Basketball from a fans perspective

He’s got ESPN or is it ESP?

The latest revelation from Stephen A. Smith, he says without offering us any proof. “James Harden wants the Sixers to lose against Toronto, Doc Rivers would be fired and replaced by Mike D’Antoni.” Just in case this might be a little confusing, Harden played for D’Antoni once upon a time and the team’s offense was tailored to his attributes. This is written ahead of the game; I have no idea of the winner of this series. The question becomes how did Smith come about this revelation? Smith’s always bragging about his inside sources, if he was told something in confidence why is he blabbing about it over the airways. Second to that if that person has this information why are they unwilling (or unable) to reveal themselves?

The timing is right

Mark Emmert announced he will be stepping down next year as president of the NCAA. All we can say the timing is right for him to be replaced. We can always hope his replacement will be able to provide new direction and opportunities for the more than 400 universities and colleges across the nation. Perhaps we on the outside fail to see but it appears the NCAA has moved in so many directions at the same time we are often unclear of its stance. A great deal of day-to-day activities probably don’t lie within Emmert’s daily schedule. Despite this fact he should have advisors in place to point out potential land mines with some of the activities the NCAA could have faced.

As example NIL caught the NCAA completely off guard as individual states passed legislation first, there wasn’t much they could do after this landmark event occurred. You do realize the NCAA (not on Emmert’s watch) was indirectly the culprit in how this change came about, fact. Maybe with all the changes especially those effecting basketball the rules and regulations have become too cumbersome to navigate. In any event those who follow college sports don’t hold much hope for change. Whomever replaces Emmert is likely to continue to plod along offering little modification for this body that governs college sports. The part of this story I find most interesting I’ve yet to read anyone say, “Please stay” with regards to the news. Most comments echo that of Paul Finebaum ESPN college football analyst. Finebaum had but two words on hearing the news of Emmert’s departure “Good Riddance.”

This is different

By now you are likely familiar with Overtime Elite, the new basketball league was set up differently from other comparable leagues. OTE makes no requirement for players to graduate high school you can play in OTE get paid and attend classes to graduate high school. Of course, being paid ensures you are a professional in 99% of the cases. That one percent is represented by Naasir Cunningham the number one rated basketball player in the Class of 2024. Cunningham will play in the OTE however he will not be paid, he is doing this on purpose in order to allow him to later attend college should he desire. Cunningham is a 6-foot 7 175-pound small forward and Rivals rates him a 5-star prospect.

Is this the future?

The sport of basketball continues to evolve over the course of time. When the game first began, we had two officials, now we have three. A field goal only counted as two points and then the 3-point line was added. The basketball was once brought out to center court for a jump ball after each basket. Agree or disagree palming the basketball has been more or less accepted, the Euro step has become in vogue. Over time you can see change has always been implemented.

Your name listed on a mock draft site is certainly no guarantee you’ll be chosen. This is the noteworthy portion, there are 5 prospects from G-League Team Ignite or Overtime Elite. What is most interesting there are only 30 teams in the NBA and to indicate 5 are NBA ready do we need colleges to be our minor leagues. It should be mentioned all of the names mentioned had an opportunity to attend college, they intended to play basketball for pay. The rosters of Team Ignite or Team Elite are chock full of athletes indicating little if any desire to attend college, they decided in favor of playing professional basketball.

Basketball from a fans perspective

They have comics

I found it strange and funny the manner HBO attempted to distance itself from the controversy surrounding it’s programming. We mentioned earlier a law firm representing Jerry West asked for an apology from HBO regarding the mini-series they are broadcasting. Winning Time has been roundly criticized by many former Lakers, a few writers and others familiar with happenings of the time. This from the network, “HBO has a long history of producing compelling content drawn from actual facts and events that are FICTIONALIZED in part for DRAMATIC PURPOSES,” the network said in its statement. Note the words capitalized and underlined. You are certainly free to draw your own opinions however that defensive stance almost sounds comical to me.

Never say never

Retirement for Villanova’s Jay Wright lasted less than a week, before you think he’s returning to Villanova that is not quite the case. Questioned on possibly coaching in the NBA Wright says maybe it might be possible. With that statement the coach allowed us to believe he could entertain coaching an NBA team in the right setting. It’s been Death Valley for college coaches in the NBA, to date Larry Brown is the only coach to taste success at both levels.

John Beilein was the last coach to move from college to the NBA, he'd been head coach at Michigan from 2007-2019. In May 2019 Beilein signed a 5-year contract to coach the Cavs, he would resign in February 2020 lasting less than one season. This is not intended to shine a negative light on Wright moving to the NBA it’s just to provide you some background. There are two coaches maybe three who could be successful in the NBA. One of them is Coach K. and the other is Jay Wright, we shall see how this turns out in the future.

Really no reason

Then owner Donald Sterling decided (without authorization) he would move his Clippers from San Diego to Los Angeles. Since 1984 fans (probably of the Lakers) have suggested the team needs to return to San Diego. Let’s take a look at several other cities across the nation. Chicago has the baseball Cubs and White Sox; the teams has shared the hearts and minds of Chicagoans for 100+ years. It’s simple you root for the Cubs or White Sox you don’t cheer for both. Heading east in New York City we have the baseball Yankees and Mets, the NFL Giants and Jets. In the NBA we have the Knicks and in 2012 the Nets moved into Brooklyn from New Jersey. Technically the Nets were in the metro, they are now in the city. As you can see the three largest populated metros in the nation have more than one sports team.

According to figures we uncovered the metro population of Los Angeles is 13,200,998 which makes it the second most populated behind metro New York City. This likely sounds strange written by a member of Laker Nation but I’m okay with sharing. Fans of the Lakers are fans of the Lakers not the Clippers, we could make the same statement about the Clippers. I remember a story, entertainer Billy Crystal claims at one point he was a fan of the Lakers. Back in the ‘80’s he couldn’t get into The Forum, so he begin attending Clipper games. Crystal did so because it was much easier to purchase a Clipper ticket. Steve Ballmer might not win but he’s proven thus far to be an owner vitally interested in his team unlike that of Sterling. We can look at the Intuit Dome under construction in Inglewood. Ballmer is building his $2 billion arena at his cost; citizens will not be responsible for any cost associated with the arena with the exception of a ticket purchase. In conclusion this member of Laker Nation is good with Steve Ballmer as owner of the Clippers.

There is truly only one culprit

If you are a fan of Kyrie Irving, you can stop reading at this point. The chief reason the Nets are sitting at home rests on the broad shoulders of the mercurial guard. If we placed a percentage let’s just say 40-45% of the reason the Nets are on vacation is the result of inept management including coaching. The balance of that figure belongs to Irving, there were facts pointed out which cause me to wonder about the athlete. Nobody wants to be injured however if you’ve missed as much time as Irving you might want to be out on the court. For the first time in a while injury was not the issue, the issue was covid. Irving decided he wasn’t going to be inoculated despite a vaccine being available. A New York City mandate said he couldn’t play in the city so what occurs?

