Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Monday through Friday

This prediction

Sometimes you need to boldly go where no man has gone before. Sorry, I had to borrow that line from Star Trek because I believe it applies here. This is rare for me, Mr. Keep it Safe rarely ventures onto that limb and makes an attempt to pick a winner ahead of the game being played. That’s for other guys to do and when they are proven wrong, I have the opportunity to laugh at them. In this instance I am providing you the opportunity in front of the BIG GAME, of course Duke must win first on Saturday.

Duke must secure victory over the weekend before the Monday evening tip-off. Okay I gave it away my 2022 NCAA Champion is the Duke Blue Devils. Could they mess up my prognostication by losing on Saturday afternoon or even Monday night? That certainly is a possibility after watching them lose the last game for Coach K. at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Just consider this fact, if it turns out I’m wrong you have plenty of grounds to laugh at me. On the other hand, if my prediction is correct…. well, what do you do? Am I to be applauded for my insight or do you simply attribute it to dumb luck?

Who pays?

Construction of a 70,000-seat football stadium certainly would be more expensive than a 20,000-capacity basketball arena. For those unfamiliar with the geography the Kansas City Chiefs have played on the Missouri side since their existence. A proposal has been mentioned regarding a new stadium in Kansas. This is no innovation New York NFL football and the Mets have played in New Jersey for years. We’d have to return to the Cotton Bowl days to find an NFL Cowboys team playing in Dallas. Play in successive years has been Irving and now in Arlington Texas. Although no city name exists on the jerseys the MSL team Sporting Kansas City has long played on the Kansas side of State Line Road.

 A stadium or arena in a different state or city is not my concern, I would continue to root for the Chiefs no matter where they played. If given the opportunity I would have no issues driving to Kansas City Kansas for a game. We must take into consideration Kansas fans have done this for years now. My issue, new stadiums and arenas financed by the public with billionaire owners contributing none or a smaller amount of costs. The Warriors home, Chase Center in San Francisco was built exclusively with private funds, the reported construction cost was $1.4 billion for a 20,000-seat arena.

The Intuit Dome with a planned opening of 2024 home of the Clippers has a $2 billion price tag attached to it, according to reports owner Steve Ballmer is footing the bill for the arena. Imagine that figure multiplied three times for a football stadium, hopefully you see where I’m going. This would appear to be an anti-build stadium/arena rant but that is not the case. If owners, be they NFL or NBA desire new buildings they should be responsible citizens. Titleholders should be willing to assume some or all portions of the cost. Depending on the dynamics the public should be involved in the maintenance and upkeep of the enterprise.

Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year

If we check the history of the award, it will appear Jayson Tatum of the Celtics had a monopoly on the prize. The Celtic forward won the Gatorade award his sophomore, junior and senior year at Chaminade College Prep in the St. Louis metro. In 2022 the honor goes to Luke Norweather a 6-foot 10 220 pound forward; the youngster is a senior at Blair Oaks High School in the Jefferson City metro area.

Norweather’s season total was 29.2 points and 11.4 rebounds a game for the Class 4 school. Two notes, the history of the award indicates the concentration of basketball talent resides in the urban areas of St. Louis, Kansas City and Springfield. That’s not to say those are the only areas of the state with basketball talent, the majority of honorees have attended high schools in those cities. As this is written it’s undecided where Norweather might be headed in the fall, you will be updated at a future date.

My belief   

I hope new Mizzou coach Dennis Gates and former coach Cuonzo Martin get an opportunity to meet. Don’t count me in with the legions of Mizzou Nation wanting Martin fired. I’ve always believed he was a standup guy despite his record the last two seasons on the court. See it was different this time, I was ready for Quin Snyder to leave, he might have been far too young to run a Division I program at the time. Now it’s different he’s managed to re-invent himself with the NBA Utah Jazz. Mike Anderson was a different story; he ran a squeaky-clean program, but it always appeared he was waiting on that phone call. The call indicating the Arkansas head coaching job was open, despite a salary increase Anderson headed south when the job opened the second time. Enter next through the door was Frank Haith from Miami (FL).

Indiscretions with the NCAA would turned up in Haith’s background after he was hired. Should a more thorough background search have been conducted…of course. I’m not sure if Haith left Mizzou anticipating being fired or what. He would leave without too much advance notice and this time Mizzou did an even worst job in the hiring department. Kim Anderson former Mizzou player and assistant under Norm Stewart was made head coach. Anderson had tasted success at Division II University of Central Missouri, that would not be the case for Mizzou the program went further downhill almost immediately. To this day it’s been my contention there was probably nothing wrong with Anderson’s playbook he just couldn’t recruit talent. Finally, we arrive at the hire of Cuonzo Martin, there is no animosity on my part regarding any of the departed coaches. I believe wrong place and maybe the wrong time…as for Cuonzo Martin it was a different story for me. He will continue to be a favorite with me, I hope he gets another chance to coach somewhere, good luck in the future coach.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Monday through Friday

A second look

A friend reminded me of my oversight, in an attempt to highlight the 3-peat of Northwest Missouri State other championship teams were omitted. Yes, there were others in the past beginning with UCLA. The mighty Bruins won the Division I NCAA Championship in 1968 and every championship through 1973, a record 7 in a row. HBCU Tennessee State ran the table on the NAIA Tournament 1957, 1958 and 1959. Several years later Kentucky State also an HBCU institution would duplicate this accomplishment as they won the NAIA Tournament 1970, 1971 and 1972. If the account published on Monday confused you my apologies, corrections or addendums are always presented where they can easily be located. The attempt was to acknowledge the achievement by Division II Northwest Missouri State.

Are they on television too much?

There have been complaints from a number of folks including Charles Barkley. They have voiced objections to the Lakers being featured so often on national television broadcasts. I have no television background however I believe once the NBA sends out its schedules TNT/ABC/ESPN begin planning. At the start of this season the Lakers were expected to be NBA Champion contenders. We are aware that is not the case as the season moves toward its conclusion.

Truth is the Lakers might miss the playoffs all together based on their poor record. In any event back to the subject at hand, the networks are unlikely to adjust their broadcast schedule unless something similar to a pandemic would transpire. Of course, that’s what occurred, the television schedule was impacted by the event. Rather than complain about something we have no control simply look at the first game and skip the late-night game from Los Angeles. Despite the fact this is pointed out rest assured we’ll continue to hear complaints regarding the network telecast. If you don’t wish to see the Lakers find something else to occupy your time.

The Goat

I’ve said this on more than one occasion, I tried to remain outside of arguments comparing player to player except in one instance. There is only one exception those who claim Michael Jordan is the Goat I loudly say no way. Who is the Goat, it’s simple…Lew Alcindor a.k.a. Kareem Abdul Jabbar? From high school through his NBA career not a single player not even Michael Jordan can compare, let’s check out the record. 

