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Basketball from a fans perspective

Where are they

I’ve mentioned this previously, sports in this age unlike the past lacks characters. You know those individuals who are just as entertaining with their persona as their sports talent. Baseball of the past was full of these characters, sadly they no longer exist in today’s game. The college and NBA game never rivaled baseball in this area, but it too had its share of characters. Just like baseball we must look at the past to uncover just a few of these individuals. We have the late Billy Tubbs Oklahoma coach along with Mizzou’s Norm Stewart. He’s not generally thought of in this role, but Celtic Larry Bird could be included in the discussion. The late Marvin Barnes played in the ABA and later moved into the NBA is also included along with center Darryl Dawkins.

Tubbs was a good basketball coach, listening to his speech pattern actor Jack Nicholson would come to mind although I’m sure Tubbs was speaking in his natural tone. Once during a heated game Oklahoma fans were tossing debris on the court. Tubbs was asked to address the crowd over the P.A. system and his remark was classic. “No matter how bad the officiating is etc. etc.”, who manages to address a gathering in that manner? Naturally Tubbs was assessed a technical foul and left the floor. Mizzou’s Norm Stewart once asked if his team contained any McDonald’s All Americans. “We don’t have any, but we eat there” was the coaches response. This one also classic, the coach hated spending a dime in Kansas. Anytime Mizzou played Kansas in Lawrence this is how it occurred.

The team would be bused to Kansas City and spend the night in a hotel on the Missouri side, the morning of the game there would be another bus right from Kansas City (MO) to Lawrence. Marvin Barnes did not realize time zones existed, at the time he played for the St. Louis ABA team. His team playing in Memphis on Eastern Time the landing time back in St. Louis (Central Time) was explained to Barnes and confused his answer to the coach. “I ain’t getting on no time machine.” All we saw was Larry Bird streaking down the court on a fast break or shooting plus defending. What most don’t realize he was a notorious trash talker on the court. In the NBA Three Point contest Bird said, “Who’s coming in second?” Finally we close with the late Darryl Dawkins, the Sixer center had the habit of naming his dunks. Dawkins broke more than one backboard while in the NBA.

I would be happy

A friend smiled and asked me, “Are the Lakers going to be good”? I smiled at him and responded by saying “Next season.” Both of us laughed however I was certainly serious with my statement. In all honesty I would be happy if I believed the Lakers were competitive this season. I’m not stating they need to play for the NBA championship, I’m not even stating a deep playoff run. I am speaking for myself and not Laker Nation, but this would make me happy. The Lakers are 7-10 games over .500, that would place them in playoff contention.

In addition that would indicate they are competitive with the Celtics, Bucks, and maybe the Clippers. There remains a missing piece for me, as this is written it could be Rui Hachimura appearing in Purple and Gold. Is Hachimura that portion or is it trading Westbrook and acquiring Bojan Bogdanovic from the Pistons?  Perhaps it’s none of the above, how about Anthony Davis playing the balance of the season healthy? At some point LeBron James indicated his desire for AD to take leadership of this team. At the same time it’s difficult to exhibit leadership when you are always on the injury list. I have been a chief complainer about load management but there are exceptions. If it allows AD to remain in the Laker lineup, I’m all for it.

The Pit

The University of New Mexico has a basketball arena unlike any in the nation maybe the world. According to the history coach Bob King turned the school into a winning program after he was hired in 1962. Attendance exploded and the administration believed a larger arena was a requirement. They wanted an arena with an unobstructed view of the court from any seat. When the arena opened in 1966 it was then and currently the only arena in my scope similar. “The design allowed the foundation to rest directly on earth, eliminating the need for a steel structure to support the concrete, resulting in tremendous cost savings.^”

I will describe it in this manner, you walk in at ground level but to reach your seat a descent down steps is necessary. In all likelihood unless you’ve got a guy 6 foot 4 or more sitting in front of you there is an unhindered view of the court from any seat in the Pit. Naturally like any building or arena over time renovations are required and they occurred with this arena. The arena was expanded in 1975 and revamped in 2009. The latest work now expands seating capacity to 15,411 ticket holders. Naturally a winning team is a requirement and that’s been the history of the Lobo program. Over the years the school’s been a stopover for coaches building their resume, the current coach is Rich Pitino. This is a brief look at one of the most innovative college basketball arenas all time.   