Kevin Durant is forced to shoulder the major portion of the offense and defense and maybe because of it is injured. Durant spends time on the injured list then the saga of James Hardin. Hardin after talking his way out of Houston decided he didn’t want Brooklyn either, he was traded to the Sixers for Ben Simmons. Simmons never suited up for the Nets despite moving in early February. In between time Nets management decided Irving could play games on the road which helped but certainly didn’t resolve the issue. Prior to the end of the regular season New York City lifted its vaccine mandate and Irving could play at home. You know the balance of the story…the Nets were a soap opera all season long. Early reports indicate Steve Nash is safe for now, but this team must do something if they expect to compete next season.

Basketball from a fans perspective

An accurate summation

ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne certainly provided us insight with just a single sentence. “The Nets were overwhelmed, exhausted and undone by everything but basketball.” That about sums of the season and playoffs for the Nets. I wonder what she’s got to say about the Lakers. Will the effort to build “super teams” by signing free agents or trading for THAT ONE player disappear?

I can see it

Have you ever wondered why a basketball player might chose to leave college? He might be named a second-round draft choice on a mock draft site; in some instances, his name might not appear at all. There are monetary opportunities to play for pay not directly connected to the NBA. This undrafted player could head to Europe or Australia and earn a significant salary, it would be short of NBA money but considerably more than the average working person. This contract could have added benefits such as free apartment rental or other incentives.

That’s not the only outlet, the player could chose to play in the G-League although the salary would certainly fall well short of Euro or Australia earnings. Finally, there is the free agent route although it might be the most difficult of all. As examples the Raptors Fred Van Fleet was never drafted but has managed an NBA career. It’s early for Laker Austin Reaves, he wasn’t drafted but preferred to go the free agent route. It’s claimed he informed NBA teams “Don’t draft me” which is certainly different. Reaves just completed his rookie season, similar to Van Fleet he was not drafted either. A few more undrafted NBA players to consider J.J. Barea, Udonis Haslem and Jose Calderon.

He's hired

The University of MO-Kansas City moved quickly in finding a replacement for the departed Billy Donlon. In a surprise move to many veteran Marvin Menzies was hired as head coach, Menzies has over 30 years of coaching experience at a number of stops. From 2007-2016 he was head coach at New Mexico State, in 2016 he took over the program at UNLV. Menzies has 249 wins on his resume, so it is hoped he continues his winning ways at Kansas City. Welcome aboard coach Menzies and when not coaching you can dine at several of the best barbeque restaurants in the nation.

The pace appears to be increasing

It serves no purpose except to get this off my chest. I am so very tired of reading Player A. is better than Player B. but this is the real problem. Often the discussion revolves around players of two sometimes three generations. How can we say in truth Joel Embiid is better than Kareem Abdul Jabbar looking strictly at the numbers? I’m unsure if this comparing player is increasing due to social media, the internet or something else.

Nothing is proven by stating Hal Greer doesn’t belong on the 75^th Anniversary NBA Team, he’s there despite the period he played. You might believe he doesn’t belong you have your opinion which is okay, but you can’t remove his name. This rant covers Hall of Fame enshrinement as well, “Yao Ming doesn’t belong in the HOF, his career wasn’t long enough.” This one from last week, “Manu Ginobili was a skillful player but not HOF material etc. etc.” We often find ourselves arguing about issues we have no authorization to change. As I stated this will do no good, it’s not going to change one opinion however I will continue to avoid questions from anyone claiming “Team/Player A. is better than_________.” You can fill in the blank.

For my Kansas friends        

There are 350 NCAA Division I basketball programs throughout the 50 states, despite the large number schools there have been few that have actually won an NCAA Championship. This tournament traces its history to 1939 so the 2022 is the 83^rd year of competition. Bet you didn’t realize in that time only 60 schools have been crown champions due to the number of multiple winners. We could look at the many winners and say their basketball programs have played outstanding basketball on a consistent basis. The schools below are the top multiple winners we speak of:

NCAA Championships

UCLA-11

Kentucky-8

North Carolina-6

Duke-5

Indiana-5

Did you notice which school failed to make the Top Five, I’ll clue you in it’s the Kansas Jayhawks. Naturally I expect a rebuttal, they will remind me and others once again how many NCAA Championships they won (4) versus Mizzou (0). I will remind them, the guy who invented the game (Dr. James A. Naismith) and the first coach at Kansas had a losing record. Don’t believe me, check the history for yourself, by the way do we care to discuss Kansas football while comparing sports programs, I think not.

Basketball from a fans perspective

The mouth that roared

I can acknowledge Charles Barkley was a particularly good basketball player. The game didn’t start and stop at his cubicle, he never seemed to rise to the occasion while a member of the Sixers, Suns and Rockets. Since his retirement he’s been a long-time analyst for TNT and plenty of folks enjoy his banter. I happen to be one of the few, he just talks and talks and talks. The latest Barkley quote, “If you ain’t driving the bus don’t walk around talking about you’re a champion”

Barkley’s quote was aimed at the Nets Kevin Durant. I’m unsure if Durant said something to cause this reaction, the poor play by Durant is not intended to be defended in this account. I will defend Durant in two areas, he’s been a two-time NBA Champion. The Nets forward has two rings one from 2017 and one the following season in 2018. Barkley seems to always has a ready quote but somehow, he never seemed to rise to the occasion for the teams he played. He seems to have forgotten that bit of information. A fan beat me with his comment, “Come on Chuck, Mike (Michael Jordan) got all your rings.”

The promise

Aidan Shaw entertained offers from 16 colleges across the nation. The 6 foot 8 small forward attends Blue Valley High School in Stillwell Kansas, in metro Kansas City MO. Shaw is a Rivals 4-star prospect and despite the number of choices (including Kansas) he verbally committed to Mizzou. Shaw became the highest rated prospect since 5-star prospect Michael Porter Jr. and two others committed in 2017. Everything was on an upward trend and then it occurred, head coach Cuonzo Martin was fired at the end of the 2022 season.

Almost immediately there were defections from Mizzou’s roster, although not yet signed Shaw changed his mind too de-committing. Mizzou would hire Dennis Gates to replace Martin and the new coach reached out to Shaw. Within days the young man announced “I think I can play in the coaches system” or words of a similar nature. This report as with all comes with a disclaimer, this is no declaration of future stardom after all an adjustment is required for college basketball.

