers and Mizzou. The claim is not of an expert however it would appear there are times I’m held I believe to a different standard. That’s okay, there are statements made in the past that have come back to bite me in the butt but that’s okay.

We are happy for him!

Clippers owner Steve Ballmer is happy, he’s got a right to be euphoric. He owns one of the best teams in the NBA, in addition the Intuit Dome future home of the Clippers is under construction. This ultramodern arena in Inglewood will be like none other as for the balance of this story that’s another matter. Ballmer in an interview discussing the Intuit Dome says he “hopes to draw some fans from the Lakers with this new building.” I could be wrong however “I’m from Missouri you’ve got to show Me” how you intend to siphon fans of the Lakers. The arena will certainly be a draw once it’s completed for the 2024-25 NBA season but what occurs beyond that?

Butts in the seat is the easy part, the difficult part is winning. In this instance we are not discussing deep playoff runs we are deliberating on championships. The Lakers are too ingrained in SoCal with fans, after all they have been there since 1961. The Clippers are late on the scene by comparison (1984), I believed at the time Ballmer bought the team they would be moved to Seattle for a couple of reasons. His association with Microsoft is where he made his $$$$ and the fact there was no NBA team in Seattle. I was proven wrong in both instances; Los Angeles is the location where they stay. The Clippers need to win at least ONE NBA Championship before they can begin to compete with the Lakers for fans. Buildings look nice but even they fade after a while especially if there is nothing of significance occurring there i.e., NBA Championships. 

The (other) Kansas school

No, we are not discussing Wichita State, this is an account on Kansas State University in Manhattan. We rarely discuss the Wildcat program due to it now being in third place. In the hearts and minds of Kansans and others it’s the University of Kansas, Wichita State and K-State. It’s not always been that order; Kansas State had a national profile beginning in the 1940’s and extending into the 1960’s as the program competed successfully. Coaches were key to success; the late Jack Gardner’s Wildcat team won the 1951 NCAA Championship and the school won 147 games losing only 81 between 1931-1953. Remember the name Tex Winter, you associated his name with Phil Jackson. There’s a reason, Winter was an assistant coach with Jackson with the Bulls and Lakers. From 1953 through 1968 Winter was head coach for the Wildcats.

His teams won 261 games and made two Final Four appearances (1958, 1964). Winter’s replacement was Cotton Fitzsimmons although only there for a brief time he continued winning onto Jack Hartman who replaced him. Hartman’s replacement was Lon Kruger who played for Hartman. With the departure of Kruger came a succession of coaches, they include Dana Altman, Bob Huggins, Frank Martin and Bruce Weber. All the names mentioned had winning records while at K=State however there was one issue…failure to beat Kansas on a consistent basis.

In addition, the game particularly recruiting changed, with a national profile and winning the school in Lawrence was able to attract top notch talent. It appeared all K-State could do in that department was second tier players and occasional success on the basketball court. Back in the day K-State managed to send players into the NBA, Bob Boozer, Rolando Blackman, Mitch Richmond and others, that’s not been the case recently. Bruce Weber’s been on the job since 2012 and his record is a 143-85 but only 63-55 in the Big XII. There is no rivalry when you never beat the other guy and that is what has occurred in the games. Despite playing twice a season the last time K-State won was 2019 prior to that it was 2015 and then 2014. Win streaks, K-State won 5 games in a row twice, 1972-75 and 1982-83. Kansas 31 consecutive games from 1994-2005.