Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

M.I.A.

Curious basketball fans want to know, where is Emoni Bates? After first committing to Michigan State, he decided in favor of Memphis State. In his first three college games we foresaw a star in the making or at least we believed. From that point through the season, it was all downhill after that. An injury which sidelined him for a time, Bates returned but in a reserve role. This high school 5-star prospect just never got it together, after the season concluded Bates announced he was transferring.

Bates was too young for the 2022 NBA draft although teammate Jalen Duran declared and was drafted. It seems an eternity now, four years ago scouts were claiming the 6 foot 9 Bates would be NBA ready by the time he graduated high school. That talk 5 years later is just that…talk. So far Bates has flown beneath our radar, we have no idea of his future. All we can do at this point is speculate and that’s what you are about to hear. Perhaps he’s headed for Australia and follow the script of LaMelo Ball and begin play as a pro we just don’t know. 

The numbers are huge

Illinois Big Man Kofi Cockburn decided in favor of the NBA over remaining in school. Although he went undrafted in 2022, he signed a contract with the Utah Jazz. Should Cockburn earn a roster spot and there are minimal roster changes the Jazz might have the largest contingent of centers in the NBA. A holdover for the Jazz is 7-foot 270-pound Udoka Azubuike who played at Kansas and was drafted in 2020. His new teammate Cockburn also stands 7 feet tall and weighs 290 pounds.

The Jazz at least for now have 14 feet and 560 pounds of MAN MOUNTAIN on their roster, can you imagine this future scenario being played. In the starting lineup or maybe in a reserve role for one, Cockburn and Azubuike could form the latest Twin Tower combo in the NBA. All this is conjecture on my part there is no guarantee of a roster spot for Cockburn. The statement is made especially with a prospective new coach soon in place. We might be forced to return to the days of David Robinson and Tim Duncan or Hakeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson in order to uncover another Twin Tower combo.

King of the world

The Warriors coming off an NBA championship don’t require a great deal of help. When free agency starts tomorrow in all likelihood players will be seeking them rather than the other way around. In addition, the draft was just an exercise since most of the key members will return next season. Despite that fact let’s check out the Warriors selections. With the 28^th pick in the first round the Warriors selected Patrick Baldwin Jr. a 6-foot 9 230 pound small/power forward. Baldwin Jr. chose to play at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee due to his dad, the team experienced a 10-22 record, so Jr.’s numbers are not quite as gleaming as they were fresh out of high school.

Jr. will not turn 20-years of age until November 2022. The Hawks drafted Ryan Rollins with the 44^th pick in the second round, a draft night trade sent the 6-foot 4 combo guard to the Warriors. Rollins was outstanding at the Toledo University; reports are he could be a sleeper in this draft, he will turn 21 years of age on July 3^rd. With the 55^th pick in the second round the Warriors chose Gui Santos from Brazil. Santos is a 6-foot 8 209-pound wing and played this past season for a Brazilian team. Reports indicate this 20-year-old is likely to remain in Brazil and continue developing his game. With this last profile our brief look at the Warrior rookies concludes. We suppose when you are the king there is no requirement to locate replacements of an immediate nature and that is the path elected by the NBA champions.

How about you

Late Thursday afternoon I ask the question of a co-worker. Ben and I have talked basketball especially the NBA over the past season. I stopped him on his way back to his desk, “Are you going to watch the NBA draft tonight?” His response was this, “I won’t watch it, I don’t watch the NFL draft either. I wait until they (players) get into the league.” I can echo Ben to a degree, I don’t follow college football as I do basketball, most of those drafted in the NFL I have no idea of the name or the position they play without help.

As for basketball in my view that’s a different story, following the sport as I do most names are familiar to me even the majority of international players. Have I seen all prospects in action, of course not? I’ve not witnessed all the American’s at play. With the NBA we are dealing with smaller numbers of prospective talent, 60 in all. If you desire to follow the draft, you have the opportunity to know the names. All that matters is to check the extensive number of mock draft sites. In addition, unlike the NFL or baseball draft it’s short, no two- or three-day endeavor. The NBA draft is over in one evening generally less than 5 hours total.

“Okay, Houston, we’ve had a problem here”

The above is the actual quote from the Apollo 13 astronauts, it was misquoted in the 1995 movie, so the headline is what astronaut Jack Swigert said. That was then, this is now, we no longer say we have a problem in Houston as far as the Rockets are concerned. The draft of last season plus 2022 should have the Rockets about ready to launch, sorry I couldn’t resist that. Jabari Smith Jr. and Ty Ty Washington along with Tari Eason keep the team moving in a positive direction.

All three players are probably not going to be in the lineup at the same time, in addition there is NBA growth required by the trio. Turning around an NBA team is difficult however in my view it is far less complicated over an NFL or MLB team. Three capable starters plus one to three reserves…see where I’m going with this? The only problem the team is quite youthful, it will take time and not an immediate fix. Right now, the Grizzlies plus the Mavs are ahead of them and maybe the Spurs. Are they a better team currently over the Pelicans, you must be the judge of that? 

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

Life’s like….

Quotes often last two lifetimes, they endure forever it seems. Few days go by we don’t hear, read or maybe use one of the myriad of quotes. Certainly, the entertainment industry particular movies has produced literally thousands. One of those is from the movie Forrest Gump. The Tom Hanks character is talking to a woman seated next to him at the bus stop. He says, “My mama always says life’s like a box of chocolates you never know what you gonna get.” That’s Kyrie Irving, although not a great defensive player talent gushes from the pores of this former Dukee. You’ve read the report, apparently Irving wants to move on to another team maybe. It was the Cavs who drafted him, it then became the Celtics and now it’s the Nets. We have no idea who is next on the list we just continue to read and hear reports he wants out.

He may have priced himself right out of the market, his huge salary makes it difficult for most teams to afford him. To compound the issue for Kyrie, NBA teams might be unsure what they are receiving in acquiring him. You can bet money upper management of the Nets believed they had Kyrie at the beginning of the 2021-22 season. A Covid vaccine exists, the majority of players took the shot a few like Kyrie voiced objections. This is old news for some, the City of New York demanded vaccinations in public spaces (Barclays Center) throughout the city. Kyrie objected to the demand and spent ¾ of the season unable to play home games. In addition, we mentioned previously the injury issue regarding Kyrie. I hope this doesn’t appear a hate Kyrie post because that’s not the intent. The purpose is to point out it appears he might have painted himself into a corner.

The correct choice

With the NBA Draft held on Thursday, teams were scrambling. They were attempting to secure that pick that will fill a vital need while others it might be a different story. The Mavs, Grizzlies and others are looking for that one (or maybe two) players to get them over the top i.e., play for the championship. Who do you choose if you are part of the front office decision makers? Who is the best most talented athlete chosen by a franchise? If we said the Warriors, you might be quick to state Steph Curry, hold on a moment. Remember the team once called Philly home, although he wasn’t there at the end its our contention the honor belongs to Wilton Felton Chamberlain. Naturally, this causes a gigantic debate, but we are sticking with our pick.