An honor for the outstanding boys and girls high school basketball player in the metro is voted the DiRenna Award winner, in 2022 it was announced the winner would be Aidan Shaw. This award on top of his All-State selection also provide evidence of his basketball skill. As a sidebar, three assistant coaches have been added to Gates staff. Charlton Young hired as associate head coach; veteran Dickey Nutt agreed to join the staff along with Kyle Smithpeters. The head coach continues to recruit behind the scenes plus add staff as we move forward. So, the plan to raise the basketball conscious of Mizzou Nation is in full effect.

An ever-changing landscape

Jay Wright long-time Villanova coach retired recently. He didn’t say it, but others did, they claim he chooses now to leave the game he loves because part of it has to do with Name, Image & Likeness. Now don’t misunderstand, it’s not the one thing rather it’s a bunch of things over the years changing the basketball landscape. Once upon a time athletes were required to spend four years in college before they could play in the NBA. Then a thing known as “hardship” was added, it simply stated if there were lack of family financial support that player could leave for the NBA. Near this same time the American Basketball Association came into existence and this league placed no stipulation on being a student four years, they drafted freshman, sophomores and juniors. As for the NBA years later, it was decided to just allow high school players in the NBA Draft, that occurred with some success and some failures. Then another change, in 2005 the Lakers drafted Andrew Bynum from high school.

Bynum would become the last high school player in the draft with the exception of specialized cases. Since the rule specified “One year after high school graduation” many athletes became rent-a-player for their freshman season. No need of signing up for fall classes several were on their way to the NBA. In order to compete for talent schools such as Notre Dame, Duke and others who avoided recruiting one and done athletes followed suit and began enrolling them with full knowledge it was unlikely they would return for their sophomore year. The next change, the Transfer Portal…no more sitting out a semester. If an athlete wanted to transfer from State U. to Barker U., they became eligible immediately. The downside, there are players attempting to enroll at their third school. Now we have the Name, Image and Likeness issue to evaluate. The NIL is too new to fully comprehend the ramifications that it might bring about. We do need to consider the NCAA is the guilty party because NIL exists based on some of its past misdeeds. There are other coaches rather than deal with the changes might choose to retire or quit coaching all together.

Draft declaration

It’s not unusual this time of the year for a college athlete to declare for the NBA draft however this one is significant. That’s exactly what MJ Randolph did on Friday, never heard the name? Randolph is a 6-foot 4 170-pound shooting guard, he was named SWAC Player of the Year. The SWAC conference is comprised of HBCU schools of which Florida A&M University is a member. Randolph averaged 18.8 points a game for FAMU in leading the conference and played over 1,000 minutes during the season.

HBCU schools once provided the NBA with a significant amount of talent. The last few years have witnessed fewer and fewer athletes arriving in the NBA from HBCU institutions. Robert Covington of the Clippers is the lone HBCU player currently in the NBA. Covington played his basketball at Tennessee State in Nashville. We can name these NBA stars of the past Willis Reed, Earl Monroe, Bob Love along with a number of others who attended an HBCU university prior to the NBA. As for Randolph we have no idea if he will be drafted in June however, his action might spur other HBCU athletes to attempt an NBA profession.

Basketball from a fans perspective

A few playoff notes

Did you check out the numbers for the Warriors as they took a 3 games to 1 lead over the Nuggets? Klay Thompson had 26 points, Jordan Poole contributed 27 and a guy by the name of Steph Curry came off the bench. Curry would match Poole and total 27 points too. Opposing teams must figure out a method to slow down this trio. Notice we said slow, they are not going to be stopped not all three at the same time.

In other playoff accounts you might wonder how the Wolves managed to lose their Thursday night game. At times during the game, they led by 20 points twice no less. The Wolves allowed the Grizzlies to register a 21-0 run in the 4^th quarter of the game, that’s an amazing stat line. Watching the game, I kept saying to myself, “The Wolves will eventually stop them,” based on the 104-95 win by the Grizzlies you discover that didn’t occur.

The Nets find themselves in an 0-2 hole, they could have won the first game of the series as they were losers in close match last Sunday. As for Game Two that was a different matter, last fall prior to the season start Kyrie Irving said, “We don’t have a coach.” Steve Nash was in place however we guess he meant the players on the floor make the decisions. We see how that turned out with the Nets being a 7 seed in the playoffs. Hey maybe Kyrie was correct, maybe they really don’t have a coach.

Coaching news 

The ESPN.com page claims one of the names the Kings are looking at for head coach is Mike D’Antoni. How many times is this guy on an NBA list as a coaching candidate? In other coaching news the Hornets fired James Borrego, they are in the coaching search. The Hornets improved each season under his leadership but losing in the playoffs might have been the deciding factor in management deciding they needed a new direction

Billy Donlon is not a name throughout the coaching ranks except in Kansas City. He’s been the head coach of UMKC for the last three seasons. Donlon compiled a winning record at UMKC, and it was believed this urban university in Kansas City might be headed for greener pastures. All the positives he brought turning the school into a winning program is over for now. Donlon is leaving, headed to Clemson to serve as an assistant coach. So long Billy and good luck in the future. As for the Lakers we are hearing plenty of names including Phil Jackson, I seriously doubt if PJ wants to coach at this point in his life.

The beginning or the end

Is it a repeat for Nuggets center Nikola Jokic for MVP or will it be Joel Embiid of the Sixers? Although both have valid 3-point capability they prove there is still a need for a quality Big Man in today’s NBA. Conducting an account we could include the Wolves Karl-Anthony Towns to this group. Rising to their level is DeAndre Ayton of the Suns and Jaren Jackson Jr. of the Grizzlies. All have Big Man skill but also 3-point ability. The NBA will never return to the traditional back to the basket game of Wilt, Abdul Jabbar or Shaq but it’s the belief by many Big Man basketball can be effective in today’s game. Two considerations, 1. Tall guys are still growing to 7 feet and taller. 2. 7-foot guys are not created equal; some have little skill but are pushed by selected coaches due to their height.

Let’s check a couple of factors, you might uncover a few additional. This should not be considered the overall answer just a few thoughts. There are a sizeable (LOL) number of these 7-foot behemoths spread throughout the nation and world. Their skill is being utilized in different manners depending on the coach and the team. In some instances, it’s an inside-outside game as the ball is moved to the center but is returned for a 3-point attempt. Every time the issue is raised, we hear the comment, “We are not returning to basketball of the past, which is true, small ball will continue to evolve.” Bottom line if you are a coach with a Big Man with skill why not try to develop him. We look toward college and witness the desire to win taking priority over developing talent. Just my view, unless that Big Man arrives on campus with potential skill that college coach probably doesn’t have time to help the player in developing his talent. We can look at Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren (7 foot 1) as the latest example, what do you think?