Three straight New York City Catholic league championships

71 game winning streak, 79-2 in high school

Three-time First Team Parade Magazine All American (high school)

Three-time NCAA Champion at UCLA

Three-time Final Four Most Outstanding Player

Three-time National Player of the Year

Three-time First Team All American

NBA Rookie of the Year

NBA All Rookie First Team

6 Time NBA Champion

2 Time NBA Finals MVP

NBA All-Time leading scorer 38,387 points

Member NBA 35^th, 50^th and 75^th Anniversary Team

Kareem might lose the scoring record to LeBron James but for now he’s held it since he retired in 1989. The honors above cover his play at Power Memorial HS, UCLA, Milwaukee Bucks and the Lakers. There are awards and honors omitted, I wanted to provide you evidence on the real GOAT.

Where does he go from here?

Emoni Bates had been injured for a while, we have been informed he’s got back problems. One report indicated he’d returned to Michigan to see a specialist. Injury aside there are doubts, not of a serious nature he returns to Memphis, why should he? If his intent is to focus on an NBA career, he will not pick it up at Memphis, so a pro career is in his future…maybe. This is not aimed at Penny Hardaway or the coaching staff, Bates can learn so much additional playing against pros. Bates reclassified therefore he’s too young for the 2022 NBA draft however there are options.

The NBA G-League, Overtime Elite and Australia are the future possibilities for Bates. What occurred for him besides the injury might be the next question? His shooting suffered when he was on the court, 38% is just not going to cut it at any level. With that said perhaps the anticipation of playing at Memphis might have overwhelmed him, we don’t know that to be a fact just speculation. The one bright spot prior to Bates injury is his defense, he is adept at defending. Bates certainly has talent although it might not be at the level we were first led to believe. The future remains bright for the young man as long as he continues to work at his craft.

I offer no name or proof

There are many stories floating about regarding the Lakers front office and coaching staff. This is only speculation on my part, the tea leaves say Rob Pelinka has a 50-50 chance to remain GM of the team. As for the coach that’s a different matter. Frank Vogel is a quality guy; he was the driver as the team won its 17^th NBA Championship tying the record of the Celtics. One report I read indicated the only reason he’s retained his job to date there is no Jason Kidd. If you remember at the time of the hire Vogel and Kidd were competing to become head coach, Vogel won but Kidd came on board as an assistant.

Kidd remained in place until he was hired by Mark Cuban to take over the Mavs. I have no method to see inside the Laker clubhouse, but it appears to be in a chaotic state, fair or unfair that rests on the shoulders of the head coach. As for Vogel’s replacement we have no names but take stock in this. The Celtics, Blazers, Magic, Pelicans and Wizards hired first time coaches something I believe the Lakers cannot, no they will not follow suit. My belief at this point Anthony Davis returns and provides a spark, the team makes a deep playoff run. Vogel is able to retain his job based on those series of events otherwise the Lakers will have a new coach for the 2022-23 season.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Monday through Friday

No lead apparently is ever safe

This version of the Lakers has been guilty of the same continuing pattern. They will race out to a huge lead at times, unable to sustain the lead they eventually wind up losing the game. It fails to take into account who they might be playing. That’s what occurred again Sunday evening, they held a 23-point lead in the second half of the game against the Pelicans. We realize there are two halves of every game but that much of a lead should be enough to sustain a victory for any NBA team we’d believe.

In any event the Pelicans roared back and won the game in regulation time 116-108. To make matters worse LeBron James went out with an injury, how long he will be out this time is unknown as this account is being completed. What’s different, Frank Vogel who is supposed to be a defensive coach cannot seem to get this team to play any. Perhaps other members of Laker Nation might have different memories, I cannot remember a Laker team being quite as inept as this one. This Laker team can no longer be defended by me, they are beyond endorsing this season. Despite the negative words have I turned in my Laker Nation card.

A rare accomplishment

Northwest Missouri State accomplished a rare feat over the weekend. On Saturday, the Maryville Missouri school won its third consecutive NCAA Division II Championship. What is more interesting this could have been the school’s 4^th win in a row, the pandemic year robbed them of a possible championship. The Bearcats managed to beat a feisty Augusta University team from Augusta Georgia 67-58.

State got off to a slow start but midway in the first half they began accelerating thanks mostly to guard Trevor Hudgins. Hudgins finished the game with 31 points 22 of them registered in the first half of the game. Who is Ben McCollum you might ask, one of the winningest coach in college basketball today? If we check his bio his first two teams won 12 and 10 games, since then his Bearcats have never won less than 21 games in each succeeding season. The awards for McCollum are far too numerous to list in total, he’s been two times national coach of the year. He’s been 7 times MIAA Conference Coach of the Year.

Revisionist history  

This account was written ahead of a discussion heard on local sports talk radio. The host was discussing the amount of basketball talent that failed to attend Mizzou. The state produces a considerable number of talented basketball athletes, the problem few of them chose to matriculate at Mizzou. Part of this is due to choosing other schools while for others they simply were not recruited. We could look at potential NBA pick Ochai Agbaji as an example, this Kansas City Missouri talent was overlooked by Mizzou. Newly hired coach Dennis Gates has taken a page from the Gary Pinkel playbook, the former Mizzou football coach declared his intention to “shut down the border.” Pinkel wanted the greater number of high school football talent to remain in-state. Below is a partial list of the outstanding prospects who failed to attend Mizzou for a variety of reasons: 

Jayson Tatum

Bradley Beal

Tyler and Ben Hansbrough

Tyronn Lue

Landry Shamet

Anthony Tolliver

Alec Burks

It’s impossible to accomplish shutting down the state completely, high profile athletes will continue to leave for Duke, North Carolina, UCLA and other institutions. The issue for Gates and his staff is to identify the talent and steer it toward Columbia Missouri. AD Desiree Reed-Francois indicated one of the reasons she hired Gates was her belief he could recruit talent. Grant has a great deal of work on his hands over the next few weeks and months. A key indicator for Grant, how much of the present Mizzou roster is he able to retain. There seems to be a prevailing thought Missouri kids don’t want to attend school in the state, I don’t believe that.

I know we are talking baseball but remember in the movie Field of Dreams? The Kevin Costner character kept hearing the whisper “Build it and they will come.” I happen to believe that applies to Mizzou, basketball programs must create a winning atmosphere on campus and throughout the nation. Kids can’t help but be drawn to Mizzou with a successful program in place. As for the present this Mizzou team had few bright spots however it sure would be nice if they could retain a number on this roster. So far only two players have entered the transfer portal, if Mizzou can retain at least 5 players off the present roster they have building blocks in place. The addition of the two Grant recruits and perhaps 3-4 more they should be okay in the warm body department. Whether this translates to wins remains a question for now. 

Apparently, there is an issue

We could refer to it as “airing your dirty laundry,” a former staffer at ESPN wrote what he sees wrong with the networks NBA coverage. At the time the league moved to the ESPN/ABC Network I thought great. Coverage will be so much better with a network associated with sports. That was then, this is now…NBA TV is excluded because they pick up local feeds. TNT coverage from its studio host to the broadcast is so much superior to that which we see on ESPN/ABC. I try to tune out Jeff Van Gundy as much as possible, I do this because he’s often discussing a subject far removed from the game in front of him.