Best Laker pick is not Kobe Bryant, you might have forgotten the Charlotte franchise picked him. His rights were traded to the Lakers in exchange for Vlade Divac. Dirk Nowitzki spent 20 years with the Mavs and might be considered their best…he’s not. Drafted by the Bucks similar to Kobe his rights were traded to the Mavs. Best Hawks player is not Dominque Wilkins, Trae Young or anybody else who might come to mind. We are going back in time the franchise was then located in St. Louis. They drafted a skinny post player from the University of San Francisco William Felton Russell. The draft rights to Russell were traded to the Celtics who never looked back. Keep in mind the effort here was to point out many of these teams struck gold but were unable to determine it at draft time. We have pointed toward several Hall of Fame athletes, there are others however you see how difficult it is at times to make the pick. Those covered are the success stories, we failed to cover the draft busts…lottery guys who just couldn’t cut it in the NBA.

Bits n Pieces 

Over the weekend came this news, Matas Buzelis will be heading for the G-League and Team Ignite next year. 6-foot 10-inch Buzelis is rated the number 7 prospect and Rivals 5-star in the Class of 2023. Currently he’s enrolled at Sunrise Christian Academy in metro Wichita Kansas and will graduate next spring. More than a dozen schools had offers for the youngster, among them Kentucky, Kansas, North Carolina, UCLA and Maryland to name a few.

Longtime Laker fan Ice Cube provided us his Mount Rushmore of NBA players. Much was made of his list because there were Lakers omitted, in addition he omitted LeBron James. It’s not a talent issue, LeBron will be a first ballot Hall of Fame nominee. I provided you my Top 10 list of Laker players awhile back and if you remember I bypassed him at the time. One of the keys is length of time, LeBron’s has not spend enough time as a member of the Lakers to qualify for my list. Number two is championships, Pau Gasol at least to this point has more Laker championships than LeBron.

You say Akron (OH) basketball and LeBron James might be the first player that comes to mind, there have been others. Gus Johnson and Nate Thurmond both deceased were high school teammates, in addition they would later play in the NBA. Johnson and Thurmond have been enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame. The city also produced another outstanding basketball talent, Steph Curry was born in the city while dad played for the Cavs. There are probably others omitted however those named are likely the best-known Akron standouts. I’m sure a few residents might resent Curry being included in the count since he was only born in the city, he grew up in Charlotte (NC).

The Big XII will gain new members sooner rather than later, exit stage right, Texas and Oklahoma. Entering from the left side UCF, Cincinnati and Houston in 2023 from the American Conference. BYU is an independent and will also join the Big XII next year. UCF, Cincinnati and Houston each will pay the American $18 million to depart for the Big XII. I cannot speak to the football, the basketball in the conference should improve with perennial powers Cincinnati and Houston joining the Big XII. 

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

WHAT?

Recently it was announced former Nets coach Kenny Atkinson would be hired to replace the fired James Borrengo. The hire was never officially announced and for unknown reasons Atkinson backed out of the arrangement, he would remain an assistant with the Warriors. Yesterday morning came this Twilight Zone announcement, Steve Clifford was named the Hornets new coach. His name sounds familiar, oh that’s why.

After being fired by the Hornets in April 2018 Clifford decided to return because the job was open once again. We cannot presume to know what’s occurring in Charlotte, but it certainly appears quite strange. The Hornets are stating aloud, “We know you couldn’t accomplish the job previously, so we are going to give you a second chance to succeed." Allow this conclusion, Clifford surely is not a terrible guy but how does this transpire? How could Mitch Kupchak and owner Michael Jordan announce this hire without a degree of awkwardness?

Laker Nation

My Lakers remain LeBron led but there is a hint of change with the roster. Change with new coach Darvin Ham and a direction. Part of this began Thursday as the Lakers with no draft picks managed to “trade” their way end to the second round. They chose 6-foot 6-inch guard Max Christie from Michigan State with the 35^th pick. From there the Lakers signed Scotty Pippen Jr. and Cole Swider to two-way contracts. Pippen Jr. is a 6-foot 3-point guard who arrives from Vanderbilt and is the son of the former Bulls great Scottie and Swider a 6-foot 9 sharpshooter from Syracuse. There remain a bunch of moving parts regarding this account, so consider this highly speculative at this point.

Covering Pippen Jr. and Swider first they are headed for the South Bay Lakers however consider Mac McClung spent last season with South Bay and is now on the regular roster. As for Christie, does he remain a member of the team or will he be included as part of a future trade? I have little working knowledge of Christie’s game; an internet search was conducted, and this is what was uncovered. Three .com sports sites which provide draft grades award the Lakers a B- grade for the Christie choice. You can make whatever you wish from the rating, it’s not yours truly. As for the outlook it would appear the Lakers intend to reduce the age range of the present roster. As this account was being completed news broke, Shareef O’Neal son of Shaquille will play for the Lakers Summer League team although there is no mention of a contract.

The NBA Draft on Television

There was a different element to the ABC/ESPN coverage of the NBA Draft on Thursday evening. In seasons past Jay Bilas resident college basketball guru was always quite visible, he was missing but not completely but for a sizable portion of the broadcast. In place of Bilas the network sent in Stephen A. Smith despite his limited knowledge of college and international basketball. The broadcast was simulcast on ABC and ESPN.  

The ABC portion concluded with the first round and then it occurred, the second-round coverage on ESPN alone had Bilas behind the desk and no Smith in sight. Let’s guess this one, the largest group of television viewers are probably those without cable, they are without cable or satellite. Those with the broadcast network only were provided the pontificating Stephen A. Smith for three hours rather than the more knowledgeable Jay Bilas. We guess with the amount of money the network is paying Smith they must place him in front of us constantly despite what many consider limited knowledge of the subject.

I hope this is not me

Fan letters poured into the website I was reading about the Warriors NBA championship. Naturally, I read 3-4 critical of the Warriors, not the championship win but how it was accomplished. One writer said, “The Warriors tanked in order to draft James Wiseman,” curious I looked it up. That would have been the 2019-20 or Covid season, the Warriors finished that season with a 15-50 record. Despite Covid the issue was certainly greater than the plague alone. Kevin Durant and Andre Iguodala had left the team, Klay Thompson would miss the season after an ACL tear suffered in the 2019 Finals. Steph Curry was injured in October requiring surgery, he would play in just 5 of the Warriors 65 games that season.

The Warriors acquired D’Angelo Russell that season, but he was traded in February for Andrew Wiggins. Injuries more than anything else played a major factor in the 2019-20 season for the Warriors, we could fall back on the old adage “Injuries are part of the game” and they are. Those injuries of a major variety can severely impact a team’s fortunes as was the case that season. I have no reason other than the truth in contradicting the letter writer and his view of the Warriors. One more fact, although Wiseman was made the second pick in the 2020 draft, he’s hardly seen the floor. Injuries have seen him play only 39 games in his brief NBA career. I hope my writing does not resemble the letter I pointed out. We have the right to our opinion however I have the right to disagree with yours.

What are they doing?

