Basketball from a fans perspective

Game 7

The Celtics are Eastern Conference Champions besting the Heat 100-96. The game was highly contested as the Celtics got off to a quick start playing as a visitor. The Heat came roaring back and were in contention for a time but would eventually fall short. Jason Tatum led the way for the Celtics with 26 points but there was help from Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown both players scoring 24 points. Jimmy Butler led the way for the Heat with 35 points, he was assisted by Bam Adebayo with 25 points, the Heat actually outshot the Celtics from the field (42% to 41.2%). The Finals begin on Thursday June 2 and this should should be an entertaining series. The Warriors would appear to be the early favorite in the series.  

The Lakers have their man

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski is one of those names I trust to be informative. Woj (to my knowledge) was the first to report the Lakers hired Darvin Ham as the head coach. Later information indicates the team signed Ham to a 4-year contract, what do we know about this new hire? Ham played his college ball at Texas Tech, his NBA playing career for the most part was in a reserve role for a number of teams. His first two jobs as an assistant were at the college level, from 2011-13 he was an assistant coach for these Lakers. That was followed by a stint with the Hawks and the Bucks continuing in the role of an assistant at both stops.

At this point Ham is an unfinished portrait, we have little idea on his coaching style. We don’t know if he’s a defensive guy or offensive, on the other hand, he could be a combination of both. Now there is one move complete with the hire of a head coach, there are two additional tasks ahead. Although the team has no draft choices it is incumbent, they search for another Austin Reaves type. Finally, the last duty is to figure out what to do regarding Russell Westbrook. Does he remain in place or do the Lakers try and move him?

In closing the boo-birds are out already, they are claiming without any proof Ham is not a good hire. THEY claim LeBron will “run” over Ham, all I can say is wait and see. It sure would be great if I had the ability to peer into the future and determine how something might turn out. Shoot, I could have earned a great deal more income than I have to date, oh well. I’m unsure if the HBO series is there yet, spoiler alert. At the time Jack McKinney suffered his bicycle accident Paul Westhead took over as head coach. Westhead hired Riley as an assistant coach and would become head coach when Westhead was fired. Riley had served as radio color analyst prior to becoming an assistant and later head coach. Good thing there was no social media back then, can you imagine the explosion of controversy hiring a “radio guy” as head coach?

“I’m Back!”

The headline above reflects the words of Michael Jordan as he un-retired from the Bulls. In March 1995 MJ announced he was returning to the team after playing minor league baseball. Of course, he retired a few years later but would play an additional two seasons for the Wizards before retiring once again for the final time as an athlete. We might say his statement somewhat fits the Golden State Warriors. It was 2019 when the Warriors last appeared in the playoffs, they lost the championship to the Raptors that season.

The Warriors would missed the playoffs for the next two seasons but came roaring back in the 2021-22 season. They now await the winner of the Celtics-Heat series for the NBA Championship. First, they defeated the Nuggets 4 games to 1 and compiled the same win total in the Western Conference Finals beating the Mavs last Thursday. Don’t misunderstand this account, Doesn’t matter if it’s the Celtics or Heat the Warriors still have a competitive series ahead. The question in front of the Warriors can they return to the championship contention we’ve seen in the pass? In closing Luka is officially the Don, he certainly proved to all he’s got game. Come on Mark Cuban, use your cash app and pick up The Don some additional help. Back to the Warriors a moment, they have managed to create a dynasty based on the last several years.

Did we miss the news?

An adjustment to the college game plus injury, we could state Emoni Bates failed to live up to expectations. Shortly after the season ended, he thanked coach Hardaway and Memphis basketball but announced he was transferring. Several schools were supposedly on his list, among them Louisville and Michigan appeared to be the possible destination. Despite this report we remain unsure where Bates is headed. If you believe this account to be negative that is not the intent, there is still a belief by this writer there is potential talent in Bates. After weeks of player after player transferring the news has been scarce regarding any mention of a destination for Bates.

Why

This was written ahead of the Laker announcement however it was decided to publish it anyway. Someone, please offer us an explanation. Why do we continue to read and hear media reports of Doc Rivers becoming the Lakers next head coach? Prior to this rant allow me to say upfront I don’t hate Rivers in fact I don’t even dislike him. This I’ve believed for a number of years Rivers is an overrated coach in my view. His head coaching experienced as mentioned in the past has been quite extensive. All the years Rivers served as a head coach (1999) his teams have only missed the playoffs four times, this includes stops in Orlando, Boston, Clippers and Sixers.

As mentioned previously only one season (2007-08) was there a “perfect storm” for Rivers, his Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen Celtic team won the NBA Championship. What occurred on those other occasions you ask? His playoff teams have registered a plus .500 record only three times, the championship year and once losing to the Lakers in 2010 and the Conference Finals in 2012. The Clipper team he managed from 2013-2020 never played for the Western Conference Championship. Several of those teams were loaded with athletic talent yet they never succeeded. Is the failure to advance all the fault of Rivers, of course not. Until its proven otherwise this writer believes Rivers is a good regular season coach, once his teams reach the playoffs it’s a far different matter.

It belongs to him easily

The it refers to the Magic Johnson Western Conference Finals MVP. Steph Curry was the easy winner I’m unsure if anyone other than Luka might have been in the running. Steve Kerr referred to Curry as the “engine of their offense” or similar words, for me it is difficult to describe Curry as a point guard due to his prolific shooting. Despite this fact his assist numbers are just as valid as his shooting. In the WC Finals Curry averaged nearly 24 points along with 7.4 assists and 6.6 rebounds a game. The rebound total for me is pretty amazing, at 6 foot 2 and 185 pounds it allows us to believe if Curry wants the ball on a rebound it belongs to him. With these numbers Curry still managed to shoot a sizzling 43.9% from the 3-point line.

Basketball from a fans perspective

New schedule

The late spring and summer months is not prime time for basketball. Yes, there is NBA playoff basketball, the Finals are yet to be played. The college game has been over for several months. The cycle of coaching hiring, and firings have slowed to a crawl, most coaching positions have been filled. The majority of player transfers is complete as well and based on these lesser number of events change is in the air. Beginning Monday May 30 Off the Dribble will be published Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. This change will only exist in the off season. Thanks for being a loyal reader and hopefully you will continue into the future.

The dream is still alive

We’ve been reporting on Kai Sotto for a number of years. Sotto’s dream is twofold, but actually they are one in the same. He wants to earn a spot on an NBA roster and become the first native born Filipino in the NBA as well. The question Is the 20-year-old Sotto ready for the NBA after a season in the Australian Basketball League. There is scant information indicating how the youngster might have adapted to professional basketball as he looks forward to the 2022-23 season.