I like Mark Jackson but even he can become bland at times in his role as an analyst at times during a telecast, best of the best in my view is Doris Burke and Hubie Brown. The broadcasters are okay, I had issues at one point with Mike Breen but he’s okay now. Mark Jackson has always been one of my favorites. Pre and half time telecast should be avoided at all costs. I almost never attach myself to pre-game/half-time programming however the guys at TNT are light years ahead of ESPN. The NBA background of adding a Mike Wilbon is a little questionable. The addition of Stephen A. Smith has made the telecast unwatchable in my view. Our guess he operates in his pontifical style when discussing the game and other NBA issues. What’s most interesting the guys who should know are comfortable with sailing the ship without much direction.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Monday through Friday

What is the story

We’ve heard it from a few, “I’ve given up on Gonzaga in the NCAA Tournament.” The reasons we hear can be varied but let’s check the record. The Bulldogs reached the Sweet 16 in 2022 before succumbing to the Arkansas Razorbacks 74-68 last week. They won in the tournament in order to face Arkansas so it’s not a tournament thing. Last season the Bulldogs lost only one game and that was in the NCAA Championship game to Baylor 86-70. The prior season there was no tournament as everything was cancelled due to the pandemic. The season before pandemic (2019) saw them an Elite Eight finisher in the tournament.

The gab is “Gonzaga can’t win because the West Coast Conference is weak” which isn’t totally correct. I heard a commentator say, “Since they don’t play football the conference must become like the old Big East Conference.” The other case I heard, “Tommy Lloyd is no longer recruiting internationally for them, that’s hurt the program now and into the future.” Former assistant Lloyd became head coach at Arizona this past season for those unaware. The number of answers as to why Gonzaga fails to win championships can vary based on whom you might converse with. I’m a believer in Mark Few and Gonzaga basketball, they will win an NCAA Championship I cannot provide you day, date or time but it will come.

“Make That Move”

The R&B group Shalamar had a smash tune in 1980 titled “Make That Move”, the headline has nothing to do with this account. I just thought it would be a good lead into this narrative, it might apply based on the recent change. With Covid rates subsiding in the nation and cities last week as expected New York City lifted its vaccination policy. If you remember this mandate affected a vast number of individuals but one in particular who plays for the Nets. Brooklyn point guard Kyrie Irving was only permitted to play road games…he was unable to play games at Barclays Center.

In fact, the Nets got in trouble with the city prior to the change, Irving was in the locker room which was also not permitted. In any event back to the subject at hand, will the Nets be able to Make That Move? Granted they will easily earn a playoff berth it’s the other thing. Can the team sustain a deep playoff run culminating in a championship? We have no timeframe for Ben Simmons to begin play at the same time with little court time will he be able to be of assistance to the Nets? The next few weeks and months should prove quite interesting for the Nets. No excuses should be offered (short of injury) if there is no deep playoff run by Irving, Durant and company. Just in case you might be unfamiliar with Shalamar check out the link below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvdTr0RhdsM

This doesn’t mean a whole lot, or does it?

Earlier we reported the first signee for coach Grant at Mizzou. As a reminder his name is Mohammed Diarra and he’s a 6-foot 10 215 pound forward. What else do we know about the youngster, he attended Garden City Community College in Garden City Kansas. Home for Diarra is Paris France, he arrived on these shores to attend Redemption Christian Academy in Troy New York. To provide you a point of reference Troy is located in metro Albany. The website jucorecuting.com list its Top 100 juco players for 2022 in the nation, Diarra is rated the number one player in the nation. To provide just a little depth of his skill this past season saw him at 17.8 points and 12.6 rebounds a game. 

Diarra did this while shooting 45% from the floor and 30% from three. Video of him in action indicates he is swift up and down the court for a player of his size. As pointed out earlier there is a Grand Canyon leap from even the best junior college program to Division I basketball. We can only guess at this point the coach must have been scouting Diarra while still at Cleveland State. This fact was confirmed before completion of this account, coach Grant it turns out had been scouting Diarra prior to the Mizzou hire, we guess the coach is fast but maybe not quite that rapid. Coach Dennis Gates is moving faster than my ability to publish the news, also added to the roster the coach’s second commitment in two days. 

This prospect is named DeAndre Gholston he’s a 6-foot 5 215-pound combo guard and the best news Gholston is headed to Mizzou to play. He arrives from Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Tallahassee Community College; he’s played at Milwaukee the last two seasons. Gholston is a shooter having averaged 15 points a game the last two seasons while shooting 34% from 3. The disclaimer, yes there it is, we have no clue if Gholston is able to make the transition to play successfully at Mizzou…we in Mizzou Nation sure hope that is the case.

He’s been shut down

James Wiseman was not the key to a successful year by the Warriors. The team has managed to return to form with Wiseman missing sidelined by surgery and recovery. It was thought at one point he’d be able to return this season. Wiseman’s been shut down and will not appear at all the remainder of the season. The right knee meniscus repair surgery of last April has not responded as hoped. Reports indicate there is no schedule for an additional surgery on the knee. After becoming the 2^nd pick in the 2020 we’ve seen the 7-foot Wiseman limited to but 39 games since the NBA draft that year. 

Basketball from a fans perspective   

Published Monday through Friday

The end

Actually, this is not the end, it is the beginning of the end if I borrow the Winston Churchill quote. This is the last account (I hope) defending the hire of Dennis Gates at Mizzou. It’s anticipated in the future only game and recruiting wins will be noted. This is the letter I read, “Mizzou could have done so much better over hiring Gates.” A respondent immediately came back and said, “Give us some names?” All we heard from the initial writer was crickets, the guy didn’t like the hire so he decided he was against it although he couldn’t provide us a name to discuss. Okay, let’s join the action and complete the task for him, we heard the names Todd Golden University of San Francisco, also in the mix was Matt McMahon of Murray State.

Let’s say one or both were approached by Mizzou, both said thanks but no thanks. Is Mizzou supposed to announce, “We interviewed Todd Golden, but he turned us down or “We gave Matt McMahon 24 hours to decide but he passed on the job.” Who’s to say these two and others might have been contacted regarding the head coaching position at Mizzou. I believe we get it; Gates comes from Cleveland State a mid-major program. There is no guarantee in place claiming he can recruit or win in the SEC. One thing we must do, give the guy an opportunity to at least prove he’s not right for the job. Here’s an example of what was done, your company hires a fresh marketing manager, you get a glance at his resume. You decide before he begins employment, “I can’t work for this guy he doesn’t know what he’s doing.” This conclusion is made prior to his first day on the job, you think this is fair.

They arrive from all over

NBA drafts of the past once contained only American (or foreign) athletes who played at schools here. As the footprint of the league expanded, we began to see a trickle of Euro players, that trickle has now become a steady stream over the last 10 or so years. Then Australia became a player as LaMelo Ball and others journeyed to the Southwest Pacific nation before beginning their NBA career. At the dawn of the 2022 NBA Draft if the mock draft projections are correct another stream of talent might soon arrive. We have athletes from the G-League Elite team and at least one from the newly established Overtime Elite. Will these prospects be drafted; we cannot be sure however the names should be noted for the future?