Complaints from California to Maine

How long have I watched sports on television? Long enough to take note of the changes over the decades. Black & White television sets became color which enhanced the picture quality, with the advent of cable television picture eminence was enhanced significantly. No more rabbit ears on top of most televisions. Then along comes HD and enriched picture quality became the norm.   I’m not going to place a day, date and time but multiple television cameras became common place when telecasting sports events. Soon it became practical we could see a replay from a number of angles, this allowed the viewer to become a “game official.”

You heard them, they screamed at blown calls and we heard from them twitter, email etc. The progress one might have hoped for became a contributing factor in the number of complaints registered by fans. The eye of the camera is going to see the good and bad of a play. We've got to take into consideration generally officials have but a split second to make a call. Challenges in some instances are now allowed in the NFL, MLB and the NBA, I'm unsure about other team sports. You might remember my complaint last week about the close out of the Lakers-Celtics match. If not for replay from various angles I wouldn’t have been able to see LeBron James was clearly fouled on his drive to the basket. The following day NBA officials admitted “the play was missed.”

The Joker’s battle

On Sunday evening we had an NFL Championship dual between Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. All season long many had contended Burrow had surpassed Mahomes in the quarterback rating. Nothing like facing the guy many contend is the superior player, we had that occur over the weekend in the NBA too. The last few seasons has seen Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid battle one another to determine the league’s MVP.

Based on past results clearly Jokic’s been the winner with back-to-back MVP awards. This game certainly brought out the best for the Sixers Joel Embiid, the Big Man filled the state sheet with 47 points along with 18 rebounds 5 assists and 3 steals and 2 blocked shots. His scoring binge led the way to a 126-119 Sixer victory. Jokic’s game was decent but nowhere close to that of Embiid, 24 points 8 rebounds and 9 assists. Who takes the lead in the MVP race now between these two and Giannis Antetokounmpo and possibly another?

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Basketball from a fans perspective

Get it right

What has 6 eyes, 6 legs and 3 brains, give up? That would be the three officials working the Lakers-Celtics game on Saturday night. LeBron James driving for the basket, he penetrates and is about to lay the ball up and Jayson Tatum hits him on the forearm. Don’t get this twisted the hand is part of the ball, the forearm is a different matter. No foul called and I don’t remember what occurred thereafter. I can inform you of this the Lakers lost in OT 125-121.

I believe this to be the case, I rarely complain about officiating believing they make mistakes. The problem for me the NBA issues a communication on Sunday indicating “Game officials missed the call.” I say to you what good does it do at that point, it’s a win for the Celtics and a loss for the Lakers. Who knows, LeBron might have gone to the line and bricked both free throws and they lose anyway. I would have preferred that ending versus the one I saw. A friend of mine responded in this manner, “That’s what happens when you cry wolf for every call.” His point is valid, how many times have we seen NBA players yell and scream about legitimate fouls that are called?

They have assurance

Mizzou will lose a game or two before the conference race ends, don’t bother with informing them they wouldn’t believe you. The Tigers are underdogs almost every time they walk out on the court. They are outrebounded due to their lack of height; they are rarely out hustled. Mizzou Nation had no idea what to expect on Saturday as the Tigers faced Iowa State the number 12 team in the nation. Mizzou finished the Cyclones off 78-61 but what about the nuts and bolts of the game? Mizzou outshot the Cyclones from the floor 49% to 44%, from three it was a sizzling 46.7% to 40% for the Cyclones. Mizzou lost the rebound battle, 38 to 25 which certainly was not a surprise.

Kobe Brown led the scoring for Mizzou with 20 points and pulling down 12 rebounds, he was assisted in scoring by D’Moi Hodge (17 pts) and Nick Honor (12 pts). What’s the story on Mizzou basketball, we have a basketball team comprised of transfers from several mid-major programs, one junior college player and freshman Aidan Shaw. I’m going to close this out by once again praising the effort of Dennis Gates and staff. There should be no argument from any quarters, three blow out wins over Top 25 teams. The head coach and staff have managed to assemble a cohesive team that’s blended into a winner. I certainly hope Mizzou finishes this season on a high note however I cannot help but become excited for the 2023-24 season.