Sotto’s journey began in The Philippines moved to the Skill Factory in Atlanta, from there it was on to the G-League and last season it was the Adelaide 36ers in the Australian Basketball League. We might not here Sotto’s name draft night, but he is working out for several NBA teams. If he fails to be drafted there is always signing with a team as a free agent, remember that’s what Austin Reaves did with the Lakers last season. Then again consider this fact, Sotto could begin play in the G-League for tutoring and then be called up by the big club. We read today the Kings will draft Sotto in the second round although this is only conjecture as this is written. We must wait to June 23 to discover how this turns out; this we believe to be true. Sotto will have a pro career even if it’s not in the NBA.

Legends

Recently while traveling in New York City, we passed the legendary Rucker Park in Harlem. Over the ages the park has seen a number of basketball legends play on its court. Wilt Chamberlain, Connie Hawkins, Dr. J. and others are just a few of the pros playing at Rucker. It’s the other guys you might be unfamiliar with, the one’s who became legends although they never played in the NBA. Some played briefly in college such as Earl Manigault while Herman “Helicopter” Knowings was only known for Rucker. The nickname is clear, former Knick Bernard King made this statement about this legend.

“When I was in the 9^th grade, I saw the Helicopter, with my own two eyes pick a quarter off the top of the backboard to win a bet, and I was in complete shock.” It is up to you to believe the story or is it an urban legend. Another Harlem legend, Richard “Peewee” Kirkland, unlike some of the legends Kirkland did play at the collegiate level but established his celebrity at Rucker and other courts. We must include Rafer “Skip to My Lou” Alston, as with some of the others he played in college. There is little history of Alston at Rucker although he certainly was a New York City playground legend too. This short account should not be considered complete just a thumbnail sketch of the legendary Rucker Park and a brief list of participants.

The one event might have changed NBA history

Carroll Iowa is located about 100 road miles northwest of Des Moines. Today Carroll has a population of 9,000 folks slightly larger than its 1960 inhabitants, what occurred in 1960 you ask? January 18 a DC-3 airplane landed in a Carroll Iowa cornfield. The plane had gotten lost and was running low on fuel, this was no ordinary passenger aircraft. This was the Minneapolis Lakers charter aircraft; they had taken off from St. Louis where the Lakers had played the Hawks and were headed north to Minneapolis. The aircraft ran into a blinding snowstorm and the team described it as terrifying. The plane was flying so low according to reports the pilots were following an automobile on the highway.

With today’s advanced avionics and FAA controls nothing similar could occur today but that was 1960. The pilots spotted a cornfield and circled looking for telephone or power lines anything that could impede a landing. Did I tell you there was no power inside the aircraft, reports indicate cabin lighting had gone off previously? The pilots managed to land the DC-3 in a cornfield safely without radio communications or defrosters working. Despite the safe landing a question has endured to this day, what might the NBA have done if the aircraft had crashed and there were casualties? Most of the names might be unknown to you with the exception of one, future Hall of Fame player Elgin Baylor was in his rookie year with the Lakers. As for the worst possible scenario there are provisions in place.

With few details publicly shared we are aware the NBA would hold a lottery and players from throughout the league would be drafted to re-stock a team. How about ending this tale with a bit of humor, it goes back to the days of the American Basketball Association? The late Marvin “Bad News” Barnes on a road trip was given this information and this explanation. “There’s the one about the Spirits (of St. Louis) getting set to depart on a flight from Louisville at 8:00 a.m. That would get into St. Louis at 7:56. After one look at his ticket, Barnes exclaimed “I ain’t getting on no time machine” and promptly rented a car for the trip home.” We believe no one bothered to explain to Barnes Louisville was on Eastern Time and St. Louis Central.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Difficult to figure

With the 102-82 drubbing administered Monday evening by the Celtics this series between the Celtics and Heat is now tied 2-2. This has been a difficult playoff series to determine what might be the best team. With each having blowout wins the most competitive game might have been Game Three with the 109-103 victory by the Heat. This writer is not into MMA or whatever it’s name so let’s do boxing in conclusion. The Heat are Heavyweight Champion George Foreman, and the Celtics are Muhammad Ali, both going round after round throwing haymaker after haymaker at one another without a declared winner. There is a difference however, either “Foreman” wins or “Ali”. There are no draws in the NBA playoffs, there will be a champion crowned we just don’t know which one…. yet.  Game 5 will be covered later.

The question is why?

Former NBA player JJ Redick is the latest to weigh in on this continued controversy. Why must we denigrate the role pioneers of the game such as Bob Cousy were skilled enough to accomplish? I’m not going to quote the Redick statement but simply ask why? There is no argument from this corner, the best conditioned athletes are those we see nightly in person or on our televisions. Probably 90% of you reading this had no opportunity to witness Cousy in action. Your view of Cousy is grainy black and white YouTube video of the former Celtic in action.

There’s an old saying, “People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.” Simply stated “You toss rocks in the direction of my home I can send a few right back breaking the glass in your living quarters.” We have the opportunity to character assassinate Redick too, how about this. After being National Player of the Year at Duke significant play was expected in the NBA although it didn’t arrive quickly. On your third NBA team you finally demonstrated your talent as a valued athlete. Your NBA numbers are good, but we can say in truth they ain’t great. Cousy is in the Naismith and College Basketball Halls of Fame, thus the basketball history session ends.

Well on second thought

This is written some weeks after Jamarion Sharp decided his future was at Western Kentucky over Mizzou. The 7-foot 5 inch shot blocker who led the nation in that category might have returned to the location he was most comfortable. Naturally, this member of Mizzou Nation was disappointed with his decision but certainly understands the why. Perhaps by the time this is read Coach Gates will have settled on a center or maybe he’s there already. As for the idea the center is already there I speak of Mohamed Diarra. Diarra stands 6 foot 10 and 215 pounds, depending on the coaches offense Diarra might play immediately.

It’s unfair to look at his numbers (17.8 ppg and 12.6 rebounds) and expect that type of production in a Mizzou jersey. Although he was conference co-defensive player of the year that represents junior college basketball, he will require an adjustment period. We hope the coaching staff manages to locate a center willing to commit prior to August. Since I’m a “Glass half full rather than Half empty” guy let’s check Kobe Brown. Brown certainly has the girth at 250 pounds but might possibly give away too much height at 6 foot 8 to opposing centers. If this “small lineup” is all there is expect gang rebounding by this undersized Mizzou basketball team. Despite what might appear to be negatives I for one am looking forward to the 2022-23 season.

Guess who’s NOT getting an NBA team

2024 is almost two full years away, in addition the NBA will not be at play in these locations until probably one year later. The report we read indicates Seattle is one of the proposed new expansion teams we realize that’s a shocking surprise, right? We know the team in the Pacific Northwest will take on the Sonics name again, we have no idea what name will be chosen by the Las Vegas team. Yes fans, it appears Las Vegas with an expansion NHL team and now the NFL Raiders moved to the front of the line.