This is the end

Unless there is a major development this is the last account, I intend to write regarding the HBO series Showtime: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty. Mitch Kupchak general manager of the Hornets made his voice heard recently. In the Showtime Laker era, he’d worked for Jerry West, and he too claims the depiction of West is strictly fiction. A couple of additional notes, this series was based on a book written for television. One of the explosive West scenes in the television production didn’t occur in the publication.

We guess editorial license was utilized for the scene to appear more dramatic. In addition, the NBA offices indicate the production team didn’t contact them for permission to utilize Laker apparel. This is generally a common courtesy used in movie and television productions. It’s likely the NBA does nothing about this aspect but just one additional bit of information for you to consider. I must admit I watched the first four episodes but decided this was not worth my time to proceed any further. This series has provided entertainment for those who treat it in that manner, as for the others there is an issue as I see it. It would have really been outstanding if the gentleman who authored the book and the writer of the television production had contacted these former Lakers and others to discuss details of the story.

 Basketball from a fans perspective

Shocking news

This caught everybody off guard…the retirement of Villanova coach Jay Wright. Wright’s been head coach at the school of 21 years, in addition to being a regular season winner he’s got two NCAA championships. 2016 and 2018 saw the Wildcats winning it all. As for his replacement that will be Kyle Neptune currently at Fordham will be named head coach, Neptune was a 10-year assistant coach for Wright. One more note on the coaches resume, he was enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2021. The college basketball world will miss Wright, good luck coach whatever unfolds in the future.

The Logo 

There was a question on the minds of quite a few, how long before someone took legal action against the producers of Winning Time? That event would unfold on Tuesday, a law firm representing Jerry West sent a letter to HBO and the producer of Winning Time. The team said West ask them for a retraction and apology in two weeks. West is upset in the portrayal of him as “an out-of-control, intoxication rage-aholic,” their words not mine. The team went on to state in the letter “this is fiction pretending to be fact.”

This is the first legal attempt to correct what’s been presented in the HBO production. Best bet, nothing will come of this action by the West legal tam, as they might say in the entertainment industry “It’s in the can.” That points to a production that is complete and that represents the first season, although the second season’s been renewed whether it airs remains a question. Many of us might be familiar with a term, “There’s no such thing as bad publicity.” That’s exactly what this mini-series might represent, as personality after personality trashes Winning Time it might increase the audience substantially. It will be interesting to determine how HBO and the production team respond to the West demand. We’ll continue to follow this developing story to determine how it might eventually play out.

The part of this story I find most interesting the comments by a few letter writers, they acknowledge the production is fictional yet are reveling in the story that’s unfolded thus far. Okay we have a few events the public is aware, as for others “We’ll present for the viewer what we believe might have occurred.” On the other hand, we have a few who claim Jerry West is being too thin skinned about the manner he’s portrayed in the series. How can you glorify a production you acknowledge is the imagination of a writer(s), maybe I’m missing something here? Finally, to those who believe West is being too critical consider this fact. How’d you like a story written about you which only covered what might be perceived to be the negative portions of your life?

The professional connection 

My research indicates my hometown had professional basketball prior to the ABL Steers and NBA Kings. In 1947 the Kansas City Blues began play in the Professional Basketball League of America. The league was begun due to the growth of basketball following World War II, this league had 16 teams, there was a Northern and Southern Division. Kansas City was placed in the Northern along with the Chicago Gears, St. Joseph Outlaws, St. Paul Saints and others. The league was under financed and folded after but one season, there is no indication where the Blues played their home games our guess the Municipal Auditorium. In 1961 the American Basketball League (not to be confused with the ABA) was born. The brainchild behind this league was Abe Saperstein then owner of the Harlem Globetrotters.

Saperstein was reported to have been promised an expansion franchise and when the NBA reneged, he formed his own league. The ABL only contained 8 teams and the Kansas City entry would become the Steers. This too would become short lived as the ABL played one complete season but shut down in the middle of the second. Next up, the American Basketball Association which came into existence in 1967. Kansas City was awarded a franchise however it never saw play in the city. At that time Municipal Auditorium was the only arena capable of housing a hockey or basketball team. The city signed a contract earlier with the St. Louis Blues and a Kansas City farm team for the Blues would assume most of the available dates. The ABA team was moved to Denver and was nicknamed the Larks, later it was changed to the Rockets and then Nuggets. It’s been stated “Timing is everything” and that’s been the chief problem for Kansas City basketball history and why none is currently playing here.

Not a surprise

Chet Holmgren's decided he favors the NBA over the college game. On Thursday the spindly forward announced he was leaving Gonzaga, it makes sense on so many levels. Mock draft sites have the 7 foot Holmgren listed from 1 through 4 all college season long. As a lottery pick Holmgren can earn a larger amount of money in the lottery. One of the keys for the youngster is being drafted by the "right" team, in my view a veteran team where he receives limited minutes might not be a good thing. As for the issue of weight TNT's Kenny Smith has gone on record stating he doesn't believe the issue will inhibit Holmgren from becoming a competitive NBA player. It will be interesting how this plays out for the youngster leading up to the NBA draft on Thursday June 23.

Back away from the edge please

Instead of heading over the cliff as many believed they were headed the Knicks returned from oblivion. They won 41 games and earned a playoff berth in the 2020-21 season. After many frustrating years Knick fans could look forward to improved basketball but it didn’t occur. Let’s just say it’s not occurred immediately, the 2021-22 season witnessed them returning to the edge of the cliff again as they recorded a 37-45 won-loss record. The Knicks were eliminated in the playoffs last season, 2022 would be different as they missed the playoffs all together. What happened, a bunch of things…players not playing and coaches not coaching

That last sentence is a little blunt, there were a myriad of events that caused the Knicks to reverse course. Just as with the Lakers there is plenty of finger pointing which really serves no true purpose. We continue to believe in Tom Thibodeau as a head coach, let's explore this puzzle piece. Perhaps Thibodeau saw the problem but couldn't fully address it during the season. Bombastic Stephen A. Smith wants Knick President Leon Rose to face the media...wrong. Media members receive free access to the games and bunches of stuff they don't pay for, Rose needs to face Knick fans to explain the poor showing by the team. Doesn't matter if it's a corporate type or hourly worker, they spent $$$ to witness less than spectacular play by the Knicks. Once again Stephen A. claims he sees a problem but provides an unsatisfactory response in my view.  

Basketball from a fans perspective

Basketball “Factories”

You might ask what it is we are discussing, basketball factories. Across the nation it’s the fact more prep schools have opened with basketball being an off shoot. Don’t misunderstand the intent it’s my belief the student-athletes are placed in a learning environment as well. Let’s not kid ourselves prep schools especially those with strong basketball programs have always existed. According to research DeMatha in Baltimore opened its doors in 1946 as for the national sports footprint that came much later. If we read the names of basketball players, it contains a number of college and NBA players who began their journey at one of these schools.