Load Management

This term has come into common usage related to the NBA. It’s the practice of teams deciding to rest players during the course of the season. In the past players were sidelined due to illness or injury they never skipped games for rest. The NBA season is long, if a team plays deep into the playoffs, they could play over 100 games. I’m counting exhibitions, 82 games of the regular season and the possibility of 20-30 playoff games. Although there’s been an effort to limit back-to-back games, they are part of the equation too.

If we toss in the travel, it’s easy to see how players could become worn down doing especially during the regular season. In the playoffs scheduled games are not as compacted as the regular season. Everything mentioned up to this point is from a players perspective. What about the view of a fan, NBA tickets are expensive. The fan plops down $75.00-$90.00 for a ticket and another $25.00 for parking, if we figure in concessions another $25.00. Joe Smith drives to Ball Arena in Denver, he’s a fan of the Nuggets but wants to see LeBron o Steph play. Shortly before tipoff he discovers the star he expect to see is not playing, the player is not ill or injured, he’s seated due to load management. 

Corporate names

Practically every stadium and arena now has a corporate name in front. It’s not always been that way; Dr. Jerry Buss owner of the Lakers might have been the first to begin a trend which is now standard. In 1988 the arena then known as the Forum had a name change. Striking a monetary deal with the Great Western Savings & Loan Company the arena was re-named the Great Western Forum. With few exceptions since that date practically every new stadium and arena built has a corporate name attached to it.

In the NBA the most recent openings saw the Golden 1 Center 2016 in Sacramento, Little Caesars Arena 2017 in Detroit and Chase Center 2019 in San Francisco continue the trend. If you check the entire list of arenas, you will see a corporate name spread from one end of the nation to the other. In Los Angeles Staples Center has been re-born as Crypto.com Arena. The Clippers will soon have their own building, Intuit Dome which is under construction and will open in 2024.

Bits n Pieces

Tickets across the NBA can vary based on the city and who the home team might play. As an example a recent Knicks-Nets game tickets could be had for $85.00 each. On the other hand a ticket to the Lakers at Celtics will cost you $301.00 each. In Oklahoma City a Thunder ticket could also be purchased for as little as $25.00 apiece while Bulls at Magic tickets were available for $85.00 each. I just checked a few outlets and as you see pricing varies.

Jerseys are never the basis for a win, It’s the body inside the jersey that results in a win or loss. Despite my statement some jerseys have special meaning. With former old foe Iowa State from Mizzou’s Big 8 and Big 12 days we saw a revival of sorts. Mizzou decided in favor of throwback jerseys on the left from the 1990’s. Contrast that with the present-day jerseys.

                         

Has Tom Izzo ever left the State of Michigan? Of course he’s left the state however based on his resume that might not appear to be the case. He was born in Iron Mountain Michigan located in the upper peninsula of the state. After playing basketball for Northern Michigan (1973-1977) he began coaching the game at the high school level. His first head coaching position (1977-1979) was at Ihpeming HS in Ishpeming Michigan. From 1979-1983 Izzo returned to his alma mater Northern Michigan as an assistant. In 1983 he went to Michigan State where he first served as an assistant coach, in 1995 Izzo was elevated to head coach were he’s remained to date. His record going into this season at Michigan State 680 wins and 274 losses. Now look back on this article and see how all the moves of Izzo occurred in Michigan.

The NBA comes a calling, do you say yes or no to them? Allow an explanation, Kobe Brown and Isiaih Mosley of Mizzou have a “covid” exemption. All athletes who missed play due to covid were granted an extra season of eligibility. The play of Mizzou has seen the stock of Brown and Mosley rise in the eyes of the NBA. Is one or both guaranteed to be drafted, that would be an unknown? In all likelyhood they would be drafted in the second round but that might not be terrible depending on the team. On the other hand they do an “Austin Reaves”, inform teams to not draft them, they would decide on which team they wish to play.

