Basketball from a fans perspective   

Published Monday through Friday

The history   

There are two Ukrainian players in the NBA, Alex Len of the Kings and Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk of the Raptors. Both issued a joint statement condemning the Russian invasion of their nation. Let’s check the history behind this Russian aggression, we are seeing Domantas Sabonis in action in today’s NBA however his father might have been one of the best ever. His father Arvydas played for the former Soviet Union and politics prevented him from play in the NBA.

After years of Olympic and international play, we finally saw Arvydas in the NBA as a 31-year-old rookie for the Blazers. Injury had not allowed us to see Arvydas at his best although at 7 foot 3 he was one of the best Big Man passers ever. Then we discovered a fact, Arvydas playing under the banner of the Soviet Union was not Russian at all he was from Lithuania then part of the Soviet Union. 1991 saw the breakup of this union as Ukraine became an independent nation, they would leave behind their days as part of the Soviet Union.  

Over the following years the NBA began to see an increasing number of Euro players arrive on these shores. Some were Russian while others represented nations that had been part of the former Soviet Union. As this is written there are no Russian players in the NBA although a considerable number have played in the past. There are four EuroLeague teams based in Russia or former satellite nations which are likely comprised of Ukrainian and Russian players. News reports point out there are Russians who want the war to cease and naturally there are Ukrainian’s who feel the same way. Hopefully, diplomacy will rule eventually, and this madness can stop.

The Beard

Last Fridays game was not nationally televised, only those living in Philly, the Twin Cities or NBA League Pass subscribers saw it. It featured the debut of James Harden as a member of the Sixers. The box score is the only barometer of measurement for us so let’s check it out. Harden’s first game with his new team resulted in a 133-102 win over the Wolves, what did he do. Harden managed to score 27 points along with 12 assists, he accomplished this while shooting 7 for 12 from the floor plus 5 for 7 from three.

There will be adjustments over the next few weeks and months, it remains to be disproven however I maintain the Sixers will accomplish more with Harden in the lineup over Ben Simmons. Am I claiming an NBA Championship for the Sixers…no way, I am expecting better play now that there is no longer drama existing in the clubhouse? This statement is made despite the fact I remain a fan of Simmons despite his inability to shoot the basketball. It should be of note Big Man Joel Embiid scored 34 points and 10 points adding in the win.

Your opinion is okay until….

I want to make it clear once again; I have no issues with you expressing your opinion. The problem we often discover incorrect or inaccurate information is passed off as valid. In a discussion ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins gave viewers his opinion of basketball in the Crescent City. Perkins claims “The Pelicans need to move to either Seattle or Vegas.” His statement is okay however it’s not backed up by fact.

The late owner Tom Benson wanted to ensure the team remained in New Orleans, that’s one of the reasons he was the driving force in the name change from Hornets to Pelicans. His wife Gayle has assumed ownership on her husband’s death, our guess she wants to retain the connection to the city. Back to Perkins a moment, either city Las Vegas or Seattle would be prime destinations for the NBA, so I have no argument with Perkins for that view. This is my continuing problem with many of today’s media as my wife often says, “What comes up comes out.” Her assessment, sometimes people tend to make statements without consideration for fact.

Did you know

There is an undefeated basketball team in the nation, I’d bet large sums of money you didn’t know that. Truth is I didn’t realize it either without conducting research…who and what? First of all, the school is a Division II program, and its name is Nova Southeastern University, the team’s record is 25-0 as this is written. One of those 25 wins is a forfeit in their favor 2-0 against St. Leo. St. Leo was also unfamiliar to me; it’s located in the Tampa-St. Petersburg metro. As for Nova it’s in Fort Lauderdale in the Miami metro. The CBS Network broadcast the NCAA Division II Championship, perhaps if Nova continues to play at this level, we might see them play in this game.

It’s me

I have issues with Nets guard Kyrie Irving, it has nothing to do with his ability to play basketball it’s the other thing. Through his coach Steve Nash we discover “Kyrie is anxious about the ability to play in New York City.” As covid numbers continue a downward trend the city is considering lifting its restrictions on vaccinations. History says we are accustomed to athletes deciding to take a stance regarding issues. Long ago it was Curt Flood in baseball and more recently Colin Kaepernick in the NFL. This is not an attempt to redress the issues Floor and Kaepernick expressed simply to point out athletes have taken a stance. In the instance of Irving, I fail to see the position he’s taken as valid.

Flood and Kaepernick were parties to their baseball and football careers ending, both took an unpopular stance in some political circles, and it managed to cost them. What about the position taken by Irving? He’s proven nothing to me except his unwilling nature to be vaccinated without offering a reason. I saw him being interviewed after a recent game and the reporter asked him about the fact NYC was about to lift its’s restriction. At that point I muted the sound, I didn’t care to listen to Irving’s response. As the old R&B song goes “That’s his prerogative”, there is no explanation due me or anyone else for that matter. The difference hence forth for me, I will look at Kyrie Irving different than I did in the past. If you disagree with my stance that’s okay too, there is no requirement for you to have the same opinion with me.

 Basketball from a fans perspective   

Published Monday through Friday

Did Mizzou make the correct move?

It’s a little late for this discussion however let’s do it anyway. Mizzou decided to leave the Big XII for the SEC, the year of the move was 2011. A little history, there were financial considerations for the move, Texas was receiving a larger share of revenue than other members of the conference. Apparently, Mizzou’s received the bulk of criticism for the move however they had company Colorado, Nebraska and Texas A&M decided to move as well.

We don’t know if these schools made the move for financial reasons. Colorado moved to the Pac-12, Nebraska to the Big 10 and A&M joined the SEC along with Mizzou. The SEC plays some of the best football in the nation, on the other hand the basketball was a different matter. Kentucky was the premier basketball team in the conference however a change came about. Since 2011 the basketball in the SEC has picked up speed to the level making it among the best in the nation. What do you think, did Mizzou choose correctly with the move? It should be of note once again there is movement, Texas is leaving the Big XII for the SEC. Wonder if they are to receive increased revenue for this move?

Why do we ignore the obvious?

What year…it was 2017 when news first broke regarding Adidas and the connection to several college coaches and programs throughout the nation. Several schools were named in the probe but perhaps the biggest fish in all this was Bill Self and Kansas basketball. On September 23, 2019, Kansas basketball was cited with 5 Level 1 violations by the NCAA, Level 1 violations are the most serious offense a school can be cited. This is written February 22, 2022, and there is yet to be a penalty levied (other than talk) by the governing body of collegiate sports…the NCAA. Today I listened to a discussion on one of the local sports talk radio programs, the conversation centered on teams which could earn berths in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. One of the hosts said, “Oklahoma State won’t make the tournament because they are on probation” …which is true. It’s our understanding the school was permitted to play in the 2021 tournament while the NCAA investigation was being completed.