This is written Friday morning after last night’s draft. In making an assessment for teams we are still trying to figure out what the Knicks are trying to accomplish. You’ve heard the saying, “A stopped clock is right twice a day”, that’s me agreeing with a Stephen A. Smith view. Are the Knicks even trying to field a competitive team after the draft night moves? Veteran Kemba Walker is traded to the Pistons, wait follow the bouncing series of events. The Knicks drafted Ousmane Dieng with the number 11 pick, he was traded to the Thunder for three conditional first round picks from the Nuggets, Wizards and Pistons.

New York then traded the Nuggets first-rounder they received from Oklahoma City, plus four second-round picks, to the Hornets for the rights to Duren, the Memphis center who was picked No. 13 by Charlotte. New York then traded Duren and Walker to the Pistons for a 2025 conditional Milwaukee Bucks first-round pick. Despite all the wheeling and dealing it appears the Knicks have no warm body from the Thursday night draft. Are the Knicks clearing cap space to sign a free-agent or two or is there something else going on? They did sign free agent Jean Montero who last played for Team Elite, he’s a 6-foot 3-inch point guard. Free agency begins July 1 so we shall see what develops.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTmfwklFM-M

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

Draft night

It was Paolo Banchero and not Jabari Smith Jr. that came first. We were shocked to hear Banchero name’s called first by the commissioner and him headed to the Magic. The disappointed Smith Jr. dropped to number three as he watched Chet Holmgren picked at two and headed to Oklahoma City. More on the draft in the Sunday edition of Off the Dribble.

“You’ve got to show me”

If you have been a regular reader of this blog, you are aware I live in Kansas City Missouri. Because of my location long ago I adopted the state motto quite a while ago. It simply states, “I’m from Missouri you’ve got to Show Me” which brought about the Show Me State term. Patience I’m getting there, there are stories circulating as this is written, Kyrie Irving will head for the Lakers or the Knicks. I always hate to deal with rumors because often they are just that stories planted in the news feed. Despite that fact allow a brief account with this one.

Kyrie Irving is missing portions of his game however he remains an NBA talent, despite this fact I don’t want him on the Lakers, I cannot do anything about this possible move but complain. That’s what I did a little over a year ago when Russell Westbrook stories began circulating. As for Westbrook we see how that turned out don’t we. Back to Irving there is no argument from me regarding his talent it’s his head and injury prone issues that concern me. Irving’s refusal to be vaccinated indirectly led the Nets to their subpar season. As for the other issue Irving never plays close to a complete season as injury always appear to impact his season. Irving on the Lakers, He’s got to Show Me what he can do.

It’s purely entertainment

“The (sports) media has become this hot-take shock jock show. And when one person like Nick Wright (Fox Sports) says something like that, other media jump on board like what he said was gospel. Andrew Wiggins proved them all wrong.” That was a quote from former NBA player and writer Etan Thomas regarding sports media today. What exactly did Nick Wright state in his Fox Sports broadcast, just a tidbit? “Andrew Wiggins is a bad basketball player, it’s over for them now. We will never see Steph in another NBA Finals again. Ever.” You can stop laughing now, as you are quite aware the Warriors were crowned 2022 NBA champions thanks in part to the outstanding (my view) job Wiggins did on the Celtics Jayson Tatum.

In addition, Wiggins found time to score vital baskets and may have impacted the series more than the highly touted Klay Thompson. We are visiting this subject again because it is quite clear the entertainers can be proven wrong at times which is quite evident here. The bigger problem, try as we might we are often unable to escape them, this is an example. I’d mentioned on more than one occasion I quit watching ESPN’s First Take, but I continue to have a problem. Because of my blog basketball news especially the NBA is always popping up on my news feed. I ignore the account, but Stephen A. Smith appears every day on my news feed. I’ve concluded I must have a 1950’s mentality regarding sports coverage. Give me information I can use not your opinion; I’ve got one of those myself. In addition, stop acting like you are always correct and if people don’t agree with you, they are the one’s operating without the correct viewpoint.

Laker notes 

With no draft choices the Lakers have brought in a number of players for workouts. These are talented players however they might be overlooked in the 2022 draft; one of those we speak of is Khalifa Diop. Diop is a 6-foot 11 231-pound center who played this past season for Gran Canaria of the Liga ACB. He is one of the continuing talents emerging from the African continent in the last several years, the 20-year-old Diop is from the west African nation of Senegal. Whether Diop signs a free agent contract with the Lakers or someone else remains a question.

Also working out for the Lakers is Shareef O’Neal son of Shaquille and Shaunie. Shareef doesn’t have the bulk of his famous father however his numbers are 6-foot 10 215 and he’s a power forward. Sidebar here, we are unsure of the status of LeBron James. We remember Kobe Bryant once demanded the Lakers trade him. Shaq was traded due to the feud between he and Kobe. The point is this, if LeBron wants to play for the Warriors, the Nets or the Shanghai Sharks it’s okay in this corner. At age 37 there is no argument he is one of the most talented players at his age in NBA history. If LeBron prefers to “walk” so be it, there’s no crying in baseball, basketball.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

No Doom & Gloom forecast…but

My former high school classmate will not like this story, I’m warning him in advance…Jerome you can stop reading at this point. Warriors owner Joe Lacob was feeling his oats recently, we believe winning an NBA championship probably is the reason. His team is NBA champions no one can argue otherwise, they were better than the Celtics. In winning Lacob figured he tossed some shade in the direction of the Lakers. He mentioned them signing “old” players, going over the salary cap and several other not pleasant things about his Pacific Division rival. Winning can leave almost as quickly as it occurs, and Lacob should know that.

Just two years ago devastating injuries to Steph Curry and Klay Thompson left the 2019-20 Warriors with a 15-50 record. There were other injuries affecting performance but those were key. Lacob mentions the age of the Lakers being a factor in their inferior performance, check this out. Curry will be 35 years old and Klay Thompson 33 prior to the end of next season. Both are certainly not elderly but plenty of wear and tear on the body playing deep into the playoffs. If we exclude those two, can we say with certainty Wiggins, Poole and the others would be able to lead these Warriors to higher and higher heights? The confusing part of Lacob’s statement we are unsure exactly why he felt it necessary to offer critical remarks when the Lakers missed the playoffs all together. In closing I wish to borrow this from a fellow member of Laker Nation. “Hey Lacob, come back and see us when you’ve won championship number 17.”

Stealth Recruiting

At the time we first became aware of stealth aircraft there was misinformation announced. The public was informed the aircraft was “invisible to radar.” Later it was determined that was not quite the case, in fact corrected information was eventually made known. It turns out the aircraft are not invisible just difficult to see on radar, as an example it’s claimed a large aircraft will appear the size of a bird on radar. We have no idea if this information is correct but allow us to assume it is. We apply the term Stealth Recruiting to Mizzou basketball for a couple of reasons.

Reason one, the other day it was announced the calendar change allowing schools to begin recruiting Class of 2024 prospects Mizzou was at the front of the line, Dennis Gates and staff reached out to 66 prospects in that class. We realize it is impossible for Mizzou to sign all 66 athletes, but it details a departure. Reason two, Mizzou’s name is out among prospects even those who might not sign with the school, under the departed Cuonzo Martin this is a totally different move from past years. Finally, if we check the names the majority of these prospects are awarded 4- and 5-stars by Rivals.com. Recruiting is one thing winning is something else. Gates is off to a good start let’s see if any recruiting success shows on court results.