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Soft schedule…okay if you believe that

Dennis Gates team got off to a fast start at the beginning of the season beating every team on their early schedule. Then came the naysayers, “They have played a soft schedule, who have they beaten?” Yesterday in the SEC/Big XII Challenge they were winners over Iowa State 78-61. Let’s check the schedule, after roaring out the gate to a 9-0 record Mizzou lost the Border War Challenge to then number 6 Kansas 95-67. In succession Mizzou beat Illinois (then number 16), Kentucky (then number 19). They would lose to Arkansas in Fayetteville but win the rematch in Columbia.

It should be of note the Razorbacks were number 25 at the time. Mizzou lost against number 4 Alabama but including the win yesterday over the 12 ranked Cyclones we are up to date. Gates deserves all the credit due him, he took a bunch of guys from a number of mid-major programs and utilized the talented Kobe Brown to create a winning atmosphere in Mizzou Arena again. My chief concern the man appears invisible to the rest of the nation. 247Sports listed a number of candidates for coach of the year, after perusing the site there was no mention of Dennis Gates. More on the game in the Monday morning edition of Off the Dribble.

Is he worth it

The headline is probably the question on the mind of much of Laker Nation, they are asking about the Pistons Bojan Bogdanovic. His name has been linked to the Lakers and several other teams in the last few weeks. This is the issue as I see it, Laker GM Rod Pelinka has said he’s got no problem giving up a first round draft pick if it ensures a championship. As the old saying goes you can’t get there from here, until you make the trade you have no idea if it leads to a championship parade.

The Pistons are insistent they require a first round protected draft pick in order to make the trade for Bogdanovic. Because the Pistons are not a television commodity these days, I have no idea of his skill level. It appears the Pistons are in a full-scale youth movement, Bogdanovic at age 30 is probably not in the rebuild plans for the team. His scoring average including from the three line appear quite good. The area invisible for me and most others is the defense, is Bogdanovic an adequate defender? 

It's only me…I know

The landscape has changed, there is now legalized sports gambling across the nation. We hear many in the media claim “_______ didn’t cover the spread” or something similar. Anytime sports gambling rears its head there is a concern on my part. Keep in mind I’m not accusing anyone of anything it only takes us back to two different time periods, it’s the 1950-51 season and it occurred again in 1960-61. City College of New York in 1950-51 was the main school involved in a point shaving gambling scandal although there were others. There were 7 schools involved in all, 4 in the New York City Metro, two in the Midwest and one in the South. In total there were 32 players at these 7 schools involved in shaving points.

For the complete story read the account at the end of this report. A short 10 years (1960-61) later another scandal would surface in college basketball again. This one was even larger; 22 colleges and a large number of players were involved. This one would witness players banned from playing in the NBA, one of those named Connie Hawkins years later would be cleared of charges. Hawkins would sue the NBA and eventually it was proven although he was acquainted with gambler Jack Molinas it was never proven Hawkins shaved points. For further detail on the 1960-61 scandal check out the second footnote. Since then there have been other instances but nothing close to the black eye college basketball and many individuals suffered at the time of both scandals.

 https://www.espn.com/classic/s/basketball_scandals_explosion.html

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1961_NCAA_University_Division_men%27s_basketball_gambling_scandal

The best seat

From your viewpoint what do you believe to be the best seat in the house to view a basketball game. I need to qualify my statement at an arena, some of you might believe I’m discussing your Man Cave. I’ll provide you some background, my observation applies to only the arenas. We have Kemper Arena and T-Mobile in Kansas City along with American Airlines Center in Dallas. A little background for you to consider, I’ve been seated in suites at Kemper and T-Mobile at a point. I had to use my imagination in the other two arenas, in both instances I was not in the building for a basketball game.

The Pit home of the University of New Mexico and Chaifetz Arena homebased for St. Louis University. I once had a seat two rows in back of the guys providing television play by play of the game. The absolute worst seats ever, my view of the court was blocked on both ends by spectator standing and seated and game officials. As for the suites I had a great view of the court from “5 miles away”. The monitors in the suite actually provided me a better view of game action than seeing the play in front of me. What’s your opinion, is one or more these areas better to you? 