The investigation is now complete and OSU regardless of their won-loss record will not be allowed to participate. Wait a moment, didn’t the events at the school occur after 2019 and they are being punished now? All this while Bill Self and Kansas basketball go merrily along as if nothing has occurred of a questionable nature. In January 2022 came this, Kansas basketball along with the Big XII ask the NCAA for an alternative resolution, what exactly is alternative resolution you might ask? This entire proposal is far too complicated to attempt an explanation in this short space, let’s say there is no movement to punish Kansas at least to this point. In closing allow this bit of further information, we are going to be shocked when the NCAA ever decides on adequate punishment for Bill Self and Kansas basketball. Is it true, does the NCAA lay a heavy fist on lesser programs but allows some Power 5 schools to escape punishment? What is most interesting about this matter, the national and local media ignore this account as do most of Jayhawk Nation.

They are owed an apology

It’s too late for Connie Hawkins, Roger Brown, Doug Moe and others. College basketball experienced a point shaving scandal in 1961, the names above and others were accused by the authorities of “fixing” games. There were guilty parties, they admitted their part, and several were sent to prison. As for Hawkins, Brown and Moe they were prohibited from ever playing in the NBA. It was guilt by association rather than actual proof, we read years later Hawkins and Brown were acquainted with gambler Jack Molinas but assert they never shaved points. In the instance of Moe, he took $75.00 from Lou Brown another gambler but also claimed he never shave points. All three were tried and convicted in the court of public opinion rather than an actual jury trial, they were banned for life by the NBA.

All three would play in the American Basketball Association and Hawkins through his attorneys sued the NBA and won. Hawkins began play in the NBA as a 27-year-old rookie, by this time there was a great deal of mileage on his body. Brown was different, although his name was cleared, he preferred to finish his basketball career in the ABA. As for Moe he would play and later coach in the ABA and NBA. Of the three, Brown died in 1997 and Hawkins in 2013. Both players have been enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame as for Moe he is still alive and retired now but there is more to this story. The NBA should issue an apology to the families of all three basketball giants. A circumstance they endured is highly unlikely to occur in 2022 for a variety of reasons. The athletes were not permitted to play in the NBA although there was never proof presented indicating they shaved points.

Peer into the future

This is an impossible task when discussing the Lakers in the middle of the season. A fellow member of Laker Nation stopped by my desk today, he said; “What do you think the Lakers will look like next season”? This is a difficult almost impossible undertaking, but I tried to do my best. This is all speculative as you might understand it’s near the end of February. Russell Westbrook has to be gone; his numbers certainly are adequate however he’s not made the team any better. In addition, when LeBron and AD were injured during portions of the season, he appeared unable to save the team from falling into an abyss by his production. Next up is Anthony Davis who is supremely talented…his problem. AD cannot managed to remain healthy for a sizable portion of the season, it seems he is always sidelined with a major injury. AD is traded and hopefully the Lakers receive youth in return.

Dwight Howard when called on has been reasonably productive however the clock is ticking on him. Howard is 36-years old now and his game has begun to slide in the wrong direction. Trevor Ariza cannot help it suffering an injury which sidelined him for much of the season, he too is 36-years old and past his prime. Carmelo Anthony has played well coming off the Laker bench but at the age of 37 how much gas remains in the tank? If DeAndre Jordan becomes a free agent he can walk, Jordan buy his own admission says he’s not played well at times. Did I forget his age, he’s only 33 but doesn’t come close to his lob city days with the Clippers? Guards Wayne Ellington and Kent Bazemore are 34 and 32 years of age. The Lakers (along with the Knicks and Celtics) are the NBA, without a successful team disheartens. The roster has been cleared to draft or sign a number of free agents. The re-work becomes moot if the Lakers make a move(s) leaving me vulnerable to criticism. Oh well I am prepared for that possibility. 

 

Basketball from a fans perspective   

Published Monday through Friday

HBCU prospects

Once upon a time Historically Black Colleges & Universities or HBCU’s produced dozens and dozens of players for NBA rosters. The names of those in the past read like a Who’s Who of great NBA players, in recent years what was once a steady stream of talent has become a trickle. The Celtics Sam Jones, Earl “The Pearl” Monroe and Dick Barnett are just a few who honed their skills at HBCU’s. The Blazers Robert Covington is the only former HBCU player active today.

It’s understandable but sad in a manner of speaking, State University can offer top-quality training facilities plus the opportunity for that athlete to be seen weekly on a national television broadcast. As for Covington he played his college basketball at Tennessee State but there are names in the future we might want to become familiar with. Below are just a few names of outstanding HBCU players we might see in NBA training camps in the fall of 2022 or perhaps 2023.

Joe Bryant Jr. 6-foot 1 220-pound guard Norfolk State

Tyree Corbett 6-foot 7 180-pound forward Coppin State

Kyle Foster 6-foot 5 172-pound guard Howard University

Jalen Johnson 6-foot 7 230-pound forward Alabama A&M

MJ Randolph 6-foot 4 170-pound guard Florida A&M

It was different back then

The American Basketball Association had no restrictions on signing players. Back then players could not play in the NBA until their college class graduated. That meant Wilt Chamberlain spent a season playing for the Globetrotters prior to being drafted and play for the NBA Warriors. Dr. J. was one of those signed as a “hardship” by the Virginia Squares of the ABA, we read years later he attempted through his attorney to have the contract voided due to irregularities. We have no method to determine this in 2022 but we wonder. Would Dr. J. and others possibly chose the NBA over the ABA if that option had been available?

There were several differences, the ABA played a more fast-paced game, it was said by many their game more resembled street basketball. Moses Malone at age 18 went directly from high school into the ABA and began play for the Utah Stars. These are but a two players who might have chosen the NBA if it had been possible at the time. By the time Malone made his decision the ABA was hemorrhaging money and would only last one additional season beyond his rookie year. Perhaps the timing was right for a startup league to compete with the NBA, and they did for a period of time. At the time of the merger, you might find this interesting, the 1977 All Star game was the first one played after the merger. Of the 24 players selected as All Stars 10 had ABA experience. Despite the fact the ABA disappeared the 3-point basket, slam dunk championship and other innovations would become staples for the NBA.

A return to the past

The headline might be a slight bit misleading; we haven’t returned to the days of Chamberlain-Russell or Shaq-Hakeem. That is hardly the case however we’ve seen increased emphasis of Big Men play this season. Usually, we used the term when referring to Big Men or “Aircraft Carriers” as Dick Vitale might say. Guys who are 7 feet tall plus have skill playing the game. No doubt the best of the best is only 6 foot 9 but a hefty 260 pounds, that’s Oscar Tshiebwe at play for Kentucky. Tshiebwe’s been a double-double man for the Wildcats with 16.4 points and 15.2 rebounds a game. 300 plus road miles north-west of Rupp Arena is Champaign Illinois home of the University of Illinois.

The Fighting Illini have Kofi Cockburn all 7 foot and 285 pounds and a force in the middle for his team. Cockburn in his junior year is 21 points and 11 rebounds a game this season and one of the leaders in his team’s 19-win season. Despite Purdue’s Zach Edney standing 7 feet 4 and 295 pounds he’s not the tallest Big Man in college this season. Edney in his sophomore year has seen his numbers improve over last season, nearly 15 points and 8 rebounds a game. Jamarion Sharp at Western Kentucky is likely the tallest college basketball player and the rawest of the bunch this season. Sharp is in his junior year after playing two seasons at the community college level.

