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?