Cycles

There is a belief cycles exist in a number of areas, what’s old goes out of style or general usage and much later returns. Former coach Stan Van Gundy is a believer, he thinks post-play will eventually return to the NBA. What I found interesting reading the comments of 7-foot 1, 282-pound center Brook Lopez. Drafted in 2008 he was a back to the basket post player with a variety of shots around the basket and then BAM a change. At some point early in his NBA career a coach informed him “You need to practice taking shots from the 3pt.” I refer to it as the Dirk-Steph factor, the emphasis on shooting from the 3pt. It is easy to understand, you pass the ball into a post player he sinks his shot. The opposition sinks a 3pt basket in response you see the dilemma. Part I of the Dirk-Steph factor, Dirk Nowitzki was drafted in 1998, Dirk stands 7 feet and 245 pounds. If he’d been drafted 5-10 years earlier, he would have been a center or post player.

What actually occurred, the Mavs played him at power forward, and he would experience a Hall of Fame career=success. Part II of the Dirk-Steph factor would be Warriors point guard Steph Curry. Nobody not even MJ was the lights out shooter Steph would become. Anyplace near half-court was makable and the key his quick release=success. You might not have heard this adage, but it says, “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery”, I’ve always taken it to describe if someone completes a task successfully its worthwhile to follow. That’s what’s occurred, with the emphasis on 3pt shooting we’ve moved to position less basketball. Athletes 6 foot 11 and taller don’t arrive in the NBA as post players, they often are power forwards. I mentioned this in another account, Chris Paul of the Suns might be the last pure point guard in the NBA. The others (including Steph Curry) are listed as point guards but are more combo guards. If we believe Van Gundy post play might return one day however, I certainly wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for it to occur.

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Bits n Pieces

Often, I’ve tried to avoid speculation regarding player gains, this applies to high school talent choosing a college or NBA players acquired through free agency or trade. With that out of the way allow a further explanation. A report is circulating the Hawks are shopping their star point guard Trae Young. Rob Pelinka Lakers GM claims “He would trade a first round pick if it meant a championship.” Two issues, it is clear the Hawks must have issues with Young. On the Lakers side do they make the trade with the possibility of upsetting the chemistry of the team?

I’ve been a fan of Zion Williamson since his high school days. This includes his single season at Duke and into the NBA with the Pelicans. I am providing you a disclaimer because I intend to explain why Williamson should not be a starter in the All-Star game. Notice I didn’t state he shouldn’t be selected however the role of a starter is questionable. As this is written the Pelicans have played 49 games, Williamson has played in 29 of them. He’s been sidelined due to injury, and I believe there are others more deserving of a starter role.

Mizzou needed a game like Ole Miss, it was a requirement because they must return to the cauldron of competitive basketball this afternoon. The SEC/Big XII challenge has Iowa State visiting Mizzou. Iowa State is ranked 12 in one poll and 13 in another and becomes the 6th Top 25 team Mizzou will have faced thus far this season. As for the remainder of Mizzou’s schedule it includes games against Tennessee (4) and Auburn (15). I have noticed a change in tone, we no longer hear discussions about the "soft schedule" Mizzou's played anymore.

An interesting fact, we’ve read and heard plenty of commentary regarding Victor Wembanyama’s weight but nothing about Emoni Bates. If the stats are correct Bates now stands 6 foot 10 inches but is a svelte 180 pounds. He’s listed as a small forward/shooting guard on most mock draft sites. Unless Bates gains significant weight, small forward is not the position for him in the NBA at least at the beginning of a planned career. 200 pounds is probably the smallest number we’ve seen listed for any NBA small forward. Could you see LeBron James at 250 pounds taking Bates down low on the block and physically abusing him.  

Laker ownership

It is quite interesting, in 65 years of operation only three ownership names are associated with the Lakers in Los Angeles. The first is businessman Bob Short, he purchased the Minneapolis Lakers in 1957, the team might have remained in Minnesota if they had continued to attract fans. George Mikan and others had retired, and the team was no longer experiencing the championship seasons of the recent past. Attendance began to slip, at that point owner Short looked west and decided Los Angeles would be the ideal market for his NBA team. Once in Los Angeles the team was revitalized partly due to Elgin Baylor drafted the last year in Minneapolis and rookie Jerry West. Plenty of playoff basketball but every season they ran into the roadblock known as Bill Russell and the Celtics.