Just a few names, prep schools such DeMatha, Montverde in Florida and Sunrise Christian in Wichita play a national schedule. Teams travel from coast to coast playing other prep schools. Has this trend affected public school play one might ask, that might depend on who participates in the discussion? As this is written I can think of at least three Kansas City prospects who left public schools to attend prep schools. If you think of Branson Missouri, the first thought might be entertainment and recreational pursuits in the Missouri playground of the Ozarks. The city and area is also home to Link Prep one of the newest basketball factory’s in the nation.

NBA Coach of the Year

This is one of the post-season awards I pay little attention and for good reason. Generally, it’s given to the guy whose team was supposed to be terrible, yet he wins. That’s not to say the coach doesn’t deserve the honor it might be just as easy in year three or four to find him in the unemployment line. Now that’s out of the way who wins, the Celtics Ime Udoka is there. How about Monty Williams of the Suns and Heat Erik Spoelstra. Taylor Jenkins is next; you might ask the question who is he? Jenkins (with team talent) has the Grizzlies playing basketball with the Big Boy franchises. We close adding the name Chris Finch of the T-Wolves to the candidates list. There are probably other names to consider however these few stand out to me. Which one, I have no idea however it’s my belief one of this group will be named the 2022 NBA Coach of the Year.

Wooden Award Winner

Kentucky’s Oscar Tshiebwe announced on ESPN’s SportsCenter he is returning to Kentucky rather than the NBA. That message fails to take into account the 6-foot 9 255-pound Tshiebwe eventually wants to play in the NBA. This past season was outstanding as he helped lead the Wildcats into the NCAA Tournament. He registered 17 points and led the nation with 15 rebounds a game, the second player with 15+ rebounds since 1980 when then junior Tyler Hansborough return to North Carolina. In the following years either a senior was the winner, or the underclassmen left for the NBA. Tshiebwe also becomes the first Wooden Award winner to return to school since 2008, most mock drafts placed him in the second round, rest assured he wanted to be a first-round pick.

Transfer portal 

The term and its implementation is fairly new, we speak of the transfer portal. Once upon a time maybe a recently as 5 years ago a player transfer was cumbersome. That player was forced to sit out a semester before beginning play for his new team. Was that requirement so terrible you ask, of course it wasn’t however it was changed. A player could leave Mizzou transfer to LSU and begin play the following season.

There was no more sitting out a semester, at first if seemed players were not allowed to transfer within the conference. All that’s changed now, the example above Xavier Pinson left Mizzou last season but he was immediately eligible to play at LSU. This thing is so new we don’t have a clear picture where it’s headed, this we know…increased players are placing their name in the transfer portal. Back to Pinson, he’s now left LSU and the rumor mill has him returning to Mizzou. So, there you have it a brief description of the transfer portal. This should not be considered a complete description, and will there be changes made? It’s quite possible if the same players continue to use it moving from team to team.

Laker ownership

It is quite interesting, in 65 years of operation only three ownership names are associated with the Lakers in Los Angeles. The first is businessman Bob Short, he purchased the Minneapolis Lakers in 1957, the team might have remained in Minnesota if they had continued to attract fans. George Mikan and others had retired, and the team was no longer experiencing the championship seasons of the recent past. Attendance began to slip, at that point owner Short looked west and decided Los Angeles would be the ideal market for his NBA team. Once in Los Angeles the team was revitalized partly due to Elgin Baylor drafted the last year in Minneapolis and rookie Jerry West. Plenty of playoff basketball but every season they ran into the roadblock known as Bill Russell and the Celtics.

In 1965 Short decided to sell the team, now entering the scene another businessman and sports owner Jack Kent Cooke. Cooke paid $5 million for the Lakers (equivalent to $41 million today). The Lakers home court was the Sports Arena, and it would become the motivation for Cooke to build the Forum. Cooke had gotten into a dispute with the city, owners of the Sports Arena so what did he do? He built his own arena which would become the Forum. The Lakers managed to win one NBA Championship while Cooke owned the team. Next up Dr. Jerry Buss real estate developer, he and his partner purchased the team from Cooke in 1979. Buss the showman was the innovator behind the success of the Lakers, he was key to many innovations that made Laker games the place to be, they won 10 championships while Buss was the owner. In 2013 Buss died and management of the team alternated between son Jim Buss and Jeanie Buss. Daughter Jeanie Buss is now the controlling owner and president of the team.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Fan (atic)

Kyrie Irving was fined $50,000 for his actions on Sunday, the television cameras failed to pick it up. I had a household full of folks for Easter dinner so I might have missed it, I did hear the announcer mention it once. Irving had been giving Celtic fans the bird all game long and the NBA acted swiftly in fining him. Let’s explore this issue a deal more, in the post-game press conference Irving claimed, “Celtic fans were calling him out of his name!” What did that describe, were they using racial code words to get under his skin and rile him up? We don’t know the answer, this we do know. There are fan(atics) who believe “Because I pay my hard-earned cash, I can say anything I want to opposing players.” I always viewed the situation in this manner, if those individuals met Irving on the street would they make the same statement.

From the safety and comfort of their $150-250 seat they feel embolden, after a few adult beverages many believe they can say whatever they wish to an opposing player. Basketball especially the NBA has a problem unlike the NFL and baseball, the action for many in attendance is right on top of the fans. Being so close the players likely can hear individual conversations of fans. The amount of the fine will not dent Irving’s wallet however there is a concern, it’s decency. Boo, hiss do ever what you wish going beyond that is venturing into the danger zone. The fan that told LeBron James “I hope Bronny (James) dies in a car wreck, her male companion made animalistic noise and other incendiary remarks about Bronny.” Both Pacer fan(atics) were ejected but we are unsure of any repercussions. It’s time Commissioner Silver and the Board of Governors address this issue of verbal abuse fully because it will occur again at some future date.

Defensive Player of the Year

The Celtics Marcus Smart received one of the first post-season NBA awards. The NBA announced on Monday Smart was selected ahead of Mikal Bridges of the Suns, Jazz center Rudy Gobert a past winner finished third. Smart becomes the first guard to win DPOY since the Sonics Gary Payton won in the 1995-96 season. The award winner has been dominated by centers, small and large forwards. Congratulations are due Smart with this honor.

Make that plus one

Warrior Nation was anxious for Klay Thompson to return to the lineup. After missing almost two full seasons there were hopes he’d return at nearly the same pace as before his injury. Not only did he return and play outstanding the team received a bonus…an extra player. Allow an explanation, Jordan Poole was drafted in 2019, the 2021-22 season saw him move into the starting lineup at times. He was made the 28^th pick in the first round of the 2019 draft, playing a reserve role his rookie season the numbers were not that impressive.