My hometown Kansas City is on the outside looking in once again. There will be NO ADDITIONAL NBA EXPANSION beyond adding these two cities, what occurs for Kansas City in the future? I’m glad you ask the question; Kansas City will be next up. Should a franchise desire to re-locate guess where they are headed? Despite the fact Vegas moved to the front of the line I’m okay if this should occur. Oklahoma City and Dallas are less than an 8-hour drive from Kansas City, I could see a couple of road trips in my immediate future. Flight time to both locations is even faster, flight time wheels up---wheels down is about an hour. Keep in mind this is not an official announcement from the NBA it is believed to be conceivable. 

One of the great mysteries of life

First, he arrives, we are concerned if he will fit in with the Lakers. In late November or early December, we said give this “marriage” a chance, by the end of February most of Laker Nation was screaming NO! We had to get rid of Russell Westbrook in the off season no matter the cost. That was then, this is now…instead of Westbrook being history it might be LeBron James. There are reports circulating former coach Phil Jackson who still holds court with ex-Jeanie Buss made his thoughts known.

PJ wants the Lakers to allow Westbrook an additional season under a different coach. We have no clue whether PJ has this much power with Rob Pelinka and others still involved in the decision making. This we know and have known for quite a while; this incoming coach must be a slam dunk hire. Not only that this present roster must be re-constructed from top to bottom no matter who remains. Can Westbrook be saved; I remain skeptical after his first season with the team. We don’t know all the locker room stories but it appeared LeBron was on his side which should carry some weight. Truth of the matter it might be greater than PJ…who knows.

 

Basketball from a fans perspective

No publication

Off the Dribble will not be published May 23 through May 25. Our regular schedule will resume on Thursday morning May 26. Take the opportunity to catch up on some of the back issues regarding the history of the game, be well.

Not just me

If you’ve read this blog any length of time you are aware of this fact. I’ve held a grudge against the NCAA for quite a few years, this the result of “throw it up on the wall and see if it sticks judgments.” They were slow to react to NIL and by the time the body did a number of states had placed the rule in place. All of this was placed at the feet of Mark Emmert NCAA president, it was announced he would be stepping down next year. This move was applauded by me in Kansas City, I didn’t realize it reached Washington D.C. too. Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn reacting to the news.

“Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn criticized outgoing NCAA president Mark Emmert on Thursday (May 5), noting the end of Emmert’s team will “enable the NCAA to support our student-athletes.” the this represents one more example of that change. Emmert announced in April he is stepping down from his role as NCAA president by June

2023. Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff and SEC commissioner Greg Sankey discussed the future of the NCAA on capitol hill on Thursday in an effort to push lawmakers to pass NIL legislation. “For far too long, the NCAA has refused to allow student-athletes to benefit from the use of their name, image, likeness (NIL)” Blackburn told Sports Illustrated’s Ross Dellenger. “NCAA President Mark Emmert’s resignation is one of many necessary structural changes that will enable the NCAA to support our student-athletes. During my meeting with SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey and other today, I continued to push for the accountability and fairness measure our student-athletes deserve.” *

What does the future hold, that remains an elusive question for now? If the body remains in place hopefully it will do what it was intended to do. The NCAA often became a punishing institution rather than one providing leadership for student-athletes and athletic directors. Naturally, the actions of the NCAA has caused the former problems it also extended to alumni and fans of many programs across the nation. Sorry Mark, I can agree with the Tennessee senator you will not be missed by me either.

*SI.com May 5, 2022

It’s the numbers 

The NBA Draft will be held June 23 in the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. It will be a surprise if we hear the name of a prospect called from an NAIA/HBCU school. There is a reason no name will be announced, potential NBA talent has dried up from these schools, it’s the numbers man, the numbers. Just 30 years ago (1992) that draft contained two foreign players and technically one of them was born in the United States. As the years passed, we’d witness an ever-increasing number of foreign-born players drafted, the 2021 NBA Draft contained 18 foreign players out of 60 prospects. The NBA begin attracting high school players with its G-League Elite Team. Overtime Elite a start-up basketball league also began play with high school players. Prospects continue to arrive from European nations in ever increasing numbers, others followed the path of Luc Longley.

Although Longley played at The University of New Mexico he’s from Australia. Many saw him as one of the keys to those successful championship runs by the Michael Jordan Bulls teams. Not only were prospects arriving on these shores from Australia a few high school players such as LaMelo Ball provided proof Australian basketball could lead to the NBA. We include the South Pacific island nation of New Zealand with the likes of Sean Marks, Steven Adams and others. Hopefully, you see the issue, it’s the numbers an ever-increasing number of Division I talent plus the fact even the high school players are competing against grown men in the G-League and Australia. NAIA/HBCU basketball teams continue to contend and efficiently however they are being forced to the sidelines by these other events. This should not be considered a complaint; this is just an attempt to point out the basketball landscape continues to evolve, and this represents one more example of that change.

NBA Africa

If you’ve followed the NBA any length of time you are aware of one fact. Athletes from the African continent have been just as responsible for the growth of the game as those from Europe or the U.S. for that matter. There is a question who might have been the first but allow us some leeway, it might have been Akeem Olajuwon from Nigeria who played at the University of Houston in 1981. We later discovered his name had been incorrectly spelled it was actually H a k e e m. In any event in 1984 Olajuwon was made the top pick in the draft by the Rockets and spent his career with the team except for one year spent with the Raptors he retired in 2002 a two-time NBA Champion. His success opened the floodgates to others from the African continent.

That was then, this is now… there are more than 55 players from various African nations playing in the NBA today. NBA Africa was begun in 2021, it will oversee league business on the continent including the Basketball African League. There are five former players Junior Bridgeman, Grant Hill, Joakim Noah and two additional from the continent. Dikembe Mutombo and Luol Deng from the Congo and South Sudan are also investors in the venture. The board of directors include commissioner Adam Silver and deputy Mark Tatum. If you have NBA TV, you might have seen a few of the leagues games televised. The Basketball Africa League has 12 teams containing 124 players. As noted, we’ve seen the ever-increasing numbers of players from the continent, this endeavor will greatly enhance the role of basketball in the world.

Basketball from a fans perspective

The Lottery

For many the lottery is almost as exciting as the draft itself. We can begin to formulate in our minds where a particular player might land. Truth is the lower portion of the draft is in somewhat of what most of us believe, let’s say 14 and beyond it’s a guess. As you are aware the NBA Lottery was held on Tuesday, the Magic were awarded the top spot followed in order by the Thunder, Rockets, Kings and Pistons. What changes, much between now and Thursday June 23. As an example, two mock websites have the Magic picking Jabari Smith 6-foot 10 power forward from Auburn. 