As for the height thing Sharp stands 7 foot 5 and 235 pounds. His numbers are average until we look at his blocked shot totals, he is second in NCAA basketball this season with 4.46 blocks a game. You might be wondering or maybe you can name the leader in blocked shots this season. That would be 7-foot 1 245-pound Auburn sophomore Walker Kessler, he’s 4.56 blocks a game along with 12 points and 8 rebounds a game. Maybe there are additional Big Men who stand out this collegiate season, we are profiling just a few. We cannot state each has an NBA future, they may however see action in Europe, Australia or the G-League.

Free throw shooting

Recently we profiled one of the best free throw shooters in the NBA…Rick Barry. What about the other guys, the ones who can’t hit the broadside of a barn? If we check for the most part the problem exists with Big Men at the line however there are exceptions. Chet Holmgren is still enrolled at Gonzaga however the 7-foot Big Man is a respectable 75% from the line. Russell Westbrook is a career 79% for his career but the last few years his numbers have retreated. The 2021-22 season has Westbrook at 66.8% not terrible but below the expected number for a 6-foot 3 guard. As for the others we might think of Wilt Chamberlain as the worst shooter from the line, not quite.

Ben Wallace who spent his most productive years with the Pistons was a career 41% from the line. Dwight Howard with the Lakers is a career 47% shooter, as for Chamberlain he was 51%. When discussing free throws with the media Shaq would always claim; “I hit when they are needed.” He’s told other lies too, 53% from the line hardly identifies one as dependable. Why are these athletes not good free throw shooters, there are always a number of different theories? One we’ve often heard, “Their hands are too big.” Our theory is practice, most don’t practice enough to become dependable in stepping to the line.

Basketball from a fans perspective   

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Can he play in the league?

Do you know Jaden Ivey, maybe not? He’s a 6-foot 4-inch 200-pound shooting guard, he plays for Purdue however not for very much longer. This talented sophomore is headed for the league, expect him to be an early first round draft choice in 2022. Born in South Bend Indiana given a choice among a number of schools he preferred to remain in Indiana to further develop his basketball talent. Ivey is scoring at a 17.3 clip along with nearly 5 rebounds and 3 assists per game, can Ivey score? Take a glance at the video below of him in action against Rutgers, pay close attention to the dunk at the end of the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbiBn3qCUDc

A historic game of the past

There was a historic game played in 1950 few might be aware. City College of New York won the NCAA Tournament and the National Invitation Tournament that year, teams today couldn’t play in both events today. Despite the significance that was not the most noteworthy outcome of that tournament. In 1950 the Southern portion of America had a strict segregation policy; black and white citizens were separated in all levels of society including sports. Then as now Kentucky was a basketball power led by the legendary Adolph Rupp, his team would face CCNY in the NIT Tournament that year.

Kentucky was an all-white team and would face CCNY with its roster of Jewish, black and white players. The final score told the story as CCNY beat Kentucky on the road to the NIT Championship 89-50. Was there more to this game than might be evident, we have no method to answer the question however history would be the judge of future events. In 1966 Rupp’s all-white Kentucky Wildcats would face Texas Western (now University of Texas-El Paso) for the NCAA Championship. It was noteworthy at the time Texas Western’s lineup featured five black starters, as for the final score Rupp’s Wildcats came up short once again 72-65. In 1969 Rupp and Kentucky recruited their first black player and the segregation stronghold that existed for generations began to crumble in the south.

Time for a trade

Anthony Davis is out of the lineup once again, this time it’s 4 weeks as he suffered yet another injury. As was indicated recently today’s NBA athletes no longer play 82 games and that’s not what is expected of him and others. AD is one of several players we can term brittle, he is injury prone which forces him out of the lineup. Naturally, this causes the Lakers continuing problems over time. If we look back at the Lakers Championship season the report on AD was incomplete as it occurred in the middle of the pandemic, play was stopped for a period and then resumed.

Last season 2020-21 was the test as the Lakers and other teams continued playing an 82-game schedule. Injuries limited AD to 36 games plus 5 in the playoffs, these are numbers far below what was expected of such a talented athlete. There is no doubt in my mind AD is no slacker he wants in the lineup he just can’t be there. Is it time for a trade, should the Lakers look elsewhere for help, as proof AD’s only been available for 37 of the Lakers 52 games? That is the case in this corner, despite his propensity to be injured he turns 29 in March. AD should have several prime years ahead and the Lakers ought to be able to move him, just my thoughts.

Is this for real?

Instead of college or Australia Jaden Hardy signed with Team Elite in the G-League. This 2021 Coronado High School (Nevada) graduate’s name is listed as a first-round draft pick by nbadraftnet.com and nbadraftroom.net. This 6-foot 4 200-pound shooting guard appears to have all the tools which might lead to an NBA career. Reading the scouting report on him by nbadraftroom.net might leave one a little confused. “Hardy is not an elite run/jump athlete but is a talented shot-maker with a polished offensive game”, now what exactly does that detail for us?

Allow us for a moment to look back at the draft prospects of a few others. At the draft combine in 2007 Kevin Durant had difficulty bench pressing a weight he should have been able to manage. The Celtics Larry Bird was certainly not swift of foot speed, yet he managed to play at a high skill level in the NBA. How about his counterpart Magic Johnson of the Lakers, the Magic man’s jump shot was not rated particularly good, in addition he was unable to leap particularly high? Magic and Legend are in the Naismith Hall of Fame, Durant will be once he retires. We realize scouting reports are not written in stone however it appears at times they don’t provide us a complete and accurate picture. With that said expect the commissioner to call Jaden Hardy’s name in the NBA Draft in June.

Basketball from a fans perspective   

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An ugly incident    

We had an unpleasant skirmish occur in the game on Sunday between Michigan and Wisconsin. At the close of a blowout game in favor of Wisconsin the disturbance began. In the line to shake hands after the game Michigan’s head coach Juwan Howard was seen to slap Wisconsin assistant coach Greg Gard aside his head. Howard has said he was upset with the fact Wisconsin had taken a time out with a double-digit lead, words were exchanged and then the head slap by Howard.

This aggressive move created a great deal of pushing and shoving between Howard his team and several Wisconsin players. The altercation between Howard and Gard appeared to be the only physical hit. We’ve since read several letters from fans indicating Howard should be fired, other letters say the coach should be suspended. Before you come to a final conclusion for the future of Juwan Howard check out video of the incident. NOTE: The Big 10 Conference moved much faster than we might have believed, Howard’s been suspended for 5 games and Wisconsin assistant Greg Gard received a one game suspension. The question is revised, was the suspension lengthy enough or should Howard have been fired?

LeBron  

This is not news to me, perhaps it might be to others in Laker Nation. LeBron James will be enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame just as soon as he’s eligible. The NBA career of number 6 has been outstanding, what do I consider non-news…LeBron’s future. It’s great that he wants to play in the NBA with son Bronny, in addition if LeBron returns to Cleveland that’s okay too. There are times the media makes a story where there is none, this is one of those cases in my view.