In 1965 Short decided to sell the team, now entering the scene another businessman and sports owner Jack Kent Cooke. Cooke paid $5 million for the Lakers (equivalent to $41 million today). The Lakers home court was the Sports Arena, and it would become the motivation for Cooke to build the Forum. Cooke had gotten into a dispute with the city, owners of the Sports Arena so what did he do? He built his own arena which would become the Forum. The Lakers managed to win one NBA Championship while Cooke owned the team. Next up Dr. Jerry Buss real estate developer, he and his partner purchased the team from Cooke in 1979. Buss the showman was the innovator behind the success of the Lakers, he was key to many innovations that made Laker games the place to be, they won 10 championships while Buss was the owner. In 2013 Buss died and management of the team alternated between son Jim Buss and Jeanie Buss. Daughter Jeanie Buss is now the controlling owner and president of the team.

Listen to the folks in charge 

I wondered why Mohamed Diarra (6 foot 10) and Mabor Majak (7 foot 2) were not playing. I asked the question as each game saw Mizzou outrebounded, at least if they had some height in the lineup that would help. Well I watched the coaches program and got the answer at least on Diarra. I’m going to paraphrase coach Dennis Gates these are not his actual words. “Mohamed Diarra had come from international play (France) and Garden City Community College, we had to bring him up to speed to slowly to how the game is played in the SEC.”

The last two games has seen Diarra play a reserve role in one game and a starter in the other. These numbers are certainly not going to wow anyone, but they are proof Diarra is moving in the right direction. Against Alabama in 14 minutes of action Diarra registered 12 rebounds along with 8 points, facing Ole Miss in 17 minutes it was 6 rebounds and 11 points and a 3 pt basket. Based on the coaches statement I could see Diarra continue to improve over the next few games. With eligibility a non-issue I could foresee him continue to improve next season. Once again, I’m reminded of a fact, we need to listen to the folks in charge i.e. the coaching staff rather than sports talk guys.

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Bubble wrap needed

Surprise, surprise Anthony Davis came off the bench on Wednesday for the Lakers. For the first time since December 16 or 21 games ago Laker Nation witnessed him in action against the Spurs. In his return the stat line was good, it read 7 for 15 shooting from the floor, 21 points 12 rebounds and 4 blocked shots in 26 minutes. AD proved once again to all he is a tremendous talent; despite this fact he often cannot remain on the floor for long periods of times due to him suffering frequent injuries.

Is there an answer for AD’s injury cycle, it certainly would be great if the Lakers could manage to place bubble wrap around his body? AD was a force in a reserve role as his team beat the visiting Spurs 113-104. With his return plus the trade for Rui Hachimura is this team prepared for a stretch run to earn a playoff berth? As this is written in the Wild, Wild West the Lakers are now only two games behind playoff teams in the lost column if the season ended today. As for the playoffs the Lakers are the only one’s capable of providing an answer to the question.

Sometimes a worthy effort goes down the drain

Emoni Bates had one of those classic games, the only problem his team is not very good. Eastern Michigan was a loser once again this time to Toledo. The final score read Toledo 84 EMU 79, and consider this Bates scored 43 of EMU’s points. Bates scored 29 points in the first half on 10 of 14 shooting along with 7 of 9 from 3, all in the first half of the game. Bates was within percentage points from both numbers, 65% from the floor and 64% from 3. This should not be considered a scouting report, the EMU game conflicted with the Mizzou game.

So I had no opportunity to see the youngster for myself. I remain unsure if the former Gatorade High School Player of the Year is a legitimate NBA prospect. Previously it was mentioned questions might revolve around Bates defensive presence. One publication indicates Bates is listed in the Top 50 of draft prospects for 2023, the question is that enough? Is that an indication he will be drafted should he decide the NBA is his next move? The deciding factor will be the NBA itself; they are candid enough to give a prospect a yes or no answer.