Chet Holmgren the skinny 7-foot 1 Gonzaga forward is their choice for the second pick and headed to the Thunder and the Rockets will choose 6-foot 10 wing Paola Banchero from Duke. With the fourth pick comes the departure between these two mock sites, One site list Purdue’s Jaden Ivey and the other Shaedon Sharpe from Kentucky as pick number four. We ask the question of a few…” Do you draft to fill a need or the best athlete available?” Most of those responding indicated if they were a general manager, it would be best available. 

That makes sense if we consider this fact, it’s possible that a uber talented player could be plugged in anywhere on the team. Keep in mind you make a move but not one of question, you don’t sit down Steph Curry in 2019 and replace him with Jordan Poole. You develop a Jordan Poole in order for him to eventually replace Curry at some point down the road. Of interest locally Kansas shooting guard Ochai Agbaji, he’s projected a lottery pick by one site but number 22 in another. Of course, the hope by most is to be drafted which should occur in Agbaji’s case, the significant difference between the positions is $$$, they will be much larger at pick 11 versus 22.

M.I.A.

In Game One the Heat managed to beat the Celtics to the pulp, but they had help in the victory. No this is not a reference to the officials it’s the Celtic players missing in Game One. NBA Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart was sidelined with a sprained right foot. Also missing the game was Al Horford in health and safety protocols, so what occurs with Game Two? The outlook isn’t much better for Game Two, Smart is probable, and Horford is listed as doubtful.

This is the third time this season Horford has been sidelined due to health and safety protocol. Hopefully, this doesn’t appear to disparage the 118-107 win by the Heat, but we must face it, the Celtics or any other team cannot win without their full compliment of players. Jimmy Butler went wild scoring 41 points on 63% shooting from the floor, in addition Butler had 9 rebounds, 5 assists along with 4 steals and 3 blocked shots. It’s not just Butler there was help from his teammates; the Heat are a solid defensive team. Hopefully, Game Two will be a little more evenly matched no matter who wins.

Who?

We know the Magic will have the top pick in the 2022 NBA Draft next month, who do they choose? The majority of mock sites indicate Jabari Smith Jr. will be the choice of the Magic. At 6 foot 10- and 220-pounds Smith Jr. is listed as a power forward, but will that be his position in the NBA? The power forward position for the Magic at the present time belongs to Jonathan Isaac and the small forward is Franz Wagner who is physically the same size as Smith Jr.

Who stays and who go’s might be the question at this point, choosing the number one pick in the draft says Smith Jr. will be in the lineup somewhere? Now I will place my scout’s hat on to assess the youngster, often when attempting to evaluate a player I look at his weaknesses first. Is that athlete willing to work to improve those areas requiring development? We have no idea at this point, so this portion of a scouting report is incomplete. Based on what is read to date Smith Jr. might be best suited for the power forward position until other elements of his game improve significantly. “Usually settles for mid-range jumpers when he does drive its almost exclusively to his right. Needs to become a better ball handler” reads a portion of the report.

The Bucks

NBA expansion brought about two franchise, the Phoenix Suns and the Milwaukee Bucks Almost immediately from the beginning a coin flip allowed them to become an NBA power. Prior to the lottery a coin flip often determined the top draft pick and that’s what occurred in 1969. When the coin flip was held the Suns lost and had the second pick, the first pick became Kareem Abdul Jabbar. Although he failed to finish his career in Milwaukee, they became respectable immediately. The Bucks went from 27-55 to 56-26 with a young Kareem in the starting lineup. Once Oscar Robertson was obtained in a trade the Bucks won their first NBA Championship. Over course of time the Bucks lineup has contained a number of outstanding players some earned a place in the Hall of Fame. Just a few of those names:

Kareem Abdul Jabbar

Oscar Robertson

Jesus Shuttlesworth a.k.a. Ray Allen

Giannis Antekounmpo

Glenn Robinson

Bob Lanier

Sidney Moncrief

Marques Johnson

Junior Bridgeman

Bob Dandridge

Basketball from a fans perspective

There is a similarity

“Don’t give up, don’t ever give up”, those were the words of a speech we shortened but made famous by the late Jim Valvano. For those unfamiliar with the name, Valvano once served as head basketball coach at North Carolina State University. His 1983 team was not given much of a chance against the University of Houston’s Phi Slama Jama team in the NCAA Championship game. That NC State team finished the season with a 28-10 record but with a championship as they upset the Houston Cougars 54-52.

In 1993 Valvano would succumb to cancer and in his name the V Fund was begun, Victory over Cancer is the theme and the foundations goal. Valvano fought for his life refusing to pass away due to the dreaded disease, that’s where the speech above originated and became renowned. Actor Ray Romano is the producer and is scheduled to play the coach in an upcoming production. Filming has yet to begin so it might be a while before the movie is ready for theatre/television release. Romano claims Valvano has always been an inspiration to him and what is even neater. From where I sit it’s my belief there will be little makeup required, Romano bears a striking resemblance to Valvano. As this undertaking moves forward, I will attempt to keep you posted on updates.

Are they related?

Yet another Bol arrives on the basketball scene, this one is John, and he’s a sophomore in high school he is an amazing 7 feet 2 inches in height. He plays for Christian Brothers College High in St. Louis and Rivals.com awards Bol 4-stars, he is rated the 34^th prospect in the Class of 2024. Because of his youth colleges are unable to make a great deal of contact with Bol at this time however he’s on their radar. Despite his youth it’s believed within rules Bol can begin receiving letters that state “We see you” and that’s what’s occurred.

As this is account is being reported the letters totaling 7 have been received by Bol. Among the schools making contact are Butler, Clemson, Illinois, Kansas State and of course Mizzou. Although he plays in St. Louis Bol travels to this side of the state to play for Mo-Kan Elite a Kansas City area AAU team. Hopefully at some point this summer I can managed to see Bol in action around the metro. There you have it, John Bol a name to keep in your memory bank for the future. In addition, hopefully we can locate information on his relationship to the other basketball playing Bol’s.

Yes, we know…Luka & defense does not compute

The headline of this story is wrong, wrong and wrong. We know what Luka Doncic can do, shoot the rock effectively and pass the ball efficiently. What about his defense you might ask, well it ain’t as bad as you might believe if you just based your opinion on some of the television analyst? A website, statmuse.com compiles defensive ratings for NBA teams and individuals. Guess what, Doncic is listed as one of the Top 10 players in the NBA, according to this site he is 8th in the NBA with a 106.5 defensive rating.   

That places Doncic ahead of some guys that might surprise you, Chris Paul, Marcus Smart (2022 Defensive Player of the Year) and Steph Curry. For fans and even media people it is far easier to witness a player scoring the ball then defending. The block shot and the steal are mostly easy to see but how about the slide over to pick up another player or a block from an off-ball defender, we often miss those plays. Let’s just say Doncic might not be a great individual defender but a good team defender. A statement once made about Magic Johnson and we can agree, it’s not necessary for a player to be great at defense but willingness to adapt to the team’s defensive schemes.