“Mama, there goes that man again!”

I am borrowing the catch phrase often used by ESPN/ABC analyst Mark Jackson during his telecast. This time it applies to me. While hunting for a writing subject I came across a website with this account. “The 10 Greatest Lakers in the teams history”, that’s when the problem began. The usual suspects were on the list Kareem, Worthy and Magic but number 8 stunned me. Placed in the 8^th position was none other than LeBron James. Before you go ballistic allow a further explanation.

LeBron is a first ballot Hall of Fame player no argument there but number 8 all-time on the Lakers. Curious I began to search other websites; several were published prior to LeBron’s arrival so his name was not included. As for others they placed LeBron either 8 or 9 in their Top 10 list of Laker greats. I realize many of you especially members of Laker Nation will find this next statement shocking. I don’t believe LeBron belongs in Top 10, he certainly belongs in an expanded list. One website contained a Top 25 list of All-Time greats, providing you my opinion I believe LeBron is in the Top 15.

Things we do while waiting the start of Summer League

The NBA Draft will be held on Thursday evening June 23, the draft is the first big event of the summer for the NBA. The second great event of summer is basketball play for rookies and a few second-year players. Summer League play for the Utah portion begins July 5 and closes out on the 7^th. Play in Las Vegas begins on the same date but ends on Sunday July 17 with a championship game. At this point we have no idea the composition of team rosters prior to the draft. If you like in Salt Lake City or Las Vegas you can view games in person, the majority of us will be tuned into NBA TV.

The Great White Hope

Jack Johnson we are told was an outstanding heavyweight boxing champion. He took on a variety of boxers one after the other and beat them all holding the championship belt from 1908-1915. The flamboyant lifestyle of this black heavyweight champion caused a problem for many in white America. The call went out for a white boxer to face Johnson in the ring, elements in the nation wanted a white champion to beat Johnson. Although the racial climate of the nation has changed over time it’s whispered in some circles basketball needs a Great White Hope.

Venerable Larry Bird was just that for a number of years, outstanding in all phases of the game. Bird would lead his Celtic teams to championship after championship. Next up was Dirk Nowitzki the 7-foot power forward for the Mavs who could shoot lights out. The talented Nowitzki would lead the Mavs to their only championship to date. The multi-talented white player has always been here, perhaps not in considerable numbers existing in the 1950’s and 1960’s but he’s here. Do you want a few examples of current players, how about the Joker? The Nuggets Nikola Jokic skilled Big Man from Serbia, the Joker’s skill is peak at all elements of the game. He especially excels at passing the basketball for a man 6 foot 11 inches. For the second year in a row the Joker was selected as NBA MVP.

Moving on in the Southwest part of the nation Dallas to be precise we have The Don, Luka Doncic from Slovenia. Doncic is only 23-years old, after winning Rookie of the Year in 2019 he’s done nothing but improve his numbers in succeeding years. Waiting in the wings to make his presence known is Chet Holmgren, in all likelihood the Thunder will choose him in the June draft and the skinny youngster will hopefully take his place in a few years as an NBA celebrated. There are probably other great white players who may have been overlooked but our desire has been simple…just look around the NBA.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

Love to hate

That’s a strange title for a story, allow an explanation. On my social media page, the question was posed in this manner. “In 29 NBA arenas across the nation the Warriors Draymond Green is viewed as a dirty player.” I happen to believe that opinion is incorrect for the following reasons. Do you realize where he came from, Green was the 35^th player chosen in the second round of the 2012 draft, stop a moment and take into consideration NBA teams believed there were 34 players better than him that year. Let us keep it real, Anthony Davis, Bradley Beal and Dame Lillard were in that draft.

Those three were picked ahead of Green, no argument from us there but what about the others? A number of these players had “a cup of coffee” in the NBA but departed soon after, what made Green standout? Talent certainly but right team and right time were keys. The guy’s managed to accentuate those things he does well, he doesn’t try to play beyond his God given ability. Green’s been Defensive Player of the Year (2017) and 4 times All NBA Defensive First team and 3 times All NBA Defensive Second team. At 6 foot 6 and 230 pounds he might be undersized as a power forward but don’t tell him that. Green’s has great skill as a passer, lost in the Steph Curry MVP story it was Green who led the team with 8 assists in the championship game.

It’s been said “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” and that might be the case here. Is Green a dirty player, from this corner it’s a NO. He does all those things some players fall short of the task; you might have once heard the term “lunch pail” player. Simply stated it’s a player who sacrifices his overall game for the benefit of the team that’s Green. No doubt annually he’s near the top in technical fouls but that fails to state he’s a dirty player. If you remember Dennis Rodman or Bruce Bowen, you might make the same statement about them as well. In today’s NBA you might believe that title fits Marcus Smart or perhaps someone else you can name.     

The shoe deal

In this day of multi-million-dollar shoe deals this is where it all might have begun. In 1976 Julius “Dr. J.” Erving was among the biggest names in the basketball world at the time. Kareem, Wilt and other Big Men were playing but shoe manufactures never looked at them to promote basketball shoes. At the time Dr. J. had worn the Adidas brand throughout his ABA career but was about to make a change. He would leave the Adidas brand signing a shoe deal with rival shoe manufacture Converse. Unlike today in 1976 most NBA players wore Converse basketball shoes. Other shoe manufacturers (Nike included) began making inroads into the shoe market which might have been the basis for the deal.

The most interesting portion of this story Converse paid Dr. J. a grand total of $20,000 to sign with them. That payment certainly represents pennies when compared to the multi-million-dollar shoe contracts of Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and others. We must take into consideration this deal was consummated nearly 50 years ago. In time everything changes, the leather Dr. J. Converse shoe was outstanding for its time however the company somehow lost its way in what would become the modern marketplace for basketball shoes. Other shoe companies began to vie for deals and Converse became the loser. Today the company is still operating however it’s now owned by its former competitor Nike. As for Dr. J. despite signing such a small contract he’s managed to do okay financially in retirement.

He doesn’t look his age

Viewers were treated to video of Steph Curry while he was enrolled at Davidson at the conclusion of the NBA championship game. His facial hair provides us evidence he might be 34-years old now, we’d bet large sums of money if he shaved, he’d closely resemble the baby face talent we remember all those years ago. His stats indicate Steph is 6 feet 2 and 187 pounds but what about high school? According to study his first two years inform us he stood 5 foot 6 and weighed 130 pounds. Steph wanted to attend Virginia Tech, but his slender frame betrayed him, the school only offered a walk-on spot. Davidson was heavily recruiting him so instead of his father’s school it was off to Davidson.

Although Steph had an NBA player dad the road from there to here was not one of ease. He would spend a great deal of time working to develop his skill including the long-range shooting his specialty. Besides his family who certainly had confidence in his ability there was one other person who believed in him. His former coach at Davidson Bob McKillop played a key role in developing the player Steph has become. It should also be of note, jersey number 30 will be retired, and Curry will be enshrined in the Davidson Hall of Fame. He completed his course study and graduated in the Class of 2022. Due to playoff basketball, he was unable to attend graduation. For me it’s always a good thing for athletes to graduate, it says despite the financial reward “I attended school to play basketball and complete my education.” 