The world is aware of LeBron James and his connection to the City of Akron Ohio. He’s long been identified with the city but there is another NBA players almost as famous as LeBron. December 30, 1987, and March 14, 1988, are linked by birth’s in Akron in the same hospital. The December date was the birth of LeBron while the March date is that of Warriors guard Steph Curry. How did it occur you ask; Dell Curry was playing for the Cavs in 1987 when wife Sonya gave birth to son Steph?

Black hole

“Black holes are what’s left after large stars die and their cores collapse. They are incredibly dense, with gravity so strong that nothing can move fast enough to escape them, including light. Astronomers are keen to study black holes because they can tell us a lot about the ways that stars die.” Despite what you just read this is not an astronomy report rather it’s a critique of former Celtic great Kevin McHale. From the University of Minnesota McHale was made the third pick in the first round in 1980 by the Celtics. McHale would spend his entire career playing alongside Larry Bird, Dennis Johnson and Robert Parrish.

McHale was a 3X NBA Champion and 7X NBA All Star and 3X All Defensive First Team and 3X All Defensive Second Team. Those are just a few of the accolades McHale registered while a member of the Celtics. After retirement McHale would coach the Wolves and Rockets, you can see him on occasion as he works as an analyst for NBA TV. The Black hole title of this account, teammates claim if they passed the ball to McHale, they never saw it again. Just like in astronomy, scientist contend light never escapes from a black hole. The same applied for McHale, you pass the ball to him you would never see it again he was taking the shot.

When is a story not a story?

A journalist authored a book detailing a difference of opinion regarding the future direction of Duke basketball. All of us are aware Coach K. is in his last season as head coach after 42 years and 5 NCAA Championships. Coach K. has named assistant coach Jon Scheyer to succeed him, that was not the original plan. This correspondent claims the university wanted former Duke player Tommy Amaker now head coach at Harvard to become the successor to Coach K. Amaker’s bio provides us detail he can coach but consider this fact. It is extremely difficult to replace a legend, imagine the coach who replaced John Wooden at UCLA or Bobby Knight at Indiana. In the instance of Wooden it was Gene Bartow who only lasted two years, as for Knight it was Mike Davis from 2000-2006. I hope no one considers this a negative aimed at Scheyer, we hope he’s successful if not could Amaker be waiting in the wings?

The Future

On February 7 you read an article I wrote a contradictory account after a writer for basketballnetwork.com wrote the Clippers are a better team than the Lakers. I said something like I laughed aloud but now the confession I admit the headline was all I read and not the complete account. After reading the narrative I must agree with the writer the Clippers are better (shocking isn’t it)? LeBron is 45 years old, although he’s played well, he just received his AARP card, his partner Anthony Davis is talented and only 28 years old. The issue for AD he appears brittle and is in and out of the lineup.

As for the Clippers Kawhi Leonard will be 31 in June and Paul George 32 in May so we can say advantage Clippers but there is a question. As this is written ancient LeBron is on the floor along with AD, where are the fearsome twosome of the Clippers? Kawhi is injured and likely out for the season, the same for Paul George we just don’t know when he returns. We can see a clear advantage for the Clippers when their Big Two are on the floor however in both instances they appear (especially Kawhi) appear somewhat delicate and injury prone too. We cannot say a great deal about the future until we arrive there.

Basketball from a fans perspective   

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The Land Down Under

Australia is the only nation that’s a continent to itself. Because its located in the southern hemisphere it’s been nicknamed The Land Down Under. This island nation and continent has sent a number of athletes to the NBA in in the past, Luc Longley who spent most of his career with the Bulls was drafted in 1991. Australia just might have sent the best ever this season in Josh Giddey. We’d seen Giddey’s name on most 2021 mock NBA Draft sights, we reserved our judgment on his play for two reasons. The first was to determine if the 6-foot 8 combo guard would be drafted. Once he was drafted, could he play at the NBA level effectively? We are approaching the end of February OKC fans haven’t had much to cheer about this season, but Giddey’s play is worth praise.

The Thunder are in last place in the Northwest Division and in the Western Conference they only exceed the Rockets in win totals. Madison Square Garden which has seen its share of great basketball saw Giddey put on a performance against the Knicks. He scored a season high 28 points with 11 rebounds and 12 assists which led to a 127-123 OT victory. This game was Giddey’s second triple double and he followed that with his third triple double in a row two nights later against the Spurs. His season scoring is a modest 12.4 points, but the other part is significant. He’s averaging nearly 8 rebounds and 6 assists per game, outstanding considering the poor play of his team and the fact he’s in his rookie year. Giddey has certainly justified being selected number 6 in the first round of the 2021 NBA Draft.

Who died and appointed you in charge?

As a reminder to some and information to others anymore I rarely listen to sports talk radio. For me with the exception of 2 or 3 hosts most lack credibility with me, there is a reason. I don’t tune in to listen to their opinion I would tune in for them to provide information I didn’t know. Are they only concerned with creating controversary by their comments? This might not be fair to the host, I only tuned in to the station while on a daily run and this is what I heard.

“I gave you time to respond, evidently no one in the area is interested in a discussion on college basketball.” That is a bold statement considering the limited number of listeners that might be listening. 10:00 a.m. or so, weekday…those who might listen to this guy were at their place of employment. If he genuinely believes there is no interest in college basketball so, be it, I would not be brave or bold enough to make such a statement. I have no desire to ever listen to this guy again, I don’t want his opinion I want information. Evidently deciding there is no local interest without research clearly indicates he is an entertainer and not an informer.

The Packers/Zephyrs/Bullets/Wizards 

Depending on your age this might enlighten many of you, did you know the Wizards came into existence as an expansion franchise in 1961? They were not in Washington D.C. however, their birth occurred about 700+ road miles west of the city. The team’s founding was in the City of Chicago (before the Bulls), The Packers changed names the following year to the Zephyrs. Year three saw the franchise on the road to Baltimore Maryland and later the Washington suburb of Landover Maryland and finally D.C. itself. From 1944-1954 Baltimore had an ABL/BAA/NBA team known as the Bullets.

In November 1954, the Bullets franchise folded leaving the city without an NBA team until the move by the Zephyrs in 1963. The name change to the Bullets was a gesture to the earlier basketball history of the city. These series of moves was complete by 1997 at the time the franchise moved into Washington D.C. proper. The decades of NBA play has seen a number of the best players in the leagues history wearing Bullets jerseys in Baltimore and later in the Washington D.C. metro. The names read like a who’s who of NBA greats, they include Earl Monroe, Wes Unseld, Gus Johnson, Elvin Hayes plus Phil Chenier along with several others.

Let’s check them out

Talented basketball players often fail at coaching. In the NBA we can check out two greats, Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson. Interesting as demanding as we are led to believe MJ didn’t even make the attempt. Its likely better in his case to have become an owner rather than a coach. As for Magic Johnson he attempted to coach the Lakers at one time. We soon discovered the magic that existed on the court was not sitting in the coaches chair. In the college ranks we can look at Penny Hardaway University of Memphis.