Bits n Pieces---college ball 

At Mizzou Dennis Gates and staff continue making offers for talent across the nation. Proposals have been extended to 10 prospects in the Class of 2023. There will be a roster makeover however unlike this upcoming season that number of offers is quite large. If every one of the 10 signed with Mizzou, there would not be enough space on the roster. 4-5 (we guess) would be an acceptable number. A couple of names that stand out for me, JP Estrella 6-foot 11 post and he plays at Brewster Academy in New Hampshire, the youngsters home is South Portland Maine.

Where is the NCAA and its Independent Accountability Resolution Process? In this instance we are discussing the penalty facing Kansas basketball. Just in case you’ve been on the International Space Station or somewhere else allow us to clue you in. Three years ago, Kansas basketball and coach Self were slapped with Five Level 1 violations. Level 1 being the most severe, “lack of institutional control” is one of the charges. We read many are of the opinion this will be a mild reprimand for the Kansas program. That might well be the case however this anvil hanging over the program is unbelievably long.

Is it that bad you ask, former Illinois center Kofi Cockburn “plays like a 1990’s center?” That statement was made we believe by an NBA scout and might appear to be a criticism however that’s not the case I see. Let’s check and see who was playing center in the NBA during that period. Patrick Ewing was playing for the Knicks; Shaquille O’Neal was dominating center play and so was Alonzo Mourning. The players mentioned and others including   Cockburn are back to the basket centers. These players and others rarely moved out to the three-point line taking shots if I’m a general manager I draft Kofi Cockburn. We stated this previously there will be no return to post play of the past however if a team has the opportunity to draft a prospect the question becomes why not at least for me?

What is old becomes new again

Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle is home of the NHL Kraken, there is also basketball being played there. No, it’s not the NBA yet, the WNBA Storm also call this arena home and the University of Seattle men’s team as well. At some point in the near future the league will expand, and the NBA will return again to Seattle. How did we arrive here, for some unfamiliar with the past Climate Pledge opened back in 1962? Over time the arena has operated under a number of different names, at the time the Sonics departed for Oklahoma City the building was the Key Arena. There were two reasons the Sonics left the city, the owner who’d purchased the team made sounds as if he intended to remain in the city but that was not the case.

The second reason, the NBA considered Key Arena inadequate for NBA play so why is everything okay now? The iconic part of the outside portion was maintained by Kansas City architects Populous. Naturally, an undertaking of this type required a massive amount of dollars to rebuild the arena. The indication was over $1 billion was spent for the project. As for seating in the “new” arena in hockey its 17,000 plus while basketball is 18,100 and change. The new arena is the most environmentally sound in the nation, as example rainwater collected on the roof is utilized to create ice for hockey. The Climate Pledge website provides environmental details not listed here. The NBA will return to the Emerald City the only question now is when.

Basketball from a fans perspective

What’s left

We began the 2021-22 NBA season with 30 teams in contention for the championship. In truth there were only 8-10 teams we might have seen as legitimate contenders for a ring. We are now down to four, four teams remain to decide who wins it all. In the west we have the Warriors-Mavs. In the east the Celtics and Heat will face one another. The defending champion Bucks were eliminated so no repeat championship was forthcoming. As for the combatants in front of us…huge questions remain. The season is far from over as noted with much to be decided. 

The question for you, have we moved on from the LeBron/Durant/Curry age in the NBA? Are we now experiencing the Morant/Antetokounmpo/Doncic age without us barely acknowledging it or maybe realizing its here? Has there been a changing of the old guard to an extent? Sure, the Bucks and Antetokounmpo have been eliminated from playoff contention, but he returns next season a youthful 27-years of age. We can make the same statement about Morant; the Grizzlies have been eliminated too however Morant will return next season at 23 years old. Can the upset minded Mavs prevail once again, or will the veteran Warriors come forth and win the Western Conference again? 

As for the other series on the surface it appears the Heat are a defensive juggernaut. Sure, Jimmy Butler scores points in buckets, but did you notice the Victor Oladipo sighting? The Celtics led by Jason Tatum have exceeded the expectations of most, this entire run is certainly influenced by first-year coach Ime Udoka. The coach deserves a round of applause as he’s guided these Celtics to the conference championship round. I was hesitate but picked the Celtics and Mavs winner, this time I am unsure who wins. The hope is always for a competitive series and may the best team win.

The window has closed

No championship ring means just that, it fails to measure the contributions made during an outstanding NBA career. That is the lament of Suns point guard Chris Paul, Hall of Fame career but possible retirement without winning the top prize, an NBA Championship. You didn’t miss any news update as this is written Paul’s yet to announce his retirement. Paul just turned 37 and for the season and great portion of the playoffs was a 30 something on the court. Similar to LeBron the best athlete cannot continue to play at a high skill level and that might be the case for Paul.

We certainly are not ready to kick Paul out the door however there is no expectation he will continue play at an All-Star, All-NBA level next season or maybe the one after. Whatever remains in his tank we’ll try and enjoy it as much as we can. IF THERE IS NO NBA CHAMPION in his future that’s okay too. Question, why must a stellar NBA career be measured in that manner? It fails to acknowledge a sizable number of outstanding players never made it as NBA Champions however they are still enshrined in the Naismith and College Basketball Hall of Fame. Sometimes it’s my belief we place far too much emphasis on winning a championship rather than a stellar NBA career. Just my thoughts you have my permission to disagree.

I’m okay…now

By now Sixer fans have settled down, injured Joel Embiid and the former James Harden lost the series. Reports have circulated for the last week or so among the Laker coaching candidates is Doc Rivers. My wife often will call with this message, “I’m going to stop for something to eat for dinner, what do you want.” I then provide her a list of food I don’t want. This is my case with the Laker coaching search; it is far easier to inform you who I don’t want. At the top of my list of potential coaches on my list is Doc Rivers. Rivers had two consecutive seasons to lead the Sixers into the championship round and has failed. “Larry you are wrong, Doc won a championship with the Celtics in 2008 what about that?”

I have no method to prove the following statement, the Celtics that year was a perfect storm for Rivers what about later. From 2013-2020 Doc was head coach of the Clippers, despite the fact of having Chris Paul, a young Blake Griffin along with DeAndre Jordan and a legion of talent never discovered a method to advance in the playoffs. They were regular season winners; the playoffs was a far different matter. Three times the Clippers were losers in the conference semi-finals, three times they lost in the first round and one season they missed the playoffs. On Friday Daryl Morey president of operations went on record, “Doc Rivers will return next season for a third year with the franchise. I just think he’s a great coach.” Good for you, so unless there is a resignation Doc remains in Philly and I’m okay…now.