Jaden Hardy 6-foot 4 200-pound SG G-League

MarJon Beauchamp 6-foot 6 200-pound SG G-League

Dyson Daniels 6-foot 6 200-pound PG/SG G-League

Michael Foster 6-foot 8 250-pound PF G-League

Jean Montero 6-foot 2 175-pound PG/SG Overtime Elite

As a reminder again, we have no clue if any of the names above will be announced June 23. Despite this fact one or more might play their way onto an NBA roster. NBA Summer League play has led to free agent contracts for a number of players in years past. In any event these additional sources of talent could prove fruitful, if not in 2023 perhaps in future years.

Do you want this job?

Steve Nash was injured most of his tenure with the Lakers. In my view Nash might have been nearest Magic Johnson since Magic, not only could he lead a team he could score as well. Nash managed to play only 60 games in two seasons prior to retiring. In 2020 he was hired as head coach of the Nets, Nash with no coaching background was given the opportunity to coach this team. That first season he led the Nets to a 48-24 record but were eliminated in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals. The 2021-22 season would be different, this team with Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Hardin was odds on favorite to win the NBA Championship. A series of issues have been an obstacle in the path of the Nets. The first issue, Irving was declared unable to play home games due to his opposition to the covid vaccine and the mandate by NYC.

Irving would become a part-time player but that might change as covid numbers have been reduced in recent weeks. Second issue, after appearing to play in his sleep for most of the season Hardin decided he wanted out. The Nets traded him to the Sixers for Ben Simmons, as this is written Simmons is yet to step on the court. The final issue, the Durant injury…Durant has been missing for several weeks but recently returned to the lineup. This is written ahead of publication, the Nets are three games above .500, this is certainly not the vision Nets fans (and maybe management) had last October. It’s certainly not too late, the Nets could still contend for the championship. The larger question might be can they at this point, in closing all this drama has nothing to do with the ability of Nash to coach. It does cause us to wonder if he wants to continue in this role.

“Can’t tell the players without a program”

In the early days of baseball, it was said vendors would sell their programs using that call. This ain’t baseball however there’s been so much movement in the college ranks it’s difficult to tell who is where. Hopefully, this will aid you in keeping up with several of the major coaching changes in college basketball.

Louisville-Kenny Payne

Florida-Todd Golden

Xavier-Sean Miller

Mississippi State-Chris Jans

Kansas State-Jerome Tang

Missouri-Dennis Gates

Maryland-Kevin Willard

LSU-Todd McMahon

South Carolina-Lamont Paris

Georgia-Mike White

Rhode Island-Archie Miller

It should also be of note there remain jobs unfilled so it’s likely a few more names will be added. Each season we have more coaches fired or transfer to other schools. Serving as head coach of a college basketball team seems to be more fluid than ever.

Basketball from a fans perspective   

Published Monday through Friday

One champion decided

We are yet to crown a champion in the Division I or II Championship, despite this fact one champion has already been decided. On Tuesday evening Loyola University of New Orleans won the NAIA Championship in Kansas City 71-56 over Talladega College. NAIA basketball has become an afterthought in recent years, despite this fact NAIA teams continue to play competitive basketball. The tournament held in Kansas City is older than the NCAA and NIT Tournament, it's in year 84.

The best of the best in the NBA emerged from NAIA schools, Willis Reed Grambling, Sam Jones North Carolina Central and Bob Love Southern University are just a few names. All that’s changed now as a number of those institutions now compete as Division I or II schools. Loyola of New Orleans won its second tournament in the school's history. The first win occurred in 1945 when it was known as the NAIB or National Association of Basketball. With the win over Talladega College the Wolf Pack finished the season with a 37-1 record. Congratulations are due Loyola University of New Orleans the 2022 NAIA Champions.

The Top GOAT College coach

Dick Vitale said it, it must be true…probably. Veteran ESPN guy went on record indicating he believes Coach K. is the college games all-time best coach, let’s check some of the numbers on Coach K. 5 NCAA Championships, three times Coach of the Year and selection to the Naismith and College Basketball Hall of Fame. That’s but a brief look at the numerous honors and awards the Duke coach has received in this his last season at the helm. No argument against Vitale’s choice, Coach K. has certainly achieved greatness in his time but what about another name? The late John Wooden UCLA basketball coach, he’s long since retired and with his death few in this generation even recognize the name.

Wooden became head coach at UCLA in 1948 and retired in 1975. In between those years we witnessed a basketball program that produced some of the most successful teams in the history of the college game. Four UCLA teams experienced undefeated seasons, you say it was a different era and we can agree to a point. The fact these teams never suffered a loss remains noteworthy. This coach had 10 NCAA Championship teams led by the likes of Lew Alcindor, Bill Walton and others. Wooden’s twice been honored by the Naismith Hall of Fame as a player and later as a coach. He’s also been a selection to the College Basketball Hall as well, this is no intent to negate the stellar record of Coach K. How about dual GOAT college coaches?

Has he unpacked his luggage?

The question requires an explanation, the party in question is Laker forward Wenyen Gabriel. Has he finally found a home with the Lakers? The 6 foot 9 Gabriel left Kentucky for the NBA in 2018 but he went undrafted. The story didn’t end there as he was determined to earn a roster spot, this is the list. He’s worn jerseys for the Kings, Blazers, Pelicans, Nets, Clippers and now the Lakers since March 1 when he signed a two-way contract. Not included in these numerous moves are three stops with G-League teams. Frank Vogel has spoken in optimistic tones about Gabriel’s defense and hustle which has been a welcome addition to the Lakers.

Reading this account, one might conclude incorrectly a star has been born, let’s just say at age 24 two things could occur. Gabriel could grow into a valuable starter or key reserve. The larger question we cannot answer, how did he manage to wear the jersey of so many teams who were unable to see his value. That question cannot be answered we can only guess he might not have been given adequate time to display his skills. As for home Gabriel was born in Khartoum Sudan but played in high school first in Manchester New Hampshire and Wilbraham a suburb of Springfield Massachusetts. Gabriel’s bio mentions no play in South Sudan, so we guess he began play here. The future appears bright for Gabriel and hopefully he continues to develop his game in the coming years.

Connected to Gabriel is teammate and rookie Austin Reaves, it’s difficult in his instance to refer to him as a rookie with 70 odd games under his belt. Like Gabriel Reaves too might also represent a portion of the Lakers future. We’ve told the story numerous times Reaves informed all “don’t draft me, I want to pick my team.” That’s exactly what Reaves did and chose the Lakers, playing valued minutes in a reserve role the youngster’s been inserted into the starting lineup due to his defensive prowess and his shooting. At the age of 23 he along with Gabriel and perhaps others unnamed represent the future of the Lakers when the elder statesmen are retired, traded or released. Introducing to a number of you is Austin Reaves, shooting guard University of Oklahoma.