The story continues

This has nothing to do with the hit tune Rumours by Fleetwood Mac or Rumors by Gucci Mane. I try to avoid discussing these types of reports but just like a vampire sometimes they refuse to die, the reference is the “Bradley Beal to Lakers” rumor. It came up again on my news feed June 18. First of all, Beal is a shooting guard, currently the Lakers depth chart lists Austin Reaves as the starter backed up by Malik Monk, and Talen Horton-Tucker. One (or more) of them must be included in any trade to acquire Beal, who do we think might be traded? In addition, if I’m the Wiz I don’t give up talented Beal for one of the aforementioned players, other pieces must be included to consummate a trade.

A proposal

Are they headed to their own network; in this instance we are discussing Chicago’s sports teams? It’s being reported the NHL Blackhawks baseball White Sox and NBA Bulls are looking toward forming their own network. This is certainly not a new thing, consider the YES Network have been operating for over 20 years. The network was founded as a Yankees/Nets association but has grown to more than baseball and the NBA. Will that be the case for Chicagoland as well, this plan is in the discussion stage if it comes to fruition is at least two years down the road. Jerry Reinsdorf is owner of the Bulls and White Sox, Rocky Wirtz is the principal owner of the Blackhawks.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

“The straw that stirs the drink”

We are using a baseball quote to describe NBA coach Steve Kerr. The quote was based on comments made by Reggie Jackson to the media while he was a member of the Yankees. It’s a simple explanation it is meant to imply “A person who stimulates or inspires a group.” We believe the quote certainly fits Kerr on a number of levels. Many of us claimed “He took over a playoff team, it was easy to win championships.” It’s a little more involved than simply having immense talent on a team, that coach (or manager) on a professional level must be able to inspire and direct a team to play beyond its ability at times.

On Thursday evening we heard this comment by one of the television crew, “This Warriors team might not be the most talented of the bunch” and that certainly might be true. Kevin Durant “walks” on and walks off this team yet they continue to win. The team suffers with Klay Thompson missing two seasons, yet he returns and plays a vital role. His was not the only injury however it might have been the most impactful. Kerr’s now won a total of 9 championships, 5 as a player and 4 as a coach. As for the belief he’s done little coaching we can only look at two of his former coaches…Phil Jackson and Gregg Popovich. PJ took over a Michael Jordan team and led them to multiple championships. We can make a similar statement regarding PJ’s time with the Lakers.

Later Kerr would end his time as an active player under another legendary coach Gregg Popovich of the Spurs. There is no doubt Kerr is his own man however he's refined his coaching preparation playing for two Hall of Fame coaches. Next time someone mentions Kerr has talent surrounding him with the Warriors just remind them how difficult it is for a professional coach to massage 14 egos and have all dialed into winning for the team. In our discussion of All-Time great NBA coaches Steve Kerr’s got to be included in the conversation now in leading his Warrior team to their 4^th championship in the last 8 seasons.

The best of the best

If you have the answer good for you, I didn’t. Which NBA team has the best home attendance, is it Los Angeles (Lakers or Clippers), Knicks or Philly? On the other hand, it could be New York or Chicago both with large metro populations. If you answered yes to any of those cities, you are wrong but so was I. The winner, drum roll please (use your imagination) …. it’s the Dallas Mavericks. According to franchisesports.com the Mavs have finished at the top of the list in NBA attendance every season since 2009.

What is it that draws fans to American Airlines Center in droves continuously? According to information researched the Dallas-Fort Worth metro is the 4^th largest population in the nation but certainly not the largest. As for the answer there probably is no one response but certainly winning has to be a contributing factor. Since 2009 the Mavs only registered three losing seasons, they only missed the playoffs four times so that’s part of the story. The game we attended in Dallas last season saw my family members along with 20,000 others to see the Mavs play the Wizards.

AD

The 6-foot 10 253-pound Anthony Davis is an incredibly talented player BUT! He might be among the best power forward’s in the NBA if he could remain on the court. We see him in action at the University of Kentucky, the Pelicans and Lakers which clearly provided us evidence. As for the question, the talented AD cannot seem to remain healthy for an extended period of time. For two consecutive seasons he played 75 games that’s it, prior to and immediately thereafter periods of missed action due to injury. We are at a time players are not expected to play 82 games and that’s okay.  

Extended periods missing from the lineup makes for a question by all concerned. It says, it’s tough to defend the talent of an athlete who makes irregular appearances in the lineup, how valuable can that athlete be? What prompts this account you might ask, AD himself, he informed several in the media he’d not picked up a basketball in two months. His statement upset a number of folks in Laker Nation. His career numbers, nearly 24 points and 10 rebounds a game along with 2 blocked shots a game provide us proof of his talent. There is a desire for much of Laker Nation for AD to be a vital contributor to Laker success. Is AD injury prone or is there something else going on with him?

“You suppose they might forget?”

These are not good times for the NCAA, the governing body has seen much of its strength eroding away. Name, Image & Likeness was passed by several state governments, instead of being the leader the NCAA simply became a follower. The organization has been holding the issue of improprieties over the head of Bill Self and Kansas basketball for several years. At some point early in 2022 the NCAA announced punishment would be administered to Kansas “as soon as the NCAA Tournament concludes.”

It might be considered strange Kansas won the NCAA basketball championship in April over the Carolina Tarheels. It’s now been 10 weeks and counting since the end of the college season and we are yet to hear anything from the NCAA. We have concluded with its authority lessened perhaps they must believe there is no requirement for any further action. With all the activities related to the college game perhaps they believe we might have forgotten they once announced a ruling was forthcoming. Guess what, a few of us haven’t forgotten? We are among a group of folks who’d like to see the Jurassic NCAA cease to exist.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

Grandfather to father to son

DaJuan Wagner Jr. is the Rivals number three prospect in the Class of 2023. He’s a 6-foot 2-point guard from Camden New Jersey but there is more to the story here, he’s got basketball blood running through his veins. His father DuJuan Wagner Sr. played his basketball at Memphis and was the 6^th pick in the 2002 NBA draft by the Cavs but wait there is more. Grandfather Milt Wagner played his college basketball at Louisville and was the 35^th pick in the 1986 NBA draft by the Mavs. At this point among the most interesting list of school’s offering scholarships are those of his grandfather (Memphis) and Louisville (father). We must research this further however this might be the first instance we had three generations be featured in this manner. Is junior headed to the NBA too, we must wait until he graduates high school to make that determination.

A name you should know

Dick Barnett is 85-years old now, he must walk aided by a cane. Although he certainly had a good NBA career it was college where he first came to our public awareness. The 1950’s were a different time in the U.S., most black athletes attended HBCU schools and that was the case for Barnett. Although from Gary Indiana he would head south to Tennessee A&I (now Tennessee State) an NAIA institution and they would make history. Beginning in 1957 the school won three consecutive championships, the first school to accomplish this feat it wasn’t legendary John Wooden at UCLA. Barnett was selected MVP of the tournament in 1958 and 1959.