A.I.

“We sitting in here—I’m supposed to be the franchise player, and we in here talking about practice. I mean, listen: We taking about practice. Not a game. Not a game. Not a game. We Philly and I’m okay…now. We talking about practice. Not a game. Not the game that I go out there and die for and play every game like it’s my last. Not the game. We talking about practice, man.” If you are a follower of the NBA game, you are aware the rant you just read belongs to former NBA player Allen Iverson. When A.I. played for the Sixers the press conference speech has lasted far beyond the years of his play, what exactly is the background?

The question came up because Iverson’s dedication to the game was in question and the question set him off on this well publicized tirade. Until recently most (including this writer) had no idea Iverson was dealing with a genuine problem. The mikes shut off at this point, but Iverson continued which was lost to history. “I’m upset for one reason: Cause I’m in here. I lost. I lost my best friend. I lost him, and I lost this year. Everything is just going downhill for me, as far as just that. You know, as far as my life. And then I’m dealing with this. My best friend is dead. And we lost. And this what I have to go through for the rest of the summer until the season is all over again.” His friend had been murdered and the weight of that death plus the pressure of NBA play simply overwhelmed him. We discussed the mental health issues of athletes, and they are just as real for us as they are for Allen Iverson.

Basketball from a fans perspective

He is headed to Tennessee

As a reminder, in March 2022 LSU fired Will Wade and the incoming crop of freshman departed soon after learning the coach was no longer in place. One of those leaving from an outstanding Class of 2022 prospects was Rivals 5-star Julian Phillips; the 6-foot 8 small forward committed to LSU last October. We are unsure if Phillips is the first but, in any event, he’s declared his college of choice. On May 12 Phillips announced he will head for the University of Tennessee to play for Rick Barnes. Incidentally, he's from Branson Missouri about 200 road miles from Columbia home of Mizzou, oh well.

I can revise my position

Unlike those in television who are paid huge sums of money to be incorrect that’s not me. First of all, I’m not paid, this blog is strictly a labor of love, second to that updates and corrections are never going to be buried. I want them placed up front where you read them as in this case. Some might remember on Friday an attempt was made to point out the best all-time high school basketball player in the State of Missouri. Our focus was the St. Louis metro, on reading my account Frank said, “What about Bradley Beal?”

What about Beal you might say who plays for the Wizards, well I am going to say perhaps there is a tie between Jayson Tatum and Beal. The problem for Beal unlike that of Tatum the Wizards have not been particularly good during the time he’s played for them, in addition an injury limited him to but 40 games in the recently completed season.  If we look strictly at the numbers Beal has a slight advantage over Tatum although both are equally talented. I will close this by thanking Frank for pointing out the contributions of Beal who played at Chaminade College Prep in the St. Louis metro and the University of Florida prior to being drafted by the Wizards.

They are already at home  

The Sixers lost on Thursday evening 99-90 to the Heat, because they were at home the Sixers likely had little travel. What happened, the Sixers were losers in the series 4-2. As we often state this is a team sport, despite that fact there are teammates i.e., players who are expected to lead, and guess what Harden isn’t one of them. This loss can be laid at the feet of the “Invisible Man” a.k.a. James Harden. Joel Embiid was battling at least two injuries; can we make the same statement regarding Harden. In truth we cannot state this but the players seeking a max contract sure appeared disconnected, his head appeared to not be in the game. As proof the box score, in 43 minutes on the court he managed but 11 points along with an admirable 9 assists.

This is the killer, leading the Heat to victory was Jimmy Butler once a member of the Sixers, his 32 points were certainly a key. We are not going to report why he’s in Miami instead of Philly, but it certainly is interesting Butler was so crucial in this series. We reported earlier Harden wants a max contract but at age 32 and based on his playoff performance we question if this might be worthwhile. If you are a fan of Harden, I believe all of us expected more after he demanded the Nets move him. Once again if we look at his combined numbers (Nets & Sixers) they look good, but Harden’s become a real mystery to many. According to Basketball Network Harden didn’t attempt a shot in the 4^th quarter, apparently the last Sixer to do that in a playoff series…Ben Simmons.

Bits n Pieces   

Earl Manigault died in 1998 at the age of 53, for those unfamiliar with the name he was a New York City street player. A portion of his fame was earned on the basketball courts in the city, especially Rucker Park. Many of the attributes he accomplished are the stuff of fiction we can’t prove they occurred. One story claims a quarter was placed on the rim of the basketball goal, Manigault was reported to have snatched the quarter off the top. The goal is 10 feet from the floor or concrete, and the top of the backboard is another 3 feet for a total of 13 feet.

We don’t know that’s been the story all these years. How he acquired the nickname “Goat” is also in debate, so we’ll skip that for now. The Goat once reversed dunked 36 times in a row to win a $60.00 bet, that account can be confirmed. He played against some of the best of the era Earl Monroe, Connie Hawkins and Kareem Abdul Jabbar. To this day Kareem claims the 6 foot 1 Manigault was the best he ever played against. Drugs would be his downfall preventing him from play in college and the NBA.

A reader in Keokuk Iowa or Stockton California might say, “Why is he always mentioning mileage in many of the accounts.” It’s done for more than one reason; many Americans have no idea of geography in the United States. Want an example, Mark Emmert outgoing president of the NCAA presented the championship trophy to the “Kansas City Jayhawks.” Lawrence is close by but some miles from Kansas City Kansas or Kansas City Missouri. Numerous times we hear celebrities on visiting say “I’m so glad to be in Kansas when they are actually on the Missouri side of State Line Road. In addition to providing, you the lay of the land I’m an admitted travel nerd. I must also know where I am in relation to _________. So, there’s your short answer why in addition to basketball there is often a geography reference in Off the Dribble.

Basketball from a fans perspective

In Laker news 

This is interesting, SI.com claims the Lakers have a trade offer from the Rockets for Russell Westbrook. That would work for me except with this related story. At the time Phil Jackson coached the Lakers he and owner Jeanie Buss became a dating couple. We cannot provide the timeframe however at some point they were no longer an item. Fast forward to 2022 and it’s being reported PJ is offering Jeanie input on coaching and personnel moves. 

This one is interesting. It’s said, “PJ wants to trade LeBron James and keep Westbrook.” In connection with that comes yet another story, LeBron is due a max contract this off season. How many $$$, that is an unknown number. Jeanie has gone on record indicating “She has no desire to trade LeBron even though he might not sign a max contract. Stay tuned for further develops in the Soap Opera that’s become the Lakers. We continue to hear a variety of names mentioned as coaching candidates, the latest former Nets coach Kenny Atkinson now on the staff of Steve Kerr at Golden State.