Sports talk radio 

I’m sure I didn’t mention this, I rarely listen to local sports talk radio, but I never declared why. It is boring, boring, did I say boring…I guess I did more than once. Allow a further explanation, I live in Kansas City with no professional basketball and minor league hockey. The professional teams, the NFL Chiefs, baseball Royals dominate sports talk radio. On occasion Sporting Kansas City would receive some airtime but you see the issue, I hope. There is little if any NBA talk, the discussion of college basketball is dominated by Jayhawk talk. Okay, the NBA I understand…we have no team in the city the college basketball I fail to understand. Kansas State is located 125 road miles from Kansas City (MO), Columbia home of Mizzou is about the same distance both less than two hours by interstate.

I’m a realist, neither the basketball program at K-State or Mizzou has tasted success to the level of Kansas I get that. The local guys on sports talk radio were falling all over themselves praising the Kansas basketball win on Thursday. Allow me to point out a fact, the mid-morning crew on Sports Talk 810 were praising Kansas for its victory over Texas Southern. Texas Southern was a 16 seed while Kansas was a number 1, Kansas should have won the game in convincing fashion. I know what some of you are saying, “He’s just a disgruntled Mizzou guy who happens to hate Kansas.” Only a portion of that statement is true, I have no ill will toward Kansas players. Success or not I have issues with Bill Self which will not be detailed here. Let’s just close this by going back to the beginning, Kansas City sports talk radio allows me to not miss it only checking it once or twice a week.

Basketball from a fans perspective   

Published Monday through Friday

“Larry Bird is not walking through that door!”

Rick Pitino was then coaching the Celtics; the team had undergone a losing streak I believe. Larry Bird and the rest of that vaulted team of the ‘80’s had retired or were near the end of their career. Celtics players must have been moaning for the good old days when Pitino made the statement. I could make the same declaration for Mizzou Nation, “Coach K., John Calipari or Bill Self are not walking through that door.” Many in Mizzou Nation have expressed their displeasure with the hiring of Dennis Gates. One fan website claimed 50 some percent of the fans wanted Cuonzo Martin fired yet 60% were not satisfied with the Gates hire.

Let’s call it as I see it, Mizzou is a school in a Power 5 Conference, Mizzou is not close to being a basketball blue blood program such as Kentucky or North Carolina. The school cannot just toss out the net and pull in coaches from throughout the nation. That’s not to indicate Gates is chopped liver. A headline in the St. Louis Post Dispatch read, “Dennis Gates doesn’t move the needle much.” In fact, a couple of local radio guys claim the K-State fan base is more excited about the hire of Jerome Tang over that of Gates. I’m still unsure what Mizzou Nation expects in a hire, the school is in the SEC yet remains a tough hire for a prospective coach. Coach Gates must be given time to implement his program, don’t toss him overboard ahead of time.

Another nation might be heard

The NBA has long held a presence on the Asian continent. Several Chinese athletes have played at U.S. colleges, and some have advanced to the NBA. Yao Ming might be the name most familiar to us and possibly the best. The first player from Japan played in the NBA way back in 1947, his name Wataru Misaka. He played but one season, but it is interesting he did this the same year as Jackie Robinson in baseball. Similar to China there have been several Japanese players since then. Currently on the Wizards roster is Rui Hachimura who played at Gonzaga prior to his arrival in the NBA. Playing in the NBL in Australia is 7-foot 2 Kai Sotto from the Philippines, he’s got NBA aspirations too.

There have been other college and NBA players from Asian nations but to date none from South Korea. That might change according to Lee Hyun-Jung a 6-foot 7 shooting guard/small forward at Davidson. Don’t expect to see him in the 2022 NBA Draft or Summer League play, he will enter his junior year in the fall. It helped with his mom having played the game, as a suggestion by a scout Hyun-Jung traveled first to Australia to play at the NBA Global Academy in Australia. This proved beneficial as he spoke only Japanese and there, he learned English and improved his game. It was reported both Washington State and Davidson offered scholarships, but he chose Davidson believing it fit his playing style. After a slow start his freshman year as a sophomore his numbers across the board improved significantly. Hyun-Jung’s junior season has seen increased production as he’s on the road to an NBA future…maybe.

Stay in your lane

Although I’ve mentioned my issues with LaVar Ball, he’s provided me words. The words are “Stay in your own lane”, do those things you are responsible for. This provides a lead into our discussion of head coaches. In youth, high school, AAU and college ball the coach is the boss, short of abuse that coach is in charge…his word is the law. As we get closer to the end of the season it appears the Lakers are destined for the play in tournament something LeBron especially has criticized. Recently I wrote of the problems with this Laker team, I believe I pointed a finger at Russell Westbrook and the other at the team. If Westbrook is to be blamed for 50% how much should have been aimed at LeBron?

Do what you do, i.e., play the game LeBron you are not the coach. That’s much of the problem with today’s NBA players as I see it. They want to play the game and coach the team, how much blame belongs to Laker coach Frank Vogel? Certainly, a percentage because it appears he’s allowed LeBron to micromanage this team. Do what you do best (play the game), Vogel should listen but far too much responsibility lies in the hands of the players today. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich is near the end of a long and successful NBA career, I’d bet money none of his teams in the past or present tried to overrule him. It’s okay to offer suggestions to the head coach however it’s more important that player stay in his lane.

The best ever

One of those .com websites chose the best basketball player from each state in the nation. In this area their choices were interesting in several instances. The Kansas and Missouri player selected failed to attend Kansas University or the University of Missouri. In the Midwest, the writers chose Alvan Adams for the State of Kansas and Jo Jo White for Missouri. The athlete had to be born in that state, Adams would distinguish himself playing at the University of Oklahoma and later in the NBA with the Phoenix Suns. Although Adams was born in Lawrence Kansas his family moved to Oklahoma where he graduated from Putnam City High School which is in metro Oklahoma City. Across State Line Road in Missouri, it was White from St. Louis, he did almost the same thing choosing to cross the state to play for the Kansas Jayhawks where he too distinguished himself. White would move to the NBA and become an outstanding player for the Celtics.

Basketball from a fans perspective   

Published Monday through Friday

Bits n Pieces   

On Monday Nebraska guard Bryce McGowens announced he was hiring an agent and declaring for the NBA draft. The 6 foot 7 McGowens leaves after his freshman season scoring nearly 17 points and 5 rebounds per game average. His name fails to appear on any of the mock draft sites but no matter. His is likely a pro career somewhere if not the NBA. McGowens becomes perhaps the first college player to announce his intention to play in the NBA.

The Pelicans will likely earn a play in tournament berth. They will accomplish this task without Zion Williamson on the court, the Pelicans power forward has been ruled out for the balance of the season. At one time it was believed he’d be able to return however that is out of the question at this point. We have questions now if his surgically repaired foot will allow him to ever play in the NBA again, I hope that is not the case.

Perhaps he’s worn-out as well

I’ve made it known for quite a while I’ve grown tired of the constant comparison of athletes of different generations. If a prospect’s game is similar to a familiar player no problem, that aids us in figuring out his possible athletic aptitude. As for the comparison of stating player A is better than player B when they played in different eras…well take note. It is clear Kevin Durant is tired of the comparison as well based on this quote.