The late John McClendon was head coach at Tennessee A&I and Barnett would later play for him with the Cleveland Pipers of the American Basketball League…not to be confused with the ABA. The ABL lasted one and a half seasons before folding in the winter of 1962. Barnett would be drafted by the Syracuse Nationals (who later moved to Philly becoming the Sixers) and played for them but two seasons. The Nats sold his rights to the Lakers where the sharpshooter’s NBA career would blossom. In October 1965 Barnett was traded to the Knicks remaining with them until his retirement in 1974. Barnett played with and against some of the NBA greats of that era, in 2019 he and his Tennessee teammates were enshrined in the College Basketball Hall of Fame in Kansas City.

He speaks

Illness kept Dick Vitale on the sidelines for the past college basketball season, despite this fact he weighs in on the NBA Draft. Dickey V. claims the one college player ready on day one for NBA action is Paolo Banchero formerly of Duke. Banchero certainly has the size at 6 foot 10 and 250 pounds, do the Magic take him or Jabari Smith Jr.? Whatever the case the clock is ticking for the Oklahoma City Thunder, what do we suppose is their choice? Do we believe the pick might be the latest unicorn…Chet Holmgren? Over the years the youthful (44 years old) Sam Presti has managed to draft a number of outstanding players.

The problem for the Thunder Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook James Harden and others have managed to slip away through free agency or trades but that’s another story. On the surface Holmgren might represent the biggest mystery of all the draft choices this month. He’s got a tremendous upside with his shooting from distance and passing skills. The downside will opposing NBA players “chew him up and spit him out” as a gangly 194-pound power forward. It’s still early, there is no requirement for Presti and company to make a decision, but this is quite a dilemma in our estimation.

What do you think, on the surface this would appear to be a slam dunk choice for the Thunder? The team is in a rebuilding mode. They have the opportunity to draft a player to define the franchise over the next few years. On the other hand, this might be a gigantic misstep. We’ve been told despite being in the lineup day one the offensive emphasis was not on Holmgren. Could he be another one of those athletes who star shines brighter in the NBA over college? We’ve mentioned this previously, Kevin Durant’s strength was suspect at the time he arrived in the NBA perhaps Holmgren will fool us in that area too.

It's on once again 

The SEC-Big 12 Challenge will be held again in the 2022-23 college season. The games are scheduled for Saturday January 28 and the matchups are as follows:

Alabama vs Oklahoma

Auburn vs West Virginia

Florida vs Kansas State

Kansas vs Kentucky

Arkansas vs Baylor

Texas Tech vs LSU

Ole Miss vs Oklahoma State

TCU vs Mississippi State

Iowa State vs Mizzou

Texas vs Tennessee

The SEC has prevailed over the Big XII in 5 of the last 6 years. 

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

He was missing

On Monday evening Steph Curry shot 7 for 22 from the floor, Warriors lose the game. No that wasn’t the outcome as they managed to win 104-94. How did they accomplish the task you might ask? It was “The Others”, the law firm of Wiggins, Thompson, Poole & Payton who helped the Warriors win Game Five. Wiggins led the way with 26 points and 13 rebounds, Thompson would add 21. Of course, the law firm thing is a joke but it does sound as if it could be a real thing. 

This collection of very talented players just wanted the win maybe worse than the Celtics. As for Curry his 32% shooting and 0 three-point baskets is not intended to trash his game, he contributed 8 assists which certainly helped in the victory. The Celtics managed numerous defenders to slow Curry’s game. As for Game Six, it’s scheduled for tomorrow at 8:00 p.m. Central and the teams move to Boston. This NBA Final has been more evenly matched than might have been first believed. The Warriors are in the drivers seat so to speak but that certainly is no intent to portray them as possible victors.

That was then, this is now

An NBA theme website had photos of the Celtics, Lakers and Bulls. Displayed were Larry Bird, Robert Parrish and Kevin McHale, Magic Johnson and James Worthy plus Michael Jordan and Scotty Pippen were featured. Underneath the photo of each team was the word LOYALTY. We guess this was aimed at those who would form so-called Super Teams. In the recent past the Celtics team of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, we could also include the Heat team of LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosch.

More recently the Lakers of LeBron, Anthony Davis and later Russell Westbrook could be added although they were not featured. We get it, fans of these teams desire all the talent remain in one spot but it’s not going to occur. That old saying, “You can’t close the barn door after the cow has escaped” certainly applies. We might not agree with forming Super Teams, we might not be pleased with free agency and other stuff in place allowing for player movement. You don’t like it we get it…guess what? There is not a single thing you can do about it, accept it or find another sport to follow. Sorry to be so blunt however it’s the truth.

The tiger’s been de-clawed plus there are no teeth

You remember the NCAA don’t you, it was once the governing body of collegiate sports? Notice the word used was, this organization has not only has been de-clawed but it has no teeth either. It's become a paper tiger it has no credibility in most circles. You might ask the question why, the following is but one example.   

“The FBI’s investigation led the NCAA to allege five level I violations which represent a severe breach of conduct against the Kansas men’s basketball program in in September 2019, including head coach Bill Self and assistant Kurtis Townson. The NCAA announced in July 2020 that the case would be processed through the independent accountability process (IARP). * 

We are now in the middle of June; Kansas basketball was crowned NCAA champion this past April. Do we have a resolution to the five level 1 violations yet? With Mark Emmert’s announced resignation perhaps the NCAA hopes we have forgotten about these serious charges leveled against Kansas basketball. What ever the outcome of this particular account we know the NCAA is no longer in charge of anything, 

*www.npr.org April 6, 2022

“It’s a little more than rocket science”

We sometimes believe drafting players might be easy, it certainly is more difficult than we might suppose. Let’s take a look at two past drafts, the 1998 and 2017. Now consider this, there might be other instances we are about to profile however these are but two we came across. In 1998 the Mavs drafted the late Robert “Tractor” Traylor from the University of Michigan with the 6^th pick in that year’s draft. He was humongous in size standing 6-foot 9 and close to 300 pounds and had potential NBA All Star written on his forehead. Later with the 9^th pick the Bucks chose Dirk Nowitzki a 7-foot player from Germany. Before the evening was complete the teams came together and swap picks, Traylor would never wear a Mavs jersey nor Nowitzki in a Bucks jersey. Traylor died in 2011 at the age of 34, prior to his death Traylor move from team to team in the NBA.

Traylor would spend the balance of his life playing all over the world, but he would never reached the level first believed in 1998. As for Nowitzki we are familiar with his career, no requirement to detail it for this future Hall of Famer. In 2017 the Celtics had the number one pick in the draft, the Sixers looking ahead wanted that pick. In a history repeat a trade was consummated, the Sixers chose Markelle Fultz from the University of Washington. When it was the Celtics turn with the third pick, they chose Jayson Tatum from Duke. In this instance we have two active players, so what occurred? Fultz after suffering two injury plagued seasons was traded to the Magic in 2019. He continues to play but certainly not at the level expected of a number one pick. Tatum has clearly demonstrated he is a viable talent and key to Celtic success. As you can see the stories profiled only account for two its likely you might have one, two or maybe more similar. Next time someone makes a statement how easy it is to add talent to an NBA team remind them of Nowitzki and Tatum.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

It's a shame

Sam Smith died recently; his name might be unfamiliar to most of you reading this, it was for me. His  story is sad because it could have been so much better, but it is not unique. We must return to 1976 for his story and others, history says there was a merger between American Basketball Association teams and the NBA but that was not true. In 1949 an earlier union witnessed teams from the National Basketball League and Basketball Association of America form the NBA that exists today. Although several would later cease operations every team became a member of the newly merged NBA.