Coach of the Year    

Who says you cannot recover from being fired? We are unsure however Suns coach Monty Williams was named Coach of the Year in the association, when was Williams fired? Williams was coaching the Pelicans and in 2015 he was terminated after 5 seasons at the helm. In 2019 he was hired as head coach of the Suns, under his leadership the first year saw the team finish with a 34-39 record and missed the playoffs. Last season the Suns finished 51-21 but lost the NBA championship to the Bucks. The 2022 Suns eclipsed the prior season record finishing 64-18. We have no idea at this point if the Suns win the championship, this we do know, Monty Williams has proven he can coach basketball. Congratulations coach Williams on being named NBA Coach of the Year.

I was reminded

A NY Times account mentioned the fact unlike today's NBA the late Bob Lanier played against some of the the best of the best. Night after night Lanier was matched against Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Willis Reed, Nate Thurmond, Wes Unseld and even Wilt Chamberlain. Back then there was no load management, unless you were injured you played. All the post players mentioned are in the Naismith Hall of Fame including Lanier. 

Signing on the dotted line  

In Mizzou basketball news we’ve mentioned the fast start coach Dennis Gates had recruiting talent. The first two players added to the roster have signed on the dotted line. DeAndre Gholston 6-foot 5 shooting guard who arrives via the transfer portal from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Also signing his letter of intent is 6-foot 10 Mohamed Diarra who arrives from Garden City (KS) Community College. Diarra is penciled in at the center position however at 215 pounds he might be more suited as a power forward.

New awards

With this being the 75^th Anniversary of the NBA the league announced new awards. The Eastern Conference Finals MVP will now receive the Larry Bird MVP award. On the west coast the league will now award the Earvin “Magic” Johnson Western Conference Finals MVP. The Eastern Conference Trophy will now be named after Celtic great Bob Cousy, the Western Conference Trophy will be named after Oscar Robertson. The NBA announced the four players named were keys to the growth of the league.  

A question remains

The metro side of the state with St. Louis including Illinois is about 46,000 folks larger than metro Kansas City Missouri. At one time we might have held the belief boys basketball on the east and west side was somewhat evenly matched. That appears to no longer be the case if we check the numbers playing college basketball and in the NBA. If we look at active players Jayson Tatum 3X an NBA All Star and the best basketball player in the state, he’s a St. Louis product. On the Kansas City side, we have Landry Shamet, Alec Burks and perhaps a player or two we might have overlooked. Has the Kansas City metro produced a talent close to that of Tatum or even the late Hall of Fame athlete Jo Jo White? Someone unfamiliar with the geography might toss out Wilt Chamberlain’s name, although KU and Lawrence is nearby the school, nor the city is counted in the metro population. Wyandotte High School’s Larry Drew had a good NBA career so did Anthony Peeler of Paseo just a few past names. The Kansas City metro has produced a number of pro’s we must venture back to the ‘60’s to find the best of the best on this side of the state.

I’m sure this will cause loud screams however based on his impact at the pro level the late Warren Armstrong (Jabali) may have been the best on this side of the state. After play at Central High School, he went on to Wichita State. In 1968 he was drafted by the NBA Knicks and the ABA Oakland Oaks. In the American Basketball Association, he was named Rookie of the Year in 1969 scoring 21.5 points along with 9.7 rebounds a game. Imagine a 6-foot 2 guard averaging nearly 10 rebounds a game, it just details for us his leaping ability. Unfortunately, Jabali’s career was cut short due to injury however he remains likely the best talent produced in the Kansas City metro. If we look at the numbers in 7 years of ABA competition Jabali averaged 17.1 points 6.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists a game. If not just me, the words of HOF player Rick Barry on Jabali, “He was one of the best I ever played with.” I hope someone reading this can find a comparable player besides Jabali to Tatum on the Missouri side of the state. 

Basketball from a fans perspective

HOF center Bob Lanier

Early Wednesday morning the NBA world was sadden with the news of a death; 73-year-old Bob Lanier had died of an unspecified illness. Lanier spent the greater portion of his NBA career with the Pistons, in 1980 he was traded to the Bucks where he remained for the balance of his 14-year run. The 6-foot 10 250-pound Lanier played in an era center play was key and he often found himself matched against players of that era. In 1970 he was made the number one pick in that year’s draft by the Pistons, at St. Bonaventure Lanier was an All American.

It was reported over 100 colleges offered Lanier a scholarship, but he preferred to remain close to home choosing to attend St. Bonaventure. His number 31 was retired by the school along with his number 16 by the Pistons and Bucks. In addition to a brief period coaching Lanier took on the role of NBA Ambassador. Similar to a number of youngsters Lanier struggled with the game early, its reported his grammar school coach told him “Your feet are too large for you to be a successful athlete.” The coach was referring to Lanier’s size 11 shoe he wore at age 11, wonder if that coach ever remembered the statement he’d made? After receiving numerous awards from his college and NBA days in 2006 Lanier was enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame. Bob Lanier a giant on and off the court, R.I.P. big guy.

I was the one

Remember me, I was the guy who claimed the Sixers got the best in the Simmons-Harden trade. We know Simmons never made an appearance on court for the Nets. As for Harden it’s been a “Jekyll and Hyde” performance, at least that’s been the playoff Harden. After tying the series, we figured they were on the way, this is Tuesday for me. With no opportunity to see the game by the time I turned it on in the middle of the first quarter I felt it was over. Evidently that must have been the case.

Joel Embiid appeared to have done his best however the score 120-85 gives us an indication how this game must have been played. As for Mr. Harden he reverted back to the passive scorer and passer that’s much been evident in this series. If it appears I’m not giving the Heat any credit far from it. Jimmy Butler and crew appeared to be determined to prove they are the better team. Headed back to Philly and down 3 games to 2 I have no idea what direction this series is headed. I believed the Sixers were the better team prior to the start, now they must prove it to me (and maybe you).

How about the guy who stayed?

Most card-carrying members of Mizzou Nation were first disappointed with the hire of Dennis Gates. Although there was reluctance (and its yet to be proven on the court) Gates is a winner the coach moved quickly in assembling “his” team. The excitement was so great we almost forgot the guys who could have left but chose to remain. That would be small forward Ronnie DeGray, guard Kaleb Brown and his older brother. The older brother would be Kobe Brown, the 6-foot 8 255-pound power forward who often found himself running the offense.

Rest assured it wasn’t a job Brown wanted, it appeared the point guards on the roster were found deficient and the departed Cuonzo Martin decided to utilize the talented Brown. Mizzou’s offense suffered to a degree; Brown did the best he could in this new position. Despite the new role he still found time to lead the Tigers in scoring at nearly 13 points a game, he also had 7.6 rebounds a game. As for the assists…pressed into the role of point-forward he managed 2.5 assists per game certainly not great, but this was noteworthy. Brown had only 2.3 TO’s per game providing us proof he wasn’t so bad in the new role. Despite the coaching change Brown appears excited to remain at Mizzou claiming “I’m not going anywhere” or similar words.