“MJ will never play in a game against LeBron so there’s no need for us to compare their careers. It’s just what you prefer.” I believe that just about sums it up, that goes for any player selected on the 50^th or 75^th Anniversary NBA teams. I realize this is a repeat of past discussions however it remains valid, yet we continue to hear of these comparisons. Once upon a time a saying existed, “Musta been a slow news day.” It simply implied let’s make some news and that appears to be the case with basketball over the course of time.

Family   

The Porter family shares a common trait, each brother has developed basketball talent. In addition to the they share a connection to a Columbia Missouri high school. At a point in time Michael Porter Sr. served as an assistant basketball coach at Mizzou, the eldest brother 6-foot 10 Michael Porter Jr. played at Mizzou briefly but is now with the NBA Nuggets. MPJ is a budding NBA All pro, he’s injured now but hopefully when he returns to action, he’ll be prepared to play at the high skill level we’ve seen thus far.

Immediately behind him is brother Jontay a 6-foot 11 power forward also played briefly at Mizzou; he’s currently playing for the NBA G-League Memphis Hustle. Next is brother Coban Porter (6 foot 4) is playing basketball at the University of Denver. Jevon Porter plays for Father Tolton High School in Columbia; this brother is 6 foot 11 and plays power forward. Jevon is headed to Pepperdine in the fall to play for Lorenzo Romar. In 2023 the youngest brother 6 foot 3 Izzak Porter also plays for Tolton and will graduate high school in 2023.

Who is the best?

It’s certainly small ball over Big Man play in the NBA of today. Despite that fact we have two very high-profile Big Men in today’s game. If you ask Philly fans, they will claim Joel Embiid as the best of the best. If we head west to the Rocky Mountains, we might hear a loud NO to that, residents of the Mile High City claim Nikola Jokic a.k.a. The Joker. There is no method to say who is the best without them being matched against one another, in lieu of that allow us to look at a few things. Embiid at 7 feet is one inch taller than Jokic, the Nuggets center outweighs Embiid by 4 pounds at 284.

How about other numbers, it’s Embiid with a 29.8 point per game average versus the 26.1 of Jokic. In the area of rebounds Jokic is the leader with a 13.8 average over Embiid at 11.3. Jokic is clearly the assist man with an 8.1 a game average over the 4.4 of Embiid. The two are close from 3 with Embiid at 35.6% over Jokic and his 34.9%. These two are so close across the board the question might be one we cannot begin to answer. It boils down to which team needs their center more the Sixers or the Nuggets? We are certainly not prepared to answer that question, at the same time the numbers are so close. Jokic is coming off an MVP season in 2021 however reports indicate Embiid is leading as this is written. Who is the MVP, you decide?

Basketball from a fans perspective   

Published Monday through Friday

A noteworthy event

I don’t care if you think it’s noteworthy or not, I do. Over the weekend LeBron James passed Karl Malone to move into second place as the NBA’s All Time Scoring Leader in points. Beginning play in the association as an 18-year-old through his 37^th year. This accomplishment details for all the athleticism and skill of this once in a lifetime athlete. With his game remaining at a high peak and no desire on his part to retire Kareem better watch out. We could be writing in 2-3 years of LeBron breaking Kareem Abdul Jabbar’s point total, as for the current feat congratulations are in order for LeBron Raymore James Sr.

Mizzou got it’s man (maybe)

No dragging of feet in this age, if one must make a decision, it must be accomplished immediately. That is the case for Mizzou basketball in its search for a new coach. Reports circulated The Todd Golden late of San Francisco would be the choice as head coach, Florida wasted absolutely no time in hiring him out from under the nose of Mizzou. Late Friday and early Saturday morning the name Dennis Gates begin circulating. Saturday afternoon Rock M Nation one of the Mizzou fan sites claimed Gates is the hire although they didn’t confirm this. It’s quite possible by the time you read this today an announcement will have been made. Board approval would appear to be the only hold up at this point. We might ask the question what is known about Gates.

Prior to writing this piece truly little, info we uncover indicates Gates is 42 years old and a former player at Cal. Get this, the guy was a two time All American Academic honoree in the Pac-10 and graduated in three years. As for his time at Cleveland State this was his first head coaching assignment, Gates was an assistant at four coaching stops and two additional as a graduate assistant. His first season at Cleveland State the Vikings finished 11-21, the following season it was 19-8 and in 2021-22 they were 20-11. Two years ago, his team qualified for the NCAA Tournament, this season the NIT. There are two key questions which cannot be resolved, only time as head coach will provide us the answer on Gates. Can this coach recruit and coming from a mid-major program will Grant be prepared to battle other SEC coaches in one of the best Power 5 conferences in the nation?

Finally in closing allow me to impart some words of wisdom (I hope). Since about January 2022 we’ve heard a crescendo of complaints about Cuonzo Martin. He needs to be fired etc. etc., that’s all we heard as the season came to a climax and then it occurred. Cuonzo was fired and a replacement was sought for him, after the announcement of a possible hire in gates the complaints began to rain down again. Those voicing concern if he was the right guy for the job etc. etc. and so on. As I attempted to point out earlier, we have no idea if this is a good or bad hire, on the surface it would appear to be good…Gates checks all the boxes in a positive manner. Hey, you in Mizzou Nation STILL complaining hold off at least until Gates and his family unpack their suitcases in Columbia. 

A questionable record

Friday March 18 was the 54^th Anniversary of an NBA record we have reservations about; we’ve covered this previously. In a 1968 game the legendary Wilt Chamberlain accomplished a feat which will never be duplicated if it did indeed occur. Chamberlain then playing for the Sixers led the way in a 158-128 win over his future team. He would score 53 points pull down 32 rebounds along with 14 assists, 24 blocked shots and 11 steals.  The game is not in dispute however the box score is thanks to the rules at the time. At that period, the NBA only tracked points, rebounds and assists…the block shot, and steal totals were not captured as records.

It was shortly thereafter the NBA began keeping track of block shots and steals. Harvey Pollack longtime Philadelphia statistician was at the game, he claimed to have kept a running count including the total attributed to Chamberlain. We no longer have Pollack to question, he died in 2015 at the age of 93. In 1946-47 Pollack begin working as the assistant publicity director for the Philadelphia Warriors. There is no date attributed to Pollack’s retirement however we can add a footnote. He was the score keeper for the game Chamberlain set the single game scoring record of 100 points. There is no question the NBA will never credit the numbers attributed to Chamberlain due to the rules in place at the time. What do you think, did Chamberlain actually accomplish this phenomenal feat?

Not gonna do it anymore

It’s quite easy to decide Dame Lillard is a better point guard than Walt Frazier. LeBron James is a superior forward over Dr. J. Our measurement is time, Lillard (although injured plays in this age), Frazier was last in the NBA in 1979. We’ve stated over and over the NBA game has changed over time, it’s my belief it is unfair to compare players of different generations. We find ourselves caught up in these discussions (sometimes arguments) it seems continually.