As for 1976 there were 6 ABA teams and only 4, the Nuggets, Spurs, Nets and Pacers entered the NBA; the balance folded. ABA teams had struggled financially competing with the NBA so perhaps that might have been the basis for exclusion. Naturally, players from the 4 merged teams were absorbed as for the others the story was different. The remaining players were placed in a pool and a dispersal draft was held among NBA teams and that became the issue for Smith and others. Smith was not picked up by an NBA team as were quite a few others. This is where the problem began, a pension is in place for former players however you must have played three years.

It’s been reported many of these former ABA players had one or two years thus missing the pension. Smith went to work for Ford Motor Company, he qualified for a pension however family issues and his illness created a financial drain. Most of these former players, (100+) are now in their 70’s and 80’s and at least one expressed this view, “They are just waiting on us to die.” The Dropping Dimes Foundation is reported to be working with the NBA on behalf of these former players however progress has been slow. If not for Smith and others, we’d have no million-dollar salaried players as we do today.

LeBron, the NBA & Las Vegas

We have reported Las Vegas along with Seattle will be the two prime locations the NBA will look at for expansion. LeBron James went on record with news that certainly didn’t sound shocking to any of us. He said and I paraphrase, “When my playing days are over, I’d like to own an expansion NBA team and I’d like it to be in Las Vegas.” Let’s check out the finances first, it was recently announced LeBron is a billionaire so he along with a partner or two could certainly afford to be an owner.

We need look no further than Hornets owner Michael Jordan, his Airness didn’t have the financial power to purchase the Hornets outright. He along with partner(s) purchased the team with him being the majority owner. Years later MJ would assume 100% ownership of the franchise. Back to LeBron a moment, this owner thing is not a new thing for LeBron. He’s been a part-owner of Liverpool FC and the Boston Red Sox since March of last year. As you are aware we’ve had player coaches in the NBA but there is no provision for a player-owner. LeBron must retire before he can become an owner, the bylaws of the NBA demand as much.

Is the NBA in his future

The Warriors are battling for another NBA championship while James Wiseman remains sidelined. Wiseman was made the second pick in the 2020 draft but since then his NBA career totals 39 games played. An assortment of injuries have kept Wiseman inactive since the draft, is the NBA in his future we might ask? We cannot help but compare his plight to that of Greg Oden. Oden drafted by the Blazers arrived in the NBA with a great deal of promise.

Interesting that both Big Men are 7-feet tall and nearly the same weight on arrival in the NBA. If you remember Oden too could never remain healthy for a considerable period of time. After his entry in 2007 Oden eventually retired from the game somewhere around 2016. As for Wiseman he’s not played a game this past season for the Warriors having been ruled out near the end of March 2022. We shouldn’t expect him to play in the Finals but hopefully in October he will be fully recovered and ready to play in the 2022-23 NBA season.

A name you are likely to hear

You will hear the name Nikola Jovic announced in the NBA Draft on June 23; the pronunciation of his name is similar to that of a fellow Serbian in the NBA. You know the one who plays for the Nuggets and was named MVP for the second year in a row. Jovic is either 6 foot 9 or according to nbadraft.net 6 foot 11 but this is the interesting part of his game, the 225 pounder has guard skills. There is YouTube video of him in action, check it out for yourself.

He should be a first-round draft choice unless he slips, we wanted to provide you a heads up on Jovic for one reason only. Most often when a Euro player is drafted, we often look at one another and say “Who?” Keep in mind this is no precursor of future NBA success however it provides us a name. As mentioned earlier Jovic is from Belgrade Serbia, he played this past season at KK Mega Bemax. This is the part you might find most interesting, the website awards points based on a prospects skill level. A player can be awarded 100 points which is the max, Jovic received 92 points. He received all 7’s and 8’s and one 9 for size.

The future 

What is hoped for and what actually occurs can often fail to occur. The hope, no team drafts or signs Kai Sotto. You remember the 7-foot post player from the Philippines, don’t you? As a brief reminder he’s spent a brief period in the G-League and last season was in the National Basketball League (Australia). The youngster has been on a nationwide tour displaying his skill for several NBA teams the Lakers being one of them.

Before you confuse this account, no way are we stating he is going to be the next Kareem, Shaq or any center you might name. It appears he’s got the bulk at 7 foot 2 and 232 pounds to contend with opposing NBA centers. With the de-emphasis on post play Sotto would not be forced to carry the Laker workload offensively. It would appear on the surface he fits a niche Gregg Popovich loves. The Spurs coach has a history drafting and developing Euro plays while he’s been head coach to the team. It would be great for Sotto if he is signed by any NBA, naturally I hope it’s the Lakers. The story will not be complete for about 3-4 weeks.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

He’s the other guy

There are two instances which stand out for me regarding Andrew Wiggins. The first opinion was voiced by my former barber a Kansas basketball fan. This was the statement, “He’s (Wiggins) playing to avoid injury so he can go to the NBA.” From his perspective Wiggins was moving about half speed not giving it his all and all. Later while Wiggins was a member of the Wolves Jimmy Butler placed Karl-Anthony Towns and Wiggins on blast. Butler claimed neither teammate was putting forth their maximum effort during games.

Was the complaint valid in both instances, we have no idea we can only look at his time with the Warriors. Many will contend it was Steph’s lights outshooting with 43 points one of the keys to the 107-97 victory by the Warriors on Friday night. How about this observation, Wiggins game might have been just as significant, the 17 points and 16 rebounds by the 197-pound small forward proved crucial? In 43 minutes on the floor Wiggins had only 2 turnovers and he ended the game with a +20 rating. I cannot begin to discuss his play at Kansas or in the NBA with the Wolves, I can only see what is in front of me now. Win this series or not, we can say Andrew Wiggins can play the game.

You must use your imagination

I don’t have the rights to the photo so I must describe it for you, on the other hand, you can check it out yourself on various websites. We discussed on more than one occasion the Clippers moving from Staples (Crypto.com) in the 2024-25 season. The Clippers new home, Intuit Dome is currently under construction in Inglewood. The billion-dollar arena will feature a number of innovations one being a large number of rest room facilities in the upper portion of the arena and a one-of-a-kind scoreboard. According to information supplied by the Clippers the scoreboard will circle the length of the upper portion of the arena. This from the Clippers, “3,592, the number of 60-inch TVs theoretically needed to create a scoreboard for the Intuit Dome.” 

I hope

Once upon a time I told you a story that could be considered a fairy tale. I informed readers I would cease commenting on Stephen A. Smith statements, the same could apply to Charles Barkley. By now you realize both have often made asinine testimonies throughout their media careers. A co-worker after reading my Friday column came up to me laughing. “Why don’t you leave Stephen A. Smith alone.” I smiled at Keenan’s statement and said, “You are correct.”  I once made a promise to readers you would no longer see Smith’s name (or Barkley’s) in this blog. I reneged on that commitment, so this is an admission we often fail to do what is promised.