Now in his 4^th year as this is written Penny has 77 wins and 40 losses for a .658 percentage. At the University of Michigan Juwan Howard is in his 3^rd year, he’s at 55-27 and .671. We mentioned Patrick Ewing, outstanding as a player at Georgetown and with the Knicks. His record at Georgetown has been less than spectacular, 68-79 .463 is certainly not what was expected when he was hired in 2017. Jerry Stackhouse is now in his 3^rd year at Vanderbilt and has a 34-49 .410 record. There are more than the few college coaches profiled here with NBA experience. Each of the stories for these coaches is different however the point is simple coaching is a job not wanted by all former players, some are not quality hires.

Reading between the lines

We are sure…No, reasonably certain LeBron James is not pleased with Laker GM Rod Pelinka. This displeasure might stem from the Lakers made no moves to improve the team prior to the trade deadline. With Anthony Davis later injured the Lakers standing has become even more critical, they could miss the playoffs all together. LeBron used part of his time during All Star weekend to offer praises in the direction of Thunder GM Sam Presti.

LeBron mentioned Presti’s keen eye in spotting talent, he went on to mentioned Josh Giddey along with Kevin Durant, Serge Ibaka, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook all drafted by Presti. No disagreement from me with LeBron’s statement, the Sonics/Thunder GM has assembled a great deal of talent but guess what? A. The Thunder are in last place as this is written, actually sitting below the Lakers in the number of wins thus far. B. None of the names mentioned are currently on the roster with the exception of Josh Giddey drafted last June. Presti’s ability to spot and draft talent is commendable but the inability to retain that talent fails to impress me.

Basketball from a fans perspective   

Monday through Friday

Memphis is winning…without him

Richard Williams, LaVar Ball and Earl Woods taught their offspring the game and they excelled. Was it talent alone or did they outclass others based on the lessons? Who are the offspring, Venus and Serena Williams, Lonzo, LaMelo and LiAngelo Ball along with Tiger Woods? The Memphis Tigers after issues have now risen to the challenge, they are playing good basketball as this is written they have won 6 games in a row. Missing from the success is Emoni Bates, you remember him don’t you. Pronounced ready for the NBA at the age of 15, profiled in SI, we saw a change in his senior year of high school. Elgin Bates pulled son Emoni from public school and chose to create his own prep school. 

We are uncertain if the father was coaching the team however, he certainly participated in his son’s training and guidance. The son re-classified and after declaring his intent to enroll at Michigan State his destination became the University of Memphis and Coach Penny Hardaway. Injuries impacted young Bates however it might have been the adjustment to college basketball that’s been the largest obstacle. The young man is still a teen, he just turned 18 years of age last month. There remains time for Emoni to grow his game at Memphis or somewhere else, he can continue his pursuit toward an NBA career, his start at Memphis was just not what most of us expected. Injuries aside Emoni must prove to many of us he can play competitive basketball at the college level.

Bits n Pieces

I am so disappointed in Anthony Davis, wait a minute allow me to clarify the statement. In the Lakers Wednesday evening game against the Jazz AD suffered another injury. This time it was a sprain, preliminary reports indicate he will be lost for the next four weeks. Since the Lakers acquired AD in a 2019 trade apart from the championship won later, he’s missed a considerable number of games in two consecutive seasons. No argument the guy is super talented, the problem he cannot stay on the floor for extended periods. Nowadays NBA players don’t play 82 games and that’s certainly not what I’m stating nor expecting. Wonder if the Lakers might consider bubble wrap for AD? On a serious note, the Lakers might look at trading him despite the talent he exhibits when healthy.

Warriors management announced James Wiseman is now participating in 5 on 5 scrimmages. You might remember Wiseman is recovering from a torn meniscus he suffered last April. Many can remember a time an injury of this kind would have been career ending but not with the surgical capability of today. No timetable is set for the 7 foot 1 Wiseman to return to action, the hope is he sees limited action before the season concludes. Should the Warriors make a deep playoff run would the team take a chance on playing him? That question will remain unanswered until we arrive at that place and time.

Chet Holmgren continues to amaze; Gonzaga opponents are not NBA caliber that’s not the point. Playing conference rival Pepperdine, the skinny Big Man tallied 18 points and 17 rebounds on 55% shooting from the floor. He added 40% from the 3-line, 100% from the free throw line and 4 blocked shots. We have contended the 7-foot Holmgren at 194 pounds might not have enough bulk to manage the rough play he would face in the NBA. We must wait and see how this plays out; in any event should Holmgren decide on the NBA expect to hear his name announced early in the 2022 NBA Draft.

Who is at the top?

On graduation high school athletes now have a choice in front of them, they can decide in favor of the G-League or Overtime Elite. They can follow the path of LaMelo Ball and others and decide to play in Australia, despite the pro-opportunities college recruiting continues to remain of interest to many. Often, we find the youngster might only remain at a particular institution for their freshman year however we remain intrigued. We looked at the Class of 2022 and where they intend to play, this from 247sports.com and guess what…there is a pending change. Sure, Duke has the top recruited class but in second is Arkansas and third is Alabama, then comes Kansas and Ohio State.

The surprise of course is the two SEC schools, in the past both have been known as traditional football powers. Eric Musselman at Arkansas and Nat Oats at Alabama along with other SEC coaches has turned this football conference into one with heavy emphasis on basketball. This conference is no longer Kentucky and the rest of the pack, that’s a story for another time. We need look no further than the SEC/Big XII Challenge as proof. As for Mizzou their recruiting class is 55^th in the nation which is not shocking. With only one senior on the roster and one opening unless there is a coaching change not a great deal of movement possible. Coming on board in the fall for Mizzou is 4-star Aiden Shaw a 6-foot 8 small forward from Stillwell (KS) and 3-star Christian Jones a 6-foot 4 combo guard from East St. Louis (Ill).

Basketball from a fans perspective   

Monday through Friday

Was I to critical of Kyrie yesterday?

It depends on what side of the covid vaccine you claim. I know at least three people one being my former barber who assert they won’t get the shot. Each of these persons has made it known why they refuse, as for the barber notice the word former is underlined. There is a reason for that, I sought a barber who was vaccinated and decided to make a change. His decision was a factor in taking my business elsewhere. I have no problem with the stance taken by Kyrie Irving or my former barber for that matter. Both my former barber and Kyrie made a choice they intended to pursue, there is a cause and effect working with the direction they chose.

I am only a party of one however in the instance of my barber he’s lost revenue he would have received from me. We have no idea of the financial arrangements the Nets made with Kyrie because of an existing contract. Taking a stance on an issue is outstanding however prepare yourself to suffer the aftereffects. That becomes the key, at the time you undergo this position are you fully prepared for the consequences of your actions? Wishing and hoping NYC lifts its vax stance is just that…wishing and hoping! If you side with Kyrie on this matter allow me to provide you evidence. According to Commissioner Silver an unvaccinated player from a visiting team can play in Barclays Center. The same scenario applies to all Nets and Knicks players, which side do you choose, the vax or anti-vax side?

He said WHAT?

The opening salvo in the war of words has begun with James Harden issuing this terse statement, “I needed to be around guys I know WANT to win!” Who was the statement aimed at, was Harden referring to Kyrie or possibly KD or maybe some other roster member? Perhaps it wasn’t a roster member at all Harden could have been discussing members of the Nets coaching staff or conceivably it could be the front office. The story of Simmons was known in advance of the trade however should we expect a statement from him too? So, you believed all the drama existed on the west coast with the Laker-Westbrook saga. The Nets might have a better record than the Lakers however the theatre might be close to the same level.