Year two saw his numbers increase significantly and he finished the 2021 season with a 12 point per game average. The recently completed season still a reserve saw his scoring bumped up to 18 points a game, Poole saw action in 51 of 76 games as a starter. The shooting guard replaced Steph Curry in relief and also while Curry was injured. As the playoffs have begun Poole is the starter with Curry his relief. Don’t expect this trend to continue throughout the playoff series. What is most interesting the Warriors Big Three (Curry, Thompson & Green) has now become the Big Four with the addition of Poole.

Check the record

I remember reading this once, “Why must race always be a topic of discussion? We are all the same people.” The statement is correct however sports has been in the forefront of correcting social and civic issues of the past. One of the many areas is head coaching positions. The NFL more than the NBA has been in the news with its poor record of hiring minority coaches. This statement is made despite the fact the NFL has the Rooney Rule in place.

Let’s check out some of the statistics to see the evidence in front of us. For unexplained reasons basketball both college and NBA have done a much better job of minority and black hiring than football. With that said below is information from our research. It’s as accurate as possible but not infallible as change occurs consistently. You check the numbers, which sport appears to have done a better job in the hiring department:

NCAA FBS Football

130 schools        14 black head coaches

NFL

32 teams            2 black head coaches 

NCAA Division I Basketball (2020)

353 schools        103 black head coaches

NBA

30 teams           12 black head coaches

After assessing the numbers, it is quite clear basketball be it college or the NBA has done a much better job in hiring over that of football.

It's slowed

The college basketball season concluded with the Kansas Jayhawks crowned NCAA Champions. The majority of coaching positions have been filled, in addition most of the player transfers are complete. Coaches will continue to scour the nation for talent but there are limits what they can do regarding the Class of 2023. Naturally with little news to report this impacts Off the Dribble too, if you see lesser numbers of accounts regarding the college game it is that time of the year. Once school begins in August expect to see an increase.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Playoff basketball

I cannot do justice in print to playoff basketball, so look for coverage in other sources plus reporting by the usual suspects. The only exception might be the dramatic ending of Game 1 of Celtics-Nets. The Celtics won a dramatic 115-114 on a Jason Tatum layup with probably 0.2 on the clock. Even more interesting Tatum scored the basket over Kyrie Irving, the game Irving registered was outstanding. The mercurial point guard scored 39 points a reported 18 in the 4^th quarter. The non-basketball incident will be covered; Irving claims he was “called out of his name” all game long by Celtic fans. That was the basis for Irving giving fans “the bird” throughout the game.

The coach

One of the websites I peruse featured a photo of the late John Chaney. This Hall of Fame coach spent the bulk of his time at Temple University in Philadelphia. His teams would earn an NCAA invite 17 of the 24 years he was at the helm. It’s reported his players loved him despite his spartan approach to the game. You play for this coach you practiced hard and played defense, as for training it was a story to itself. Practice was scheduled at 6:00 a.m., Chaney claimed he did this for one reason. He wanted to ensure his players were in bed at least by midnight and not attending parties to 2 and 3:00 a.m. in the morning, evidently this practice routine worked. John Chaney another name from the rich past of basketball you should be familiar with.

Headed for the NBA 

Kansas guard Ochai Agbaji has gone from a relative unknown prospect to a possible NBA lottery pick. One mock site nbadraft.net projects him as the 12^th pick in the first round of the 2022 draft. Another site, nbadraftroom.com list him as the number 21^st pick. Movement of NBA teams is fluid as this is written so there is no attempt to detail what city the talented guard might land. In addition, it is possible Agbaji could drop, or his stock could rise prior to the draft.

It should also be of note this in not written with any forecast of NBA stardom. This is pretty much assured Agbaji will play in the association somewhere. We’ve told the story on several occasions; at Oak Park High School in Kansas City Missouri, he wasn’t a highly touted player. On the other hand, he could have been a late bloomer or lastly, he worked his rear end off to increase his skill at the game. At 6 foot 5 ½ and 214 pounds Agbaji has an NBA body and should be able to adapt. It might not be the 10^th pick but expect to hear his name at the June draft, Agbaji is a keeper.

Pure fantasy

Attempting to write this account caused hesitation on my part, I had no desire to build an audience for Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty offered by the cable channel HBO. Often if you complain about a subject it tends to draw an even larger audience. The series has been renewed for next season, so this account fails to impact it one way or another. Since the debut we’ve heard nothing but complaints about it from those who lived it. If it were just one individual, you might tend to believe it might be suspect. In this instance we have multiple complaints from some who were there and at least one media member. The first voice was Magic Johnson who said “It would have been nice if they talked to someone who was there” or something similar.

From Kareem Abdul Jabbar in a podcast interview said, “I watched half the first episode and it’s ridiculous, I don’t want to talk about it.” Wait there is more, Claire Rothman who is now age 93 also made a comment on the series. Rothman would later become president and general manager of the Forum former Laker home. It’s reported she saw the script for the first episode and was not pleased with her portrayal. We close with veteran Boston sportswriter Bob Ryan and his comment. He said the depiction of Jerry West is “reprehensible”, Ryan’s words not mine. My chief complaint, there are at least two generations who never witnessed the Showtime Lakers. They will watch this series and believe it to be fact, the writer has taken some events that can be documented while others are portions of his imagination. See it and form your own judgment, I watched the first four episodes and that was it for me.

Are we ready?

Basketball at UMKC has been an afterthought by most residents of Kansas City. For the most part they are fans of the Jayhawks another number the Mizzou Tigers as their favorites and there exists a sprinkling of NBA fans. Part of the problem UMKC has not done much to place themselves in the mind of even its student body until now. The University of Missouri Kansas City began life as an NAIA institution. At the time the decision was made to move to Division I there was a hope. That hope, the school could duplicate the basketball success of many other urban universities across the nation. We looked at UCLA, Memphis State, Cincinnati and DePaul at an earlier time period.

Except for a few seasons winning for UMKC did not occur at the level hoped then along comes Billy Donlon. Donlon had spent most of his career as an assistant at several stops but 2010-2016 saw him serve as head coach at Wright State. The first season under Donlon the Roos (Kangaroos) finished with a surprising 16-14 record. The second season saw Donlon's team slip to an 11-13 record. Although UMKC failed to earn a postseason berth, the 19-12 record registered showed promise for the future. We have no idea who returns, who leaves however we know Billy Donlon will have his Roos prepared for battle. If I could make one suggestion, the school should consider changing its mascot. I realize kangaroos have been trained to box but come on.... we can do better.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Thanks…no thanks

A number of names have been tossed out as the next Laker coach. We’ve heard Quin Snyder of the Jazz, Nick Nurse of the Raptors. Also mentioned Mark Jackson ESPN analyst, we’ve even heard Gregg Popovich mentioned. Also, among the names cited is Doc Rivers Sixers coach. My response to that name is thanks but no thanks. I don’t dislike Rivers but believe he’s got a reputation. Everyone says he’s a winner, that’s been Mike D’Antoni and George Karl. Despite either building or inheriting good teams Rivers has only won once, while the other two have never won a championship. 