In this instance both media people, they have become the embodiment of sports coverage. Those who offer you plenty of opinions however most often reasoning, research and other qualities are often omitted. Despite this observation it’s really okay, their opinions belong to them in the same manner as mine however there is a difference. My thoughts and views on a subject should never be considered the only outlook. Although it might not have been clearly spelled out its always been your choice to read thoughts and views without considering them the only viewpoint. With that said I hope (once again) to omit the firm of Smith & Barkley from any future discussions.

Who did you believe?

The Way too early Top 25 college teams is always of interest to us. Check out the poll by ESPN.com, they place North Carolina at number one. This is not surprising based on Hubert Davis’s team playing for the national championship. In addition, Carolina basketball is just that, they still have the reputation that allows them to attract the top basketball talent in the nation. The surprise for us the Houston Cougars at two, in this instance we must trust ESPN on this ranking. Number 3 is the Kentucky Wildcats, surprise…surprise. John Calipari’s team experienced a good season, but none close to what we generally witness with Wildcat basketball. Another disclosure, we must trust the writer at ESPN.com, Mick Cronin’s UCLA Bruins are in the 4 slot.

In the number 5 position we experience another shocker the Creighton Bluejays, the Omaha school is well known for outstanding basketball. When was the last time a Creighton school was rated this high even in a pre-season poll? Our research took us back to the 1974 season, the Bluejays have always been a Top 25 team. During the regular season they are listed as 7^th in the polls during the 2021 season plus 2020 and 2017. It is possible Gonzaga might not be a 6^th place team at seasons end, their only major loss was Chet Holmgren. Drew Timme decided to return and Chattanooga guard Malachi Smith who scored nearly 20 points a game decided on Gonzaga.  Where are the defending champion Kansas Jayhawks, they are placed in the 10 slot? They lose Ochai Agbaji and possibly Christian Braun two key contributors to last season’s success. Replacements have been added however we cannot expect “plug in and play”. Perhaps by seasons end the newbies will have adjusted to Kansas basketball. In conclusion it would appear we are in for some top-notch college play in the 2022-23 season. 

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

I didn’t see the game

The Celtics won Game Three 116-100, I am unable to add much because I didn’t have an opportunity to witness the game. There are two glaring takeaways from the box score that caught my eye. 11 points, that’s all the Warriors could score in the 4^th quarter, that ain’t gonna cut it no way…no how. The Celtics Jaylen Brown appears to be a significant key for them. In earlier playoff series he played somewhat up and down, in this series he is directly behind Jayson Tatum in scoring and everything else. As for the Game Four winner I haven’t a clue who wins.

Want to know why the Knicks are so terrible?

I’m unsure it it’s Charles Barkley or Stephen A. Smith, both often dual as to who can make the dumbest statement that is rational to them. Smith offered us a brief explanation as to why the Knicks are so terrible. It’s all the fault of Phil Jackson despite the fact he left the franchise in 2017 over 5 years ago. Just the other day Stephen A. Smith went on one of his usual rants about the Knicks. Most of us are aware Jackson’s not been a decision maker for the Knicks since the team and he came to a parting of the ways June 28, 2017, but the timing was right at least for Smith.

Smith blamed Jackson for drafting Frank Ntilikina although Donovan Mitchell was on the board. Let’s return to the year and draft briefly, we checked two mock drafts from that year, NBA.com and CBSSports.com. We realize a mock is just that, a projection where that player might be drafted. Although Ntilikina’s NBA career has been less than stellar both mocks projected him as the number 9 pick, as for Mitchell he was projected at 11 in one and 12 in the other. While finger pointing, we might aim one at the Nuggets, they drafted Mitchell with pick 13 but traded his rights draft night.

Who did the Nuggets acquire in the trade, Trey Lyles and Tyler Lydon? Lyles has maintained a packed suitcase as he’s had several NBA stops since 201, as for Lydon he is no longer in the NBA. Smith doesn’t like Phil Jackson; okay we get it but there is a question. Why is it necessary to retreat into the pass to offer an explanation, how many draft picks since 2017 have the Knicks had to correct this apparent mistake? The number is 8, the Knicks have drafted 8 players so how can we look back at a single draft and one player as Smith has done? A single player and Phil Jackson is the basis for continued poor play by the Knicks is the conclusion. Only in the Bizzarro World of Stephen A. Smith is this possible for someone with no connection to the team be pronounced the culprit.

A second chance

Four years ago, Isaiah Mosley was attending Rock Bridge High School in Columbia (MO). We must assume the coaching staff at Mizzou back then had an opportunity to see him play. We ask the question, did Cuonzo Martin and staff seriously recruit him, we just don’t know? Whatever the case Mosley chose to attend Missouri State in Springfield rather than remain at home and choose Mizzou. For the record, the young man was Mr. Show Me Basketball in 2019 for the State of Missouri.

As for the recent change, Mosely has a coach in Dennis Gates who believes the 6-foot 5 combo guard could fill a niche for Mizzou. His numbers while playing at Missouri State were particularly good, Mosley was twice selected First-Team All Missouri Valley Conference. All we can say at this point welcome to the ZOU Mosley, it’s better late than never. Although Mosely arrives as a senior “pandemic” athletes can return for an additional year if they desire. Gates has done it again attracting a talented player to Mizzou we are impressed. The remaining question cannot be answered until we begin play. Has the coach and his staff put together a team capable of competing in the SEC and beyond?

Imagine this a moment  

You are told by your prospective coach, “If you come here, you are not going to play as a freshman.” That was spelled out to Dereck Lively II at the time Westtown’s basketball coach was discussing his possible enrollment. We speak of Westtown Prep School situated in West Chester; about three hours’ drive time west of Philadelphia. In addition to preparing students academically among its alumni are Mo Bamba and Cam Reddish both NBA players. Despite the warning coach Lively II decided to attend Westtown and play for coach Seth Berger.

Even with little playing time as a freshman by his senior year the 7 foot 1, 220 pound Lively II was declared the best high school basketball player in the nation. He would decide in favor of attending Duke despite the fact coach K. is no longer on the scene. Lively II indicates a desire to play for Jon Scheyer and begin establishing a new legacy. As for comparisons think a little more athletic Chet Holmgren for example. This incoming Duke freshman has 3-point range although unlike Holmgren that doesn’t appear to be his strong suit. Lively II is not all offense, he’s got a defensive presence as well and is quite adept at blocking shots. Every season there are 3-4 freshman athletes to see play at the next level, Dereck Lively II can be counted among the number.

The countdown is on

This is written exactly two weeks prior to the NBA Draft. As this is written we have no idea who goes at the top. Just as a reminder the order is Orlando, OKC, Houston, Sacramento and Detroit as the first five. Most place Jabari Smith in the top slot, the remainder is a question mark. We strongly believe OKC will not pick Paolo Banchero, the former Duke athlete has gone on record claiming he doesn’t wish to play there. We are unsure how to categorize this draft as a strong or weak one.