Someone might have spoken too soon

On Tuesday you read an account regarding Cuonzo Martin and Mizzou basketball. The writer (whoever this guy is) claimed Mizzou was not winning however there had been few blowouts in the last several weeks. Well, that person was correct until Tuesday evening and Mizzou’s game against Arkansas. The Razorbacks outshot, out rebounded and out hustled the Mizzou Tigers to a 76-57 win. I would advise this writer Mizzou just doesn’t appear to match up well against Arkansas.

In addition, although we cannot provide proof when Arkansas faces other teams against Mizzou it’s a far different story. It appears Arkansas forces its will on Mizzou, all that’s necessary to prove the point is to check out the numbers we see. They shot 50% from the floor Mizzou 29.2%, 21.1% from 3 for Arkansas was not that good but certainly better than 12.5% from Mizzou. If we mention Arkansas forcing its will on Mizzou just check out the turnover total, Mizzou had 23 turnovers in the game an impossible total to win any game.   

Bits n Pieces     

As a reminder Nikola Jokic Mr. Triple Double was last season’s MVP, how about 2022, is he the leader in the middle of February? The Joker as he’s nicknamed has plenty of competition this season. The contenders (not in any order) are the Warriors Steph Curry, the Greek Freak from the Bucks and the Sixers Joel Embiid. Perhaps on the outside looking in are Karl-Anthony Towns of the Wolves and the Mavs Luka Doncic and one other. LeBron James, I know what you are saying or thinking but consider this, name a 37-year-old in the NBA’s past with the numbers LeBron’s registered thus far? It ain’t gonna happen, there would be yelling and screaming in a number of circles should LeBron be named MVP. After checking the list is there another player or two who might have been overlooked or included in this list?

He was nicknamed “The Glove” and the explanation is simple. Gary Payton played tough defense at all times on opposing guards. Although he played for more than one NBA team his tenure with the Sonics is where he set the standard. Matched with forward Shawn Kemp they would become a dynamic duo who could score the ball but also play defense. Born and raised in Oakland California he distinguished himself at Skyline High School before heading to Oregon State where his maturation continued. Payton was the second pick in the first round by the Sonics and while in Seattle was one of the NBA’s best point guards and defender. In fact, The Glove was named 1996 Defensive Player of the Year plus the steals leader that season. Get this during his 13-year NBA career he was All Defensive First Team 9 times, in 2013 Payton was enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame.

Reports are circulating the right foot of Pelicans forward Zion Williamson might require a second surgery. News of this possible operation is scary in a number of ways, we cannot speculate (at least me) on medical issues. When healthy Zion has proven to be an NBA talent, if he is unable to resurrect his budding career well. Of the 220 games played since Zion was drafted, he’s managed to play in only 85 games so far in his brief career. The number mentioned includes 58 played in the 2021-22 NBA season.

Basketball from a fans perspective   

Monday through Friday

“If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen”

The headline quote was made famous by Harry Truman at the time he served as President of the United States. It might do Kyrie Irving some good to read it and realize what the late president was attempting to say. After reading the comments of Kyrie Irving on ESPN’s NBA page all I can say is too bad, so sad. The condensed version Kyrie “hopes New York City will lift its mask mandate in order for him to play.” 

At the present pace that might occur as Covid numbers are slowly going down. My problem with Kyrie he was aware the outcome of this event before it was written, the Nets at one point wouldn’t allow you on the court at all. Why are you wishing for the NYC mandate to be lifted…all you have to do is get the vaccination. On the other hand, I’m okay if you don’t wish to be vaccinated but don’t count me among those wishing NYC would lift its mandate this is strictly on you. Kyrie, you dealt yourself this hand…play it out to the end after all you didn’t want the vax.

Why don’t we know?

Rick Barry was profiled recently, and the question was raised. Why is he not well known by many NBA fans today might be a question? The first thought might be he spent time in the American Basketball Association, that might not be the issue. After checking the records, we discover Barry only spent four seasons in the ABA, the balance of his 10-year basketball journey was spent with the Warriors and Rockets. Barry was NBA Rookie of the Year in 1966 following that up with an outstanding sophomore year.

Money was the factor in Barry’s decision to jump to the newly established American Basketball League. Back to the present perhaps it’s an age issue, he will turn 78-years old in March, although much younger Isiah Thomas, Larry Bird and even Magic Johnson are visible around the NBA while Barry less so. It seemed almost immediately after retirement Barry went to work as an analyst but that did not become a second career for him. We read his “unlikable personality” might have been a contributing factor to his departure from work in the broadcast field.

The other day

Recently we introduced to many Mike DeCoursey college basketball correspondent for The Sporting News. His call in to local sports talk radio in Kansas City was interesting regarding Cuonzo Martin. As you might be aware Mizzou has not played well this season and many are talking of firing the coach. The decision rest with the athletic director so we must wait until the end of the season for a decision. This is what I liked in the words of DeCoursey. He said, “Are they still hustling for the coach, or have they turned him off?” The question was an emphatic no by DeCoursey, he went on to discuss the players Cuonzo had brought into the program.

This from DeCoursey, “Perhaps they need another year to really put things together, I’d mentioned in the past Amari Davis, Boogie Coleman and Ronnie DeGray III scored in double digits at their previous stops. These “veterans” didn’t mold together as smoothing as the coach might have hoped. As a fan and outside observer, Mizzou has come up short in a number of games by not having a point guard on the floor. Perhaps it was too much to expect Anton Brookshire to come in as a freshman and take over. By not having that guard in place we’ve seen a number of turnovers most of the unforced variety. Mizzou has been outrebounded at times and the teams shot selection has been poor at times. The Alabama game on January 22 might be considered the last blow out game, the others since then have been winnable. One-point losses against Auburn and Florida still go in the records as a loss however they prove this team can win.

He whose name will not be repeated

Must I say his name, naw don’t think I will? He’s decided the Nets are the winner in the Simmons to the Nets trade. Let’s take a look at the arrivals besides Simmons. We can forget the two draft choices; we have no idea if they ever play for the Nets. Seth Curry younger brother of The Chosen One is certainly a talented player however we could guess who won most H O R S E contests in the driveway. If that sounds negative that’s not the intent, it’s fact Seth is a valued reserve athlete. How about Andre Drummond, the Lakers wanted to sign him but not at his asking price.

Drummond left the Lakers for the Sixers at the end of last season; Drummond is a monster on the boards although other parts of his game are only average. With Nic Claxton on the scene can the former Sixer center displace Claxton or might he find himself in a backup role with his new team once again. As we have attempted to point out the trade is too fresh to really declare a winner, “He whose name will not be repeated” could be correct. On the other hand, the Sixers were able to maintain their core players might turn out to be the winner at least this season. We cannot look past June 2022, there are far too many moving parts.

