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.