It turns out to be the same despite what you believe

You might remember the scene in the 1986 movie Hoosiers. Coach Norman Dale’s (Gene Hackman) team had played all their games in tiny gyms throughout the State of Indiana. Hinkle Fieldhouse where they would play for the state championship seemed massive to his Hickory team. Dale had his players measure the distance to the free throw line and the height of the basketball goal…all intended to point out there was no difference in gyms they played in previously. The ball bounces the same in Hinkle with its 9,000-seat capacity versus KFC Yum Center in Louisville and its 22,000 seats. There are some Blue Blood programs (Duke, North Carolina, Kansas) the teams are expected to hire a “name” coach.

Mizzou is not there, and neither is Kansas State, when Dennis Gates and Jerome Tang were hired students, alumni and fans not only were unimpressed they questioned the why? I have no method to provide you proof of my theory only a belief. The ball bounces in the same manner at Cleveland State as Mizzou Arena, the distance to the free throw line and height of the basketball goal is the same. Folks this ain’t rocket science, why do we think the outcome might be different? I always look at Coach K. as the example, 1980 was a different time and perhaps this wouldn’t occur today. He was hired as head coach by Duke after serving in the same role at the U.S. Military Academy West Point. His first three seasons certainly provided no proof of his ultimate path. Have athletic directors hired the wrong guy in some instances…of course they have? The simple answer don’t look at where someone has been versus their ultimate destination.

I mentioned it to my wife

Shaq’s always been one of my favorite basketball players, as for his commentary that’s another matter at times. This is one of those times I have a question regarding his response, he was asked about the Lakers acquisition of Rui Hachimura. This is what he said, “If you ain’t a top 10 player, I don’t know who you are, that’s no disrespect. How am I supposed to know who the kid was?” Here’s what I took from his comment the first, why didn’t he just Google Hachimura’s name? The second part might indicate Shaq’s got an elitist attitude about a players ability.

Because Hachimura is not a top 10 player in his eyes it is hardly worth becoming acquainted with him. There are nearly 500 players in the NBA at any one time, no one including Shaq could provide you the names of every player on every team with a snap of their finger. Then the giant mistake on my part I mentioned the story to my wife, she took Shaq’s side stating, “How is he suppose to know every player in the NBA?” No one sits high enough in my view to look down on anyone, I’m quite sure Shaq would say that’s not what he is doing but that sure appears to be the case.  

HBCU basketball

Talent from Historically Black Colleges continues in the NFL although not at the pace it once did. Basketball is a totally different matter, at least half of the black players in the league came into the NBA from HBCU schools in the 1950’s through the mid 1970’s. That pipeline no longer exists, in fact the last and currently only HBCU player in the NBA is Robert Covington now with the Clippers. Covington was undrafted from Tennessee State but arrived in the NBA in 2013. I am compiling a list of the Top 5 NBA players who matriculated at HBCU’s. I researched this matter to ensure I didn’t overlook anyone, here goes:

 

Earl Monroe-Winston-Salem State

Willis Reed-Grambling State

Sam Jones-North Carolina Central

Bob Love-Southern University

Bob Dandridge-Norfolk State

I debated on Monroe and Reed; I almost assigned a 1a and 1b to their names. I decided Monroe’s impact on the NBA game was more significant than Reed. Even more interesting Monroe and Reed were rivals at one point and later became teammates with the Knicks. All are NBA champions and enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame with the exception of Bob Love. Love scored over 13,000 points during his NBA career and was the catalyst to the success of the expansion Chicago Bulls in the 1960’s.

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I am able to admit when I’m wrong

Unlike a certain screaming television host I can admit when I’m wrong, this is one of those cases. The 15-man 2023 McDonald’s All-American team was announced on Tuesday and on that team was Bronny James. I cannot provide you day, date and time but I questioned his talent and whether he was receiving publicity due to being the son of LeBron James. Now allow me to clarify this, being selected a McDonald’s All-American is not a guaranteed punched ticket to the NBA. It’s clear I missed on this one, it would appear this combo guard is more talented than I surmised. On the other hand maybe Bronny’s stepped up his game too. What’s next for Bronny, it appears to be college over the G-League, Overtime Elite or Australia.

There is a trio of schools reported to be at the top of