Basketball from a fans perspective   

Monday through Friday

No moves

My Lakers are operating in a fog, not only can they not win on the court they cannot win at the trading table either. After talking to at least two teams the trade deadline came and went without a move by the Lakers. On Thursday morning we heard there was a possible trade in the works. The report had Talen-Horton Tucker and Kendrick Nunn leaving and Cam Reddish and Alec Burks arriving in their place. That story turned out to be just that…a story. Later we heard Russell Westbrook was headed back to the Rockets in exchange for John Wall. In this account it was reported the Rockets wanted a first-round draft pick and the Lakers turned them down.

So where does that leave the Lakers, exactly at the same stage they were 24-hours earlier. What occurs now and through the balance of the season for the Lakers? They must put on their Big Boy pants and play like the pros they are. Barring injury (which is always a consideration) LeBron and AD are on the floor they have enough talent to compete. The problem this remains a team game meaning the balance of the roster including Russell Westbrook must play at a premium level. At present the Lakers will be in the play-in tournament, they must play good enough for an 8 or 9 playoff slot, that is all. The ESPN NBA page contains a headline story, I didn’t bother reading it. “Trade deadline winners and losers”, I believe we know which side my Lakers landed.

How tall were you?

I believe in the 6^th grade I might have been about 5 foot 3 or maybe 5-4, there was only one other student shorter than me in our class. I had several classmates much taller than me although none certainly didn’t approach 6 foot in height. Erick Dampier Jr. who is in the 6^th grade stands an imposing 6 foot 5 inches, video of him in action on the basketball court is unbelievable. The youngster is able to dunk a basketball and with this height he towers over all his teammates; he might be taller than most game officials.

Unlike Jr. I had no genetic advantage that allowed me to grow to such a staggering height. Jr.’s dad is Erick Dampier; you might remember him as the 6-foot 11 265-pound Big Man who played for a number of NBA teams in his extensive career. We have no idea if Jr. progresses to the next level competing, this we are somewhat sure. Based on the height of his dad the son is not likely to cease his growth period for the next several years.

The Unicorn

We first heard the term “unicorn” applied to Kristaps Porzingis when he arrived in the NBA with the Knicks in 2015. His NBA journey has certainly had its difficulties, with the flurry of trades and especially the big one we almost missed the fact Porzingis was traded as well. The Wizards now become the third NBA team for Porzingis and many question why? His numbers with the Knicks and Mavs appear good but there is a brittle issue working. The 7-foot 3 240-pound power forward is unable to remain on the floor, in fact check this out.

The closest Porzingis came to playing a full season was his rookie year, with the Knicks that season he appeared in 72 games. At age 26 he should have years of play ahead for the Wizards if only he could beat that durability issue which affects his ability to remain on the floor. As for the term unicorn we provided the definition previously but will do once again. Other than the mythical creature when used to describe a person its “Someone amazing who is hard to catch, one of a kind.” It was easy to understand why the term might have been applied to Porzingis on his arrival and especially in New York City and playing for the Knicks at the time. My sources claim the main reason Porzingis was moved…Luka. In addition to injury Porzingis couldn’t fit his game together with Luka the Don.

We never got to see him play

Roger Brown is a name most today are unfamiliar with, Brown died at the early age of 54 of liver cancer in 1997. Brown was one of those players most of the nation had no opportunity to witness play because of an acquaintance. Brown a NYC guy was banned from the NBA by his connection to gambler Jack Molinas. Brown and Connie Hawkins knew this gambler and point fixer, although college basketball was struck by a point shaving scandal in 1960 of the two players were ever proven to have fixed games…it was guilt by association. Hawkins and Brown were given lifetime bans by the NBA although their guilt was never proven.

Banned by the NBA the newly formed American Basketball Association having no qualms about signing either player. Hawkins and Brown played to remarkable success. never proven. The 6-foot 5 Brown playing guard and forward was a 3X ABA Champion. Eventually the NBA would lift the ban however by this time Brown felt an allegiance to the ABA. Brown retired from basketball in 1975, he would be inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2013 after his death. As mentioned at the beginning Brown was an outstanding player few were able to see because his career was spent in the ABA. The league had no national television contract unlike the NBA so there was little exposure for Brown beyond local newspaper, radio and television.

No more characters

I told my friend Dave a story about the late Oklahoma coach Billy Tubbs. He was practically rolling on the floor with laughter. I then said, “The problem today, there are no more characters in sports.” He nodded his head in agreement and then said, “Players today are worried about getting fined accused of taunting.” I thought for a minute he’s probably correct, it was the NFL but just as easily could have been the NBA. Wide receiver Tyreek Hill of the Chiefs gave a peace sign to the defensive back chasing him as he crossed the goal line…the result Hill was fined. Tight end Travis Kelce whenever he catches a pass for a first down often signals it before the officials…isn’t that taunting?

Someone coined the phrase and I’m just repeating it, the NFL now stands for No Fun League. A comparable situation exists in the NBA of today, here are a number of examples. A player dunks the ball then gives the opposing player guarding him “The Look”, that’s considered taunting and is subject to a technical foul. On the other hand, this player dunks the ball and gives out a primal scream once he lands on the floor, shouldn’t that be considered taunting as well? This was mentioned in the past former player Rasheed Wallace once received a technical foul for looking at official Steve Javie. My friend Dave just might be correct, the possibility of a technical foul has likely dealt a blow to the characters that once were part of the game.

Basketball from a fans perspective   

Monday through Friday

“En Fuego”

At the time Dan Patrick was on ESPN’s SportsCenter he often used the term En Fuego (on fire) when a particular player was hot from the floor. That might be my description for the Saturday night shooting of Klay Thompson for the Warriors, the final score read 117-115 as the Warriors slipped past my Lakers. Based on the final score you understand the Warriors required every one of the 33 points Thompson managed to score in the game.

Late in the game I kept saying to myself over and over, “Don’t let him (Thompson) shoot the ball” to no avail. It seemed as though he hit every shot, he took especially in the 4^th quarter. He was sizzling, 55% from the floor and 56% from the 3-line and 80% from the free-throw line. One might ask “Who was guarding Thompson”, my response would be “The better question, who was watching him?” You might have seen IT earlier than me and that’s okay, IT describes the swagger that’s returned to the Warriors since the return of Mychal Thompson’s son.

Who’s the Man

All season long there’s been a battle between the NBA’s pre-eminent Big Men, Nikola Jokic of the Nuggets and Joel Embiid. The Sixer center registered a triple double against the Cavs on Saturday night leading to a 103-93 victory. Embiid had 40 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists while shooting 50% from the floor and 80% from the 3-line. Embiid was also magnificent from the free-throw line shooting 93%, he also had 3 steals in the game. It’s now Jokic’s turn, the Joker must counter this effort in order to maintain his MVP lead.

The Big 3, 2 ½

There was a belief last fall the Nets were headed for the NBA Championship, the roster contained Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant and James Hardin. We had no idea Kyrie would become a part time player, we had no idea KD would miss time injured and finally this one. We had no idea Hardin would be forced to carry the load for this offensive juggernaut. As for the NBA Championship they still might win it all however the Big 3 have now become the Big 2 ½. The statement is made because we have a belief in what James Hardin and Ben Simmons bring to the table. Playing for the Nets will be a good defensive player in Simmons, the other portions of his game…well not so good.

