Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Monday through Friday

Violation of a standing rule

You ask what the rule is, it’s simple never dialogue with someone who is not your friend or at least an acquaintance? I made the mistake the other day of posting my thought regarding the NBA on the public portion of a social media site. The first response from the stranger was answerable on my part with a simple explanation. From that point on everything went completely off the rails. Every time I made a point I believed would close the dialog he responded with one more, “What if.”

I ignored his last comment and I believe he might have gotten the message, he failed to contact me further the balance of the evening. Whether its social media a friendship or something else, you always have the right to your opinion on a variety of subjects including the NBA. He might not have agreed with my take on a subject that is still okay. I don’t believe it’s necessary for you to affirm my view, at the same time I refuse to delve into a myriad of “What if’s” or “He did.”

Bits n Pieces

Kris Parker is a 6-foot 8 175-pound shooting guard, he’s a senior at Crossroads Charter Academy in Quincy Florida part of the Tallahassee metro. Our barometer of measurement, Rivals.com awards him 4-stars. Why is he being profiled, for this reason, he’s one of a number offered a scholarship by Mizzou. I have no idea if he is headed to Mizzou or not. Fan future indicates there is a 91% chance he’s headed to Columbia next fall. We shall see what occurs, the only issue will an early pro career prove more enticing? Parker’s received an offer from an NBL team in Australia, he could go the route of LaMelo Ball and RJ Hampton. Spend a season in the NBL and then declare for the NBA draft in 2024.

It's been mentioned in this blog on more than one occasion how tough a competitor Larry Bird was. This from Darryl Dawkins, “The only way we could stop Larry Bird was fouling him hard every time he went to the basket. I remember I hit him with an elbow to his chest and he got up and said MY MOMMA HITS HARDER THAN THAT. Larry went on to score 50.” Keep in mind that was the rough, tough and tumble days of the NBA, players expected to be hit and depending on the status of the game hard. Have you heard the term “No layups?” It means what it states no one is getting a layup without being fouled hard. 

We’ve heard Joe and others from the Park & Rec league claim “Victor Wembanyama is too skinny” to play in the NBA. Guess what they could be partially correct based on his 7-foot 3 (4 or maybe 5) inch frame. Wemby is reported to weigh 209 pounds but consider the 2013 draft, that was the year Giannis Antetokounmpo was chosen. I checked out his pre-draft measurements for him it read he stood 6 foot 10 and weighed 205 pounds. The current Bucks roster lists him at 6 foot 11 and a stocky 242 pounds, as you might note it’s likely Wemby gains pounds in the future. The key for Wemby is to add bulk without losing the other things.

In just a few short weeks college basketball returns, not only is it returning but it’s returning in great numbers to our television sets. About 300 games will be available on CBS and the CBS Sports Network this fall and winter. I don’t have the numbers for ESPN but last season they telecast up to 800 games on their various cable networks. If we add NBC, ABC and Bally Sports into the mix, I’m sure you can see there will be plenty of college basketball for you to watch with your buddy’s at the sports bar or at home this upcoming season. 

What do I think

This is it; I don’t truly know what to think of Russell Westbrook, I suppose it depends on the day of the week and maybe even the hour of the day. Just when I believe it might work and he’s adjusted the point guard disappears. This is the example, the first game of the season against the Warriors it was 19 points and 11 rebounds while not spectacular was certainly a worthy game. On Thursday it was just the opposite, with his team facing the Clippers in 27 minutes Westbrook scored but 2 points. How did he accomplish this effort, well he was 0-11 from the floor 0-6 from 3. Early on Darvin Ham indicated Westbrook would be coming off the bench, that has not been the case thus far, as he’s been in the starting lineup in the first two games.

You can see the dilemma as me, borrowing the line from Forrest Gump. Rather than life its Russell Westbrook, who is just like a box of chocolates, you never know what you gonna get, i.e. until the game is played. To be honest I have no idea the direction Westbrook is headed with the Lakers. It matters not I want this “marriage” to work, the party directly involved must desire it to work otherwise can we spell D I V O R C E? This is not part of the story but one reflecting a different attitude. Most are aware Kawhi Leonard missed all last season, on advice of everyone connected with the team he emerged from the Clipper bench. This is interesting, Leonard was supposed to have approached management with this idea.