Those mentioned are coaches who won a bunch of games always manage to get their teams into the playoffs. Is winning a championship the mark of a good coach… not really however we have little ability to measure the success or lack thereof. As an example, in the college ranks there are more than 350 schools playing basketball in Division I. Of that number only one wins the NCAA every season. In the NBA there are only 30 teams a chance for a coach to win improve significantly over winning a championship at the collegiate level. In the NBA as college success is key and it’s reflected in the won-loss bio of a coach, just a thought you are free to draw your own conclusion.

The roster is set (maybe)

We have no idea at this point if Mizzou’s Coach Gates slows down a bit now. On Friday came the announcement of the last scholarship…at least for now. We’ve mentioned Mizzou’s need for a pure point guard, we can now check that box it is complete. Committing is Sean East from John A. Logan a community college in Southern Illinois, East is a 6-foot 3 185-pound point guard. In case there might be some skepticism with East arriving in this manner there is further news. 

His bio information indicates he’s played at Division I UMass and Bradley before transferring to Logan. How do all the pieces fit together, not very easily we might guess? It’s hoped by the administration, students and Mizzou Nation the coach and his staff will be able to mold this collection of athletes into an effective cohesive team, one capable of winning. As for the roster it remains to be seen if it might be tweaked again prior to school beginning in the fall. As this is written there remains no word on the status of incoming freshman Christian Jones a 6-foot 4 point guard from East St. Louis. 

He’s leaving

You probably won’t remember and it’s not really that important. Emoni Bates is leaving Memphis, but I told you a few weeks ago that was my belief. There is no indication where the former wunderkind might be headed. He could be headed to Australia and the NBL, it could be the G-League or simply another school. As was pointed out earlier Bates is too young for the 2022 NBA Draft so that’s the one area he’s not going. He’s not headed to the NBA unless he makes an appeal. Former Tiger James Wiseman played few games but perform in a manner the Warriors decided to draft him. Since then, injuries have impacted Wiseman’s development. As for Bates we never had an opportunity to see him in action to make an assessment of his ability.

He owes it to AI  

The Warriors Steph Curry is not a true point guard, he stands 6 foot 2 and 185 pounds. That’s taller (5 foot 9) but about the same weight as the average American male. Curry is a combo guard despite the fact he’s listed as a point guard. We can describe a combo guard as one who can dish the ball to a teammate as easily as taking and making baskets. A brief look at the past says any guard 5 foot 11 up to about 6 foot 3 must be considered a point guard. Well, that was then, this is now despite the fact it might be a little misleading. The Logo, Jerry West might have been the first combo guard, West stood 6 foot 2 but was a prolific shooter who could pass the ball. Fast forward to the Kings Tiny Archibald, he might have stood 5 foot 11, Tiny would lead the NBA in scoring and assists one season the only time that’s occurred in NBA history.

Although we could look at West first and later Archibald probably the first bonafide combo guard in my view was Allen Iverson of the Sixers. The bio indicates Iverson stood 6 foot tall, it was more likely 5 foot 11, how about his weight? It was reported to be 165 pounds he might have been 150-155 pounds. Despite his rather slender stature AI was fearless on the basketball court, he was unafraid of no man. When drafted he arrived in the NBA as a “point guard”, his coach Larry Brown soon discovered he was a shooter too. Rather than force AI to play the point Brown allowed him to be a shooter first and point guard second. Steph Curry is a talent all by himself, if not for AI it’s possible we’d have no Steph Curry. Sure, Curry would have played in the NBA he’s that talented however he would have played strictly as a point guard.

Basketball from a fans perspective

MVP

It’s MVP time again, the NBA announces its Most Valuable Player. One athletes been named MVP in two leagues the first and only time in history this has occurred. Who is this unique individual, its none other than Julius “Dr. J.” Erving? For the record Erving was American Basketball Association MVP in 1973, 1974 and 1976. While playing for the Sixers the incomparable Dr. J. was named MVP in the National Basketball Association in 1981. With only the NBA in existence now this feat could never be repeated although this is a trivia question. You can try this on your friends. “Who was the only basketball player to win the MVP in two different leagues?”

This is interesting

Mizzou’s Dennis Gates has a tough job on his hands, he must revitalize the basketball program. For the naysayers among you ponder this number…5. There are 6 new coaches in the SEC, Gates and 5 others jockeying for wins in the powerful SEC. We have no idea what prevails however of the 5 schools LSU might have been the best however we cannot state that at present. After Will Wade was fired came mass defections. What does that say for Mizzou, there is likely no SEC crown for Mizzou however just 5-6 conference wins could turn things around significantly? Don’t rush off considering this a precursor of the SEC race in 2022-23…just saying change is very much in the air in this conference. It should be interesting for Mizzou and 5 other SEC teams with new head coaches in place.  

The celebration

The Wolves have been roundly criticized for their end of game celebration in beating the Clippers. Unlike Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley who were seen and heard laughing at the celebration this is my brief explanation. The Wolves made the playoffs in 2018 and were defeated by the Rockets 4 games to 1. We must travel back to 2004 before we witness another Wolves team in the playoffs. That season the Wolves were good winning two playoff series before they were defeated by the Lakers.

We only record 7 other seasons beyond that date the Wolves were good enough to earn a playoff berth. This dates back to the teams founding as an expansion team in the 1989-90 season. When you earn a playoff berth and win a celebration might be in order. What might appear funny to the TNT crew is understandable by this writer, I believe. For those who might be unfamiliar with my position I watch no pre or post game television. Perhaps the TNT crew made amends for their laughter, in any event it was not funny to me.

Europe’s best

I’m unsure if we could locate the first European player in the NBA or the year. Despite these unknown dates we can state they have become a presence. Over the years several of these European athletes have become NBA Champions, Toni Kukoc, Dirk Nowitzki, Tony Parker and Pau Gasol. The NBA announced it’s All Time NBA European Team, most of those named have been profiled at one time or another in Off the Dribble. What do you think of these teams, anyone omitted?