Best scoring Lakers in history

Plenty of surprises from the Lakers Top 10 list of scorers and their averages:

Elgin Baylor 27.4  

Shaquille O’Neal*

Jerry West*                *27.0  

LeBron James*                                                                            

Kobe Bryant 25  

Anthony Davis 24.1

George Mikan 23.1

Kareem Abdul Jabbar 22.1

Cedric Ceballos 20.9

Magic Johnson 19.5 

Which Lakers surprised you, I’ll share mine. It’s Kareem, considering he’s the all-time leading scorer I thought his scoring average would have been higher. Second to him might be Cedric Ceballos, you say “Cedric Who?” Ceballos a small forward played for several NBA teams and the Lakers were his second stop having come over from the Suns. His scoring average is compiled from 1994-1997. Shaq, West and LeBron were all at 27 points but percentage points apart.

Pay me now or pay me later

Target Center home of the NBA Wolves and WNBA Lynx is in need of an update according to reports. The Target Center is the second oldest NBA arena in operation exceeded by Madison Square Garden. As usual money is always a factor anytime, we are looking at millions and millions of dollars. Target Center is owned by the City of Minneapolis and any improvements would have Wolves/Lynx management involvement. It was reported the basketball team was uncomfortable with the projected dollar figure of $129-155 million.

Although the projected cost is quite huge it’s a far smaller amount than constructing a new arena. The only problem we hope ever how it’s paid citizens are not funding the bulk of the cost. In Kansas City there was talk of replacing Kemper Arena where the Kings once played. The administration said no to a new arena with the NBA no longer calling Kansas City home. Instead of building a new arena it was decided to install additional seats boosting the capacity to 19,500. The administration that followed determined in favor of a new arena in conjunction with a revitalization of downtown. The Power & Light entertainment district was built along with Sprint (T-Mobile) Center, Kansas City would have an NBA/NHL ready arena but no occupant only a promise.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Stadiums & Arenas

In September 2019, the 18,000 seat Chase Center was opened for the Warriors and other entertainment venues. Again, in September this time 2021 a groundbreaking ceremony was held in Inglewood California. The Intuit Dome will be completed in time for the Clippers to begin the 2024-25 NBA season. What is the significance of these two arenas besides both being located in California? It’s the financing, it is our understanding neither facility is utilizing public funds, all costs are absorbed by the owners. In Kansas City we have the Jackson County Sports Complex, Geha Field at Arrowhead and Kaufman Stadium sit across the parking lot from one another.

Arrowhead home of the Chiefs and Kaufman of the Royals are not new stadiums however both have been refurbished over the years. There is talk of the Chiefs moving across State Line to Kansas and the Royals moving to downtown Kansas City (MO). In both instances ownership is looking at additional revenue which is certainly not a terrible thing. The issue this writer has is one raised at the beginning; ownership directed projects at taxpayer expense. Despite my apparent love of sports, I’ve grown tired of taxpayers paying for multi-million-dollar sports developments for billionaire owners. If the Chiefs want to move to Kansas City Kansas and the Royals to downtown Kansas City so, be it, these moves should not be made at the expense of taxpayers.

Larry Legend

All these years later we continue to read stories about Larry Bird, this is one more. Shawn Kemp was a talent when he first arrived in the NBA, Kemp from Indiana too was almost a high school legend. I broke a lot of Larry Bird’s Indiana records. “I’m a rookie (NBA)…It’s only Larry Bird, He puts his shorts on the same way I do. He let me know what he was gonna do. He said, “You’re the one who broke all my records?” I said “yes.” He said, “I have something to show you tonight.” He had 40 points, 10 reb, 10 ast (and called every shot). There are some reading this unfamiliar with Kemp’s name, with the Sonics he was a force early in his NBA career.

How did we arrive here?

If not for the Buffalo Braves today’s Clippers wouldn’t exist, confused so you telling me a west coast team owes its being to one that existed on the east coast at one time? NBA expansion in 1970 saw the NBA move into Buffalo New York. The Braves were terrible on the court although they managed to draft a number of outstanding players. Adrian Dantley would play for several NBA teams before his retirement and induction into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2008.

From their inception until their departure in 1978 the Braves had 7 head coaches, 3 owners and 3 playoff appearances. That would become the last season the team would spend in cold, cold Buffalo, warm San Diego would become home in the fall of that year. The move called for a name change too as they became the Clippers, they remained in the city until 1984 when then owner Donald Sterling moved the Clippers to Los Angeles without NBA approval. This would become the only time in history a franchise relocated without first being sanctioned. Thus ends the short story how the Buffalo Braves became the San Diego Clippers and later Los Angeles Clippers.

“No layups”

The headline above represented the NBA of the Pistons Bad Boy teams and others in and around that era of basketball. Playoff basketball meant you shoot the ball in the basket that’s one thing however “No layups.” If you were on the receiving end expect to be fouled and fouled hard in an effort to prevent the ball from going through the hoop. It appears at least in the Warriors-Grizzlies series that looks to be the case as the teams are battling one another to advance.

In the first game it was the Warriors Draymond Green who was the culprit, in game two it was Dillion Brooks of the Grizzlies. Both players were ejected from the game, on Friday came news the NBA laid down the law. As for Green he was fined $25,000 for middle finger gestures toward the Memphis crowd. As for Brooks his outcome was different, his flagrant foul will cost him $84,000. That figure represents his loss revenue from his suspension for Game Three. A feud now exists between these teams, conceivably good basketball will return without the flagrant fouls and suspensions.

The NBA on television

Television was the key contributor to the growth of the NBA game. Today there are 30 teams spread throughout the nation and one in Canada. The game started in smaller markets, but television allowed the game to grow, it created larger audiences unable to attend in person. The league signed its first contract with the defunct Dumont Television Network in 1953-54. Due to this networks lack of stations across the nation saw the league games moved to the NBC television network; this relationship lasted until April 1962. As an additional note the Dumont Network ceased operations in August 1956.

This next portion is a little confusing, the history indicates Sports Network Incorporated held the coverage during the 1962-63 and 1963-64 seasons. This network would later become the Hughes Television Network. In 1964 the ABC Network began its broadcast run; this would last until 1972-73 when the CBS Network took over. We skip ahead to 1990 and NBC, thanks to Magic and Larry the league moved out of the “tape delay” era for its championship games. The games were briefly aired on the USA Cable Network but that was short lived. The 2007-08 season saw coverage divided between 3 carriers (ABC, TNT & ESPN), in 2010-11 NBA TV began broadcasting games too. Some might not believe this, but its clear television has been the driving force in many becoming fans of the NBA.