Hardin has 3-point range, Simmons can’t hit a jump shot more than 15-feet from the basket. From distance Hardin is 36.2% and the number from Simmons is a paltry 14.7%. How about the free throw line, we discover Hardin is almost automatic at 85.9% while Simmons is 59.7%? The only area Simmons exceeds Hardin is in the area of assists and that’s not by much (7.7 versus 6.7). Readers might believe there is a “hate-Simmons” campaign going on here, far from it. I believe the tall point guard is a decent player but with flaws in his overall game. Will the Nets be able to “hide” his shortcomings enough to win a championship? In closing perhaps it’s wrong to look strictly at the numbers, unfortunately that and the history is our only measuring stick. As for the championship well, that question will be answered in May or June once the playoffs begin in earnest.

The most hated man in America

Now that I have your attention allow me to state Coach K. is not hated in all circles. In fact, some of us love him, the coach has been accused of bullying game officials, opposing players, the media and others. In his final season I wanted to pay tribute to one of the all-time great basketball coaches in the game’s history. As for the hated part, scores of people do hate him, a portion of the vitriol might be based on the success the coach has had in almost 50 years coaching the game we adore. It's been mentioned previously it was a rocky road when this living legend first began coaching at Duke.

I have stated in the past a coach with his losing record early on would have been fired in the first three years at the helm. Gradually his teams began to play better basketball and the "Cameron Crazies" were born, it became more difficult to play Duke at home and win. Over the years the coach has managed to send a wealth of talent into the NBA or the coaching ranks. For most of us after the season is complete it will be difficult to think of Duke basketball without seeing Coach K. prowling the sidelines. NCAA Championship, Olympic Champion, 3X Naismith Coach of the Year…the honors go on and on. The haters won’t miss you coaching Duke basketball Coach K., but I will. He’s already enshrined in the Naismith and College Basketball Halls of Fame so only a rocking chair is left now...no not him he will remain active in some capacity. 

Junior college basketball 

Often, we ignore junior or community college basketball, there are a number of athletes who attend junior colleges after high school. Most often they attend these schools to raise their GPA, sometimes it’s more than grades holding back an athlete, it’s their skill. The youngster shows promise but there are “holes” in their game a year or two in junior college can sometimes be beneficial to continued development. They might wind up a Division I or II program somewhere in the nation with the NBA in their future. Bob McAdoo former player is in the Naismith and College Basketball Hall of Fame. Prior to displaying his skill at North Carolina and later the NBA it began Vincennes then a junior college. 

McAdoo was enrolled at Vincennes from 1969-71 and from there it was North Carolina. Also from the junior college ranks Dennis Rodman, Naismith Hall of Famer Rodman begin his basketball journey at Cook County Community College now known as North Central Texas College. As for the present Wolves guard/forward Jimmy Butler begin his ascension to the NBA from Tyler Junior College in Tyler Texas before heading to Marquette University. Cavs forward Jae Crowder played at Howard College a two-year community college in Big Spring Texas he too would complete his eligibly at Marquette. There are others unmentioned, but the point is this, it doesn’t matter where your journey begins the key is where it ends.

Basketball from a fans perspective   

Monday through Friday

It went down

The next few days will see volumes printed about the James Harden-Ben Simmons trade. The talking heads on television will spend literally hours discussing the trade and its aftereffects, how about this bit of thought from a basketball fan. It is far too early to determine a winner in this trade however this is exactly what I am going to attempt. I’m not going to hold you captive to the end but declare the Sixers the winner and I’ll explain. Simmons might be a better passer, but he can’t do what Harden can…score the ball.

I’ve been rather critical of Harden because his numbers across the board were down but were they down for a reason? Was he upset with the continued time off of Kyrie Irving and the teams dependence on Kevin Durant? Did the absence of these two play a role in Harden wanting to move? There are volumes of questions that will probably never be answered. As for Simmons I love the talent he brings to the floor minus his shooting woes. At the beginning of the season, I believed Simmons would eventually return to the Sixers after pouting for a while. November became December and then January, by the middle of the month I felt sure Simmons had no intention of returning to the Sixers. Once he arrives and begins play for the Nets will he be ready for action, that question is an unknown until we see him play. The only advantage Simmons has at this point is age, he’s only 25 years old versus 32-year-old Hardin, in addition the latter has plenty of NBA mileage on his body.

Over time you will read additional accounts on this trade, we should mention the other players  changing zip codes. From the Sixers to the Nets are Seth Curry, Andre Drummond and two first round picks, headed from the Nets besides Hardin veteran Paul Millsap. A key to this trade we might not know or perhaps forgot the Sixers GM Daryl Morey was the GM in Houston and had a player named James Hardin. Finally, Hardin would have become a free agent after the season and maybe the Nets believed they might not be able to sign him…. speculation…speculation and more speculation on my part.

Two Number One’s

For the first time in a while, we have two number one team’s. No, they are not tied as occurred previously we have number one’s in two different polls. The AP Top 25 has Auburn at one and Gonzaga at two, the Coaches Poll places Gonzaga number one and Auburn two. Is one poll more dependable than the other, you are the judge to answer that question, this is what we’ve heard. The AP Poll is comprised of the media voting while the Coaches Poll is what it claims to be. Coaches (we don’t know how many) across the nation vote on the top teams. Personally, this is just a beauty contest, the important poll is the one on the second Tuesday of April. The NCAA Championship would have been play the previous night and we’d know which team is actually number one.

Restoration 

The title might be a stretch, but you get the idea, this is a change which is a restoration. Staples Center will undergo renovation, how soon, that is yet to be formally determined. Earlier you read a construction update on the Clippers Intuit Dome, part of this might be impacted by this planned building. Staples Center (I know that’s no longer the name) is now 23-years old, with the planned move by the Clippers a remodel is in the works.

The problem, Staples has one of the busiest calendars there is, four professional teams the Lakers, Clippers (until 2024), NHL Kings and WNBA Sparks. In addition, when this project was first proposed the pandemic shut down activity. We fail to mention the numerous concerts and other events that clog the calendar. Construction must be accomplished similar to Madison Square Garden and maybe other arenas, most of the work must occur during the summer months. We are not going to detail the work areas but just provide you the reader an indication change is in the future. By the way Crypto.com Arena doesn’t flow with many of us.

Who is he?

The last few years we’ve heard television studio hosts plus play-by-play announcers mention the name KenPom in relation to college basketball time to time. What is KenPom and what is the basis for the term might be your question? His name is Ken Pomeroy and he’s created the statistical measurement we now refer to as KenPom. Although he is connected to basketball you might be surprised to read, he’s not actually a stat guy.

Pomeroy earned an undergraduate degree at Virginia Tech and a graduate degree in atmospheric science from the University of Wyoming. So, the man who provides us statistical information on college basketball is actually a trained meteorologist. In fact, his bio indicates he worked as a meteorologist for the U.S. Government in that role for a time before quitting to work on his website full time. Pomeroy now list his occupation as college basketball statistician and columnist. I thought it might be interesting to read of the one person who’s become the source for crunching the numbers as it relates to college basketball.