All Time European First Team

Dirk Nowitzki-Germany

Giannis Antetokounmpo-Greece

Pau Gasol-Spain

Tony Parker-France

Luka Doncic-Slovenia

All Time European Second Team

Nikola Jokic-Serbia

Toni Kukoc-Croatia

Drazen Petrovic-Croatia

Peja Stojakovic-Serbia

Arvydas Sabonis-Lithuania

10-15 years from now we might be able to add additional names, the 2022 NBA mock draft lists the names of 6 Euro prospects.

Smaller is better

For a number of unknown reasons many of us believe bigger is always better. There might be circumstances where that view might not always be the most advantageous. Allow a brief explanation, university’s across the nation began a campaign of building larger and larger arena’s for their basketball team. Examples might be The Dean Dome at North Carolina with a seating capacity of 21,750 or Rupp Arena home of the Kentucky Wildcats. Rupp holds 23,500 but none compared to Syracuse and its Carrier Dome with 33,000 for basketball. For those who might be unfamiliar it should be pointed out Syracuse football is also played in the Carrier Dome.

Recently we heard a discussion indicating schools were exploring construction of smaller seating capacity arenas. Hinkle Fieldhouse home of Butler University holds 9,100 and Duke’s Cameron Indoor Stadium contains seats for 9,314. Both arenas were built prior to this new outlook, how did this new vision come about? It’s believed smaller buildings create a more rousing sound for the home team over the larger arenas. At present there are no arenas of the smaller seating capacity under construction however we’ll keep an eye on this for the future. There is one other consideration regarding smaller arenas. Small-scale arenas with reduced number of fans decreases the amount of revenue a university might generate. On the other hand, a consistent winner similar to Duke basketball since the arrival of Coach K. could be a different matter. The concept of building smaller arenas must be based on the state of affairs. We certainly wouldn’t expect Allen Fieldhouse with its 17,000-seat capacity to be replaced by an arena capable of accommodating 10,000.

Basketball from a fans perspective

The enigma that is Russell Westbrook

I admit as this is being written, the Lakers were so bad this member of Laker Nation saw few games. There were complaints from everyone including Charles Barkley why so much television coverage? It’s clear, TNT, ABC/ESPN set their schedule ahead of the season start. They like most of us believed the Lakers would be much better than the product on the court. With that out of the way let’s explore Russell Westbrook, he fell into disfavor with a majority of Laker fans but why. I saw a tidbit of information which indicated Westbrook was the Laker leader in 7-8 offensive categories. Later we read Westbrook might have been suffering an unidentified injury all season long.

The injury portion of this account cannot be documented as valid. Westbrook managed to play in 78 of the teams 82 game schedule, LeBron played 56 while Anthony Davis was available for only 40 games. Earlier we noted the trio was in action together a total of 21 games, how could Westbrook be expected to carry this team? So, in conclusion the decision is simple if he returns that’s okay. If the Lakers are able to locate a trading partner and Westbrook is moved that’s okay as well. LeBron James has gone on record indicating he’d like the trio to return intact next season. What do you think, was our view of Westbrook based on perceived poor play by him or was it the team? On the other hand, Westbrook claims there were problems between he and the departed Frank Vogel, what was that all about?

The nerd in me

Some of you might remember I wrote of attending a Mavs game in Dallas. Once we entered American Airlines Center my eyes told me “This place is much larger than T-Mobile Center.” Although I’ve followed the NBA extensively this was my first opportunity in years to see an NBA game in person. Well on second thought that’s not quite correct, there have been a number of NBA exhibition games played over the years in Kansas City which I’ve attended.

Back to the subject at hand, American Airlines Center looked huge compared to T-Mobile. Those of you familiar with architecture or real estate might have a better idea than me based on my discovery. American Airlines Center is 840,000 square feet while T-Mobile is listed at 139,932. I’m unsure if the concourse areas are taken into account for the figure we uncovered, the concourse area in American Airlines seemed much wider than T-Mobile. In any event there were 20,000 plus in attendance at the Mavs game, as for T-Mobile it can seat 18,972 for basketball. Sidebar, those old enough might remember the time, the period when corporate signage wasn’t placed in front of a stadium or arena.

Unshared observations

I’ve gone on record; I have no idea if Mizzou’s Dennis Gates is a winner. Despite the fact this coach hit the ground running in recruiting some are not impressed. I’ve read letters stating, “These guys are coming from mid-major programs, Mizzou is in the SEC.” That represents just one letter writer of several who fails to share my optimistic view of Mizzou basketball. I wonder if the guy ever heard of Larry Bird or Steph Curry? Back then Indiana State where Bird played was a mid-major as it is today. The same could be said for Davidson where Steph continued the evolution of his game. Don’t misunderstand there is no claim anyone of these prospects is the next Bird or Curry. The point is talent exists all over it’s a matter of developing it. One area we see a need is at the point, Mizzou was forced to play Kobe Brown (6 foot 8, 250 pounds) for extended periods last season. Rest assured that was not the plan at the beginning of the season, Brown should be moved to his natural position forward.

Perhaps holdover Amari Davis makes the adjustment, he played the point at times. In addition, 6 foot 4 Tre Gomillion who played for the coach at Cleveland State is listed as a combo guard. Although we have no update on his status 6 foot 4 Christian Jones from East St. Louis High School is listed as a point guard too. Jones is one of the two Cuonzo Martin recruited players. I understand many with reservations on Mizzou basketball, we’ve had essentially two down years of play by the team, we have a question for those with reservations. Hold your horses until basketball is played before coming to a conclusion, we need look no further than the NBA for an example. The team assembled by the Lakers was expected to compete for an NBA Championship. We realize how that’s turned out, assembling a bunch of superstar talent doesn’t always result in wins. I fail to believe a mid-major athlete is less talented than one from a Power Five Conference, ever heard of Ja Morant?

The reckoning

I’m a movie buff always have been, I’ve seen a considerable number in my lifetime. One that stands out as a favorite is the western Tombstone, Wyatt Earp and Doc Holiday. During a slice of the movie Doc Holiday is questioned about Wyatt Earp from one of the deputy’s riding with them, Holiday’s response, “It’s not revenge he’s after it’s the reckoning.” What exactly does that mean you might ask? This is one of two definitions: “A person’s view, opinion, or judgement.” The judgement is that of the body the NCAA has been given the task of dispensing toward Bill Self and Kansas basketball.

This would be the Independent Accountability Resolution Process or IARP, if we understand this the NCAA will take their recommendation, there will be no appeal process. We believe Kansas basketball is unlikely to receive the death penalty such as occurred with SMU football in 1987. Only one NCAA Championship has ever been voided and it’s unlikely the 2022 championship will be overturned. There are several scenarios which could occur as this case is resolved. Kansas victory totals could be erased during the time in question, the university could be prohibited from playing in next season’s NCAA Tournament. Finally, what will Bill Self face, he could be suspended the length of time is unknown and certainly we make no projections here?