Basketball from a fans perspective   

Published Monday through Friday

Top 10 + 2

Whenever a list of Top Anything is compiled a name or two is omitted. That is the case here, Frank reminded me the list of All-Time Mizzou greats was missing a couple of names. Not only were they missing from my list both players have their jerseys hanging in the rafters although they played at the old Hearnes Center former home court. The first name is Willie Smith a 6-foot 2 guard who played at Mizzou from 1974-1976, he would lead the Tigers to the 1976 Big Eight Conference Championship.

Smith a guard had his number retired; in addition, he’s been enshrined in the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame. Next up John Brown a rugged 6-foot 7 220 pound small/power forward. Brown played at Mizzou from 1970-1973, like Smith his number 50 jersey has also been retired. When he left Mizzou, he was the all-time leading scorer, that record is now held by another player. Brown is enshrined in the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame as well. There are others omitted from the list such as Marcus Denmon, Jordan Clarkson or Melvin Booker (Devin’s father), all were good enough players but just missed the cut to be included in a Top 10 + 2.

In Bizarro World 

Remember the old sketch from Saturday Night Live, Bizzaro World? Everything in Bizzarro World was backwards and that is the case here. My wonder why I am providing commentary regarding a bizarre story, which is the case here. A website proposed a trade between the Lakers and Mavs (which by the way wouldn’t occur). Teams in the same conference rarely trade with one another, if this was a Lakers-Sixer trade or Lakers-Hawks okay the trading partner in either case is in the Eastern Conference.

In any event back to this proposed trade. The Lakers would trade Anthony Davis and others for Kristaps Porzingis and others, what’s wrong here? We see one brittle player (AD) traded for another brittle player (KP) who benefits from this trade, makes absolutely no sense on any level. Does this fix a problem for either team, I’m critical of the writer of this trade but I am also pointing a finger at myself, why entertain a proposed trade which is unlikely to ever occur. At this point I’m offering an apology for wasting your time reading this.

Attention Sneakerheads

To our knowledge Julius “Dr. J.” Erving only wore Converse when he began play in the NBA. We have no idea if he wore Converse while playing in the ABA for the Nets or Virginia Squires. With that explanation we delve into the past briefly, we discover Michael Jordan once wore a different brand. We have no idea what Dr. J. might have worn in college, for example the Nike/Air Jordan brand has not always been associated with Michael Jordan. At North Carolina MJ wore Converse shoes, as for the subject at hand. Reebok will soon unveil their nod to Dr. J., the shoe titled “Mid Dr.J.” will retail for $150. The description the shoe is ankle high hence the term “Mid” applied to it. There you have it the brief facet on a new basketball shoe for sneakerheads and others.

The promise

On Saturday, the Celtics waived Jabari Parker, it’s likely his NBA career is over at the age of 26. In high school and his freshman year at Duke we saw the promise. The view Parker would become an NBA star and he did for a while. The 6-foot 7 Parker was made the number 2 pick in the 2014 draft by the Bucks, injuries would impact him in his rookie season. Not even midway through the first portion of the 2014 season he suffered an ACL tear and would miss the balance of the season. Parker’s second year would be a struggle at first but at the close of the season it appeared he’d returned to the Jabari of Duke days. He would miss the 2016-17 season after suffering a February injury this time it was an ACL tear in the same knee.

After a time, it seemed Parker would bounce from team to team. It was the Bulls, then the Wizards, Hawks and Kings. After being waived by the Kings last April Parker signed with the Celtics, he was waived in October but re-signed days later. The end came on January 7 as they waived him once again. Former McDonald’s All American, First Team All American, Gatorade Player of the Year (2012). There are a number of other awards Parker received in high school and his freshman year at Duke. No doubt if not for injuries he might have been hall of fame bound. Parker could look toward another former Dukee, Grant Hill. Hill too was robbed of a major portion of what could have been a sparkling NBA career. Hill’s managed to re-invent himself and has made a second career as a television analyst, entrepreneur and NBA owner.

Is it still a Big Man’s Game?

Colleges and Universities continue to produce a number of good, take that back really good Big Men at the collegiate level. The trouble they might be handicapped by the NBA’s emphasis on small ball. Who are these talented Big Men, they are 7 foot 4 Zach Edy Purdue, 7 foot 5 Jamarion Sharp Western Kentucky, 7-foot Kofi Cockburn Illinois and 6 foot 9 Oscar Tshiebwe of Kentucky? There are others however these four standouts or at the elite level. It’s my contention the small ball of the Warriors was copied by teams across the NBA. Shooting from distance might have begun with two Big Men, 6 foot 11 Kevin Garnett who began play in 1995 and 7-foot 1 Dirk Nowitzki drafted in 1999.

If Garnett and Nowitzki had been drafted in the 1970’s or ‘80’s they would have been post players instead of power forwards. Both could shoot from distance and up to that time there were few successful long-range shooters capable of sinking 3-point baskets. Then it occurred, the Warriors drafted Steph Curry (2009) and Klay Thompson (2013) two lights out shooters from distance. The players in question began the championship success of the Warriors thus small ball became fully implemented. Seeing the success of the Warriors additional teams began shooting the three. I have no method of proving this hypothesis however it’s believed by this party of one small might have begun with two Big Men and not the Splash Brothers. You can disagree with this view if you wish as I indicated there is no method to provide proof of this declaration.