How about this comparison, Lillard to Westbrook would be much fairer, both point guards represent this peer group of athletes? We could make the same statement regarding forwards, compare LeBron to Carmelo Anthony. The principal reason for my decision, Shaquille O’Neal, placed a competitor of his age group on the 75^th Anniversary Team yet kicks a player off the team from a prior age. This athlete just might be one he’d never seen play to even compare his game, grainy video of the past is not a solve all regarding this issue. Unlike Stephen A. Smith I have no problem if your take is different from mine.

Basketball from a fans perspective   

Published Monday through Friday

It happens

The NCAA Tournament is strewn with land mines, lower seeded teams losing to higher seeds. That's what occurred Thursday night in overtime. Number 15 St. Peters beat number 2 Kentucky 85-79, yes the the game was a win in an extra frame but it was more. The St. Peters team wanted this game more than the Kentucky. Don't misunderstand Kentucky didn't roll over they just fail to hold a lead in the waning minutes leading to an overtime game.  

Why remain in school?

If the NBA draft were held this week the first name likely we hear announced is Jabari Smith. The 6-foot 10-inch power forward from Auburn has been listed as the top choice on most mock drafts for practically the length of the college season. I believe it was an age thing for me, I thought athletes attending school should remain in school and earn a degree. If not at least stay in school four years, that was then this is now. No longer a believer, if you are guaranteed to be drafted especially in the lower portion (below 20) of the draft why stay? 

Unlike other sports the $$$ in the NBA are guaranteed, if for some reason an athlete cannot make it, they are still compensated significantly. We can check Cade Cunningham the top pick in the 2021 NBA draft. According to information uncovered he signed a contract which guarantees him $8 million plus for his first two seasons. If we look at the tax table and other areas that should still leave Cunningham (and Smith) in a reasonably comfortable position if they fail to have long-term NBA careers. For others money is certainly not a solve all if one is seriously ill, as an example all the money in the world cannot cure you. 

A problem that appears to no longer exist is information, two former players come to mind. Both left school believing they would be drafted and in both instances it didn’t occur. That scenario appears to be in the rear-view mirror. As for the education part a number of high-profile players have returned to school to complete their education. Two of the well-known to complete their education later are Michael Jordan and Shaquille O’Neal. it might not be easy returning to complete your education but anything worthwhile shouldn’t be easy, should it?

His name is rarely mentioned

The Spurs David Robinson has faded into the background after retirement, that’s not been the case for Cavs Big Man Brad Daugherty. 7-foot Daugherty was the top pick in the 1986 draft but might be more widely known for his associated with NASCAR these days. As for basketball he was one of the keys to the Cavs success prior to the arrival of LeBron James. He along with Mark Price and John “Hot Rod” Williams were leaders during some of the Cavs most successful years.

The problem back then the Celtics and the Jordan led Bulls always managed to be a roadblock to the aspirations of the Cavs. Daugherty was a 5 time All NBA All Star, his number 43 has been retired by the Cavs. As for that NASCAR thing he became a co-owner of JTG Daugherty Racing and served as an analyst for a NASCAR Program on the Showtime Cable Network. He’s also served as an analyst for college basketball and the NBA. He’s also served as analyst for NASCAR on NBC. Brad Daugherty is a name from the NBA’s past we should be familiar with.

“It’s the coach dude”

On March 17 I wrote of my worry for the Mizzou roster, I was particularly concerned about incoming prospects. We have no idea if 4-star prospect Aiden Shaw would have been successful at Mizzou, we don’t know because yesterday Shaw de-committed. His tweet indicated the coaching change impacted his decision to look elsewhere to play. For some reason a number of folks continue to believe a kid wants to play at Podunk University not realizing it’s the coach, it’s the coach and finally it’s the coach. The school academics depending on the student-athlete might be the last thought before enrolling at a particular school, just the facts.

Help Wanted

The sign is in the window, you know the one that reads Help Wanted. A quick search revealed there are numerous jobs open throughout the nation. Bruce Weber K-State and Michael Fly FGCU along with Tom Crean at Georgia are out at their respective programs along with several others. If you are a Power 5 school (such as Mizzou) do you take a chance and hire an assistant from a mid-major program? Hiring a mid-major coach certainly worked successfully for Kansas basketball. Bill Self, ex head coach of Tulsa prior to Illinois and later Kansas. Duke had a head start aware this would be Coach K.’s last season, Jon Scheyer will become the new coach next season.

Mark Turgeon stepped down in December at Maryland, will the interim coach take over the program on a permanent basis or will there be a new hire? How about Georgetown, will the school decide to retain Patrick Ewing for another season, or will he be gone? If we check the job openings there appear to be more mid-major job opportunities than ever. The next few weeks and months should prove interesting as athletic directors scour the nation for that right fit coach. I listened to Gary Parrish CBS Sports.com, briefly Parrish detailed the belief the coaching landscape has changed. With the transfer portal in place coaches are not allowed the 4-5 years to implement their program. NOTE: As this was being completed word came Will Wade of LSU, Frank Martin South Carolina and Ben Howland Mississippi State were fired.

 

 

 

Basketball from a fans perspective   

Published Monday through Friday

KAT

Wolves center Karl-Anthony Towns has been a favorite player of mine going back to his days at Kentucky. The Lakers invited him for a workout prior to the 2015 NBA draft, they had the second pick in the draft. KAT expressed interest in playing for the Lakers which sounded great to me a potential Big Man star. Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on your perspective} the Wolves with the first pick chose KAT. The Lakers would then choose D’Angelo Russell, which is a story in itself, he was later traded to the Nets had a stop at Golden State. Russell is now a teammate of KAT having arrived in February 2020 in a trade. In any event KAT had a game for the ages against the Spurs this week.

KAT would score 60 points along with 17 rebounds shooting 61.3% from the floor and 63.6 from the 3-line. He also shot nearly 90% from the free-throw line which is also outstanding. The Wolves are not featured much on national telecasts so the only method to follow his progress is media feeds. The Wolves will soon double the number of wins they registered over last season. Are they finally on the road to success similar to the Kevin Garnett days of the franchise? We don’t have an answer for that, this we know. The Wolves have one of the best Big Men in the game, KAT belongs in the same conversation as Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid. The only reason he’s been omitted to date is the poor record the Wolves have registered.

The winner

You might remember shortly after February 10 I went on record in opposition to most of the media. The majority of media members I believe declared the Nets winners of the Ben Simmons trade to the Nets. No need of rehashing my account we’ll just check out what’s occurred to date. James Harden has seen action for the Sixers in 8 games, Simmons has missed 11 games since he got his wish…to leave Philly. What is the problem, why is he not playing after forcing his way out of the city? This is the official word from the Nets, “competition reconditioning and back soreness.” Not much remains of the regular season and the question is asked. Conditioning and back issues aside will Simmons be prepared for a playoff run with his new teammates? More than likely Simmons has completed several walk throughs with his Nets team but that’s not close to a practice scenario or game action.

