Basketball from a fans perspective   

Published Monday through Friday

What about Camby

Several might remember Marcus Camby, he played his college ball at UMass (for John Calipari) and had a 19-year career in the NBA. Right now, you are probably asking yourself where is he going with this story? Okay, at the time Camby was drafted by the Raptors in 1996 he stood 6 foot 11 but a rather thin 220 pounds. One of the comments made, “Thin as he is they will break him apart at the NBA level.” This scenario did not play out to be a fact, by the time Camby retired he’d gained an additional 20 pounds and was 240.

We are reading accounts regarding 7-foot Chet Holmgren at Gonzaga and being anointed the new unicorn, the only criticism we hear or read to date of the first-year youngster is his reported thin weight, 195 pounds makes him a lightweight for his height. Here’s the good, he is likely to gain muscle (not weight) once in the NBA. At this point he’s got an advantage over Camby, he’s a better shooter especially from distance with 3-point capability. Now the key at least for this writer Holmgren’s shot blocking ability, like Camby he excels at blocking shots and providing a defensive presence around the basket. No need to worry about the weight of Holmgren until it’s determined he can’t play at the NBA level.

Who replaces him?

Trust me, no one in Mizzou Nation including the coach is pleased at this point in the season. With loud cries of firing Cuonzo Martin grow, the question becomes who replaces him? There is always a deserving assistant coach somewhere in country but even that brings about a question. A school in this case Mizzou must hire the correct assistant or former head coach as an example. It’s been pointed out Coach K. was a disaster his first three seasons at Duke, what might have occurred if the AD decided to fire him after year three? Certainly, no Hall of Fame nor NCAA Championships might have ever occurred. Another coach retired after last season is Roy Williams and that case is also interesting. This long-time assistant to Dean Smith at Carolina was announced as the next Kansas coach. Around here folks said, “Roy Who”, fortunately for Kansas he turned out to be a winner during his tenure.

The Bruce Pearl story was mentioned earlier, despite troubles at Tennessee many in Mizzou Nation wanted him. Auburn got him and years later Pearl is in trouble with the NCAA once again. Rest assured someone reading this might conclude Mizzou needs to stay the course i.e., keep Martin on board. That’s exactly what this writer is saying, a new coach must implement his system in which his team must adjust, new coach, new everywhere. Martin needs a timeline that says by _____________your team will be at ___________ or your job will be in jeopardy. I think there is a belief there are good coaches just waiting for a chance to prove themselves and to a degree that does exist. The only problem you buy a used car and drive it off the lot and the wheels fall off. Do you have a warranty protecting your purchase (hire)? In response to my conversation this was the message I received from a member of Mizzou Nation. “What about Alabama’s coach or Arkansas?” In the case of both schools, they struck lighting, two former head coaches arrived in the front door and at once rewarded alumni and fans of the programs. NOTE: The day before this story was published Coach Martin announced he’d tested positive for covid.

The OKC dilemma

We can agree Thunder basketball is not good at the present, after playing at a winning level last season we have seen them slip below .500 for much of the season thus far. The only bragging at this point is beating the LeBron-less Lakers twice. From 2009 until 2020 although they did not win a championship their won-loss record made them one of the most successful teams in the NBA. Much of the success of the Thunder was given to Sam Presti, Presti has served as general manager since the team called Seattle home. Presti was hired as GM at the old age of 29-years, early it appeared there was an uncanny ability for him to spot talent, evaluate it and make wise draft picks.

Over the last 3-4 years the problem for the Thunder is keeping the talent at hand and building around it. For the most part that’s not been the case, Russell Westbrook, James Hardin and Kevin Durant plus Serge Ibaka have gone on to success with other NBA teams. Chris Paul almost led the Suns to an NBA Championship last season; he was a member of the Thunder in 2020 until a trade. Of the players mentioned Durant is the only former Thunder player who left in free agency Westbrook, Hardin, Ibaka and Paul were traded for talent which should have added the pursuit of a championship. This becomes the OKC dilemma, the ability to spot and draft talent but the inability to grow that talent. All the problems are surely not Presti’s fault however he is the man in charge, he is the one involved in the contract negotiations of the veteran players who with the players salary demands the Thunder were forced to trade them.

The largest

College arenas can sometimes be imposing especially those we might consider high-profile schools.  Let’s look at just a few of them and the number of tickets they can sell. The Carrier Dome on the campus of Syracuse University doubles for the Syracuse football team as well, the dome can host 35,454 for basketball. In second place is The Greensboro Coliseum home of UNC-Greensboro with a seating capacity of 23,377, behind this arena is KFC Yum Center in Louisville, Kentucky.

This home of the University of Louisville can hold 22,090 for basketball. Next up is the Dean Smith Center or “Dean Dome”, home for the University of North Carolina and can seat 21,750. The Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville Tennessee seats 21,749 and is home for the University of Tennessee. Up next is Rupp Arena, home to the Kentucky Wildcats, the building can seat 20,545 Kentucky fans. Imagine this, the arenas mentioned have larger capacity than most NBA arenas.

HBCU

In case you are unsure HBCU is the abbreviation for “historically black college or university.” Once upon a time except in the north and west black athletes were prohibited from attending colleges and universities. Black athletes especially those in the southern states generally attended HBCU schools, most of which are in the southern part of the nation. Celtic great Sam Jones arrived in the NBA from North Carolina Central, Earl “The Pearl” Monroe from Winston-Salem State University and Willis Reed Grambling State are a few of the contingent from HBCU schools. As the landscape in the U.S. began to change in the 60’s and 70’s Georgia Tech, Ole Miss, Texas and others began recruiting black athletes who previously left the south to play for northern and western schools. As these changes came about fewer and fewer black athletes would choose HBCU institutions.

Howard University made news in 2020 when the first high profile basketball player in years decided in favor of this HBCU school and then BAM covid struck. Makur Maker might not have remained at Howard beyond his first year anyway, he’s since chosen a professional path to the NBA through play in Australia. In another case Hercy Miller son of media mogul Master P. decided in favor of HBCU Tennessee State to play basketball. Recently he announced his son was leaving the school due to a medical issue which Master P. believed could not be managed at TSU. The question, in the 21^st Century can the HBCU compete for football and basketball talent effectively? Unfortunately, the answer is no, HBCU’s will continue to produce those who want careers in the medical field, educators and the legal field. The days of producing athletes for the NBA and NFL has slowed to a trinkle and will never return to what it once was in the 1950’s.