They are abandoning the ship left and right

This member of Laker Nation is highly annoyed and disappointed with play this season. Unlike some of you I have not quit on the Lakers but reading some of the comments it appears many of you have surrendered. You don’t honestly believe I’m satisfied with the production I’ve witnessed thus far, as I have often stated I bleed purple and gold blood. From 2014 through 2019 I suffered with inept Laker play, time after time players were drafted but proved not NBA worthy. Despite this disappointment the future and improved play was always in the forefront of my mind. 

If the front office was not good change was made, if the coaching staff failed in its effort to improve the team it too was changed. We went from D’Antoni to Walton to Vogel, it’s clear major adjustments are needed for the future, as stated here no more “Win one now for the Gipper.” The plan to rebuild must be clearly an effort to improve the team over the next 2-to-5-year timeframe. I know who you are, those Laker fans who left the fold. I cannot, no I rather not attempt to convince you to return perhaps your fortunes lie with another NBA team. There are plenty of good ones to choose it just so happens the Lakers are not one of them now, as for the future that is a different matter. A key free agent plus draft picks and the team is competing again; it can happen.

Houston Mizzou we’ve had a problem

With Cuonzo Martin gone there are issues besides hiring a new coach at Mizzou. Freshman Anton Brookshire is leaving the program, we don’t know if it was lack of playing time or the fact the coach who recruited him is gone. The first to leave the program was Sean Durugordon in January. What about the others, the concern is incoming freshman as well as the remainder of the roster?

With a question mark at this point but headed to Mizzou is 6-foot 8 small forward Aiden Shaw from Blue Valley HS in the Kansas City metro. Shaw might be joined by Christian Jones a 6-foot 4-point guard from Cuonzo Martin’s hometown East St. Louis. As pointed out previously the Mizzou roster contained only one senior, does the remaining roster pick up and leave too? This is early yet but many in Mizzou Nation are hopeful most of the roster remains and develops further. At the same time IF they hire the right coach and this roster remains intact, they could be competitive sooner rather than later.

Basketball from a fans perspective   

Published Monday through Friday

NOOOOOOOO!!!!

The headline is yours truly screaming loudly, Power Mizzou a fan website mentions the name Sean Miller as a candidate as the next Mizzou coach. The writer even mentions Miller was fired last season, not for a failure to win but NCAA violations. Cuonzo Martin might not have been a winner, but he certainly had no stain on his record in that area, in addition the belief is he cared about the welfare of his players. This is not to say Miller didn’t care about his players I’m sure he did. With the prospect of the NCAA sitting up a local office in Columbia to monitor Miller my view is Mizzou should stay far, far away from this guy.

Everyone deserves a second chance, or maybe a third depending on the set of circumstances. Let’s check out a couple, Kelvin Sampson at Houston and Auburn’s Bruce Pearl have a checkered pass. Both have been fired at previous schools for failing into the abyss of NCAA violations. Both returned from these past issues and have winning programs at Houston and Auburn. A recent example close to home was former Mizzou coach Frank Haith, a due diligence search failed to uncover improprieties in his background at Miami which indirectly led him to leave Mizzou under a cloud.

Recently I came across a quote, the author is unknown. It depends on who is reported to have said it, “If you ain’t cheating you ain’t trying.” The statement is meant to imply almost anything is okay in order for you to win. That type of thought process is difficult for me to understand because I’ve always believed karma will be the ultimate winner. Does Miller deserve another opportunity to coach somewhere, of course he does? In all the years of following college basketball there’s only been one coach I believed should never be hired again, the circumstances are far too involved to detail in this limited space. There are names Mizzou could chose, the only one I’m familiar with is Kim English former Mizzou player. I have doubts he would be hired with only a single season as a head coach under his belt.

Accident  

I must admit sometimes I locate stuff more by accident than research…sorta. I’d read an account regarding Kentucky’s Oscar Tshiebwe and the possibility of him breaking the SEC rebound record. Allow a brief explanation, while conducting a search for NCAA career leaders I discovered it. The year was 1973, the NCAA divided the rebound totals that year, we had pre-1973 and post-1973 records. This was the explanation as read, there is a split now between Division I, II and III schools.

Prior to 1973 there was no distinction, and it was believed some of the rebound totals might have been accumulated against lesser competition. With that said let’s check the record holders, the pre-1973 leader is Tom Gola who played at LaSalle from 1951-1955. During his time Gola grabbed 2,201 rebounds in 118 games. The post-1973 leader was Kenneth “The Manimal” Faried of Morehead State, Faried played at Morehead from 2007-2011. He accumulated 1673 rebounds in 136 games. “Although the 1972-73 season was before the divisional split, the NCAA officially considers that season to be “post-1973” because of the adoption of freshman eligibility for varsity play in all NCAA sports effective in August 1972.” *

*Wikipedia

I said it first

Ja Morant of the Grizzlies has really “blown up” this year, his speedy moves up and down the court. In addition, his shooting and dishing the rock made for comparisons to a guard of similar stature. I went on record stating Morant reminded me of Allen Iverson. I was immediately challenged for the statement I made comparing him to Iverson however I continue to stand by it. I only saw Iverson in action on television, how about someone who’s seen Iverson and Morant in person.

That person would be veteran NBA and current Memphis assistant coach Larry Brown. Brown was Iverson’s coach when the latter played for the Sixers, as for now Brown is an assistant coach for the Memphis Grizzlies able to see Morant in action as well. Below are the words of Larry Brown comparing the two players. One of which he coached and the other he’s witnessed play since the coach arrived in Memphis.

“I watched him (in college), but I couldn’t predict this, Brown told Marc Berman of the New York Post. He reminds me so much of Allen (Iverson) athletically the way he plays, fearless. That whole (Grizzlies) team they have a great camaraderie. They all seem to love each other. The things Ja does, I remember sitting on the bench in Philly, looking at staff and seeing Allen do something and we all laughed because we never seen anyone doing anything like that. I get the same feeling watching Ja play. And a lot of our kids go to their games.” *

*New York Post

“Guilty of something!”

A friend told me this story, once he was brought before a board of supervisors. An incident occurred and his supervisor accused him as being the culprit in an accident. The condensed version of the story the board indicated my friend did nothing wrong and therefore was innocent of the charge. His supervisor with the understanding my friend was cleared concluded, “He must be guilty of something.” That is the case with Kansas basketball and Bill Self, it’s been noted in the past the school and coach have been accused of five level one violations, level one being the most egregious. I’ve been informed by friends of the program “The accusations might not be as serious as charged.”

Well as in the story of my friend “they must be guilty of something” otherwise the charges would have been dropped or at least amended. Just like the cartoon Wiley Coyote there’s an anvil hanging over the head of the Kansas basketball program that’s existed since 2019. On the other hand, the “cash cow” that Kansas basketball represents in the tournament says the NCAA might actually be afraid to lay a heavy penalty on this bastion of college basketball. It’s been reported judgement has been turned over to an independent body to render a decision. It’s also been mentioned Self threatened to sue the NCAA at a point which proved unfounded. Is there bias in this account, of course there is. We’ve seen programs across the nation where the coach or the program’s been penalized. It’s clear judgment is overdue guilty or not, the basketball is clearly in the court of the NCAA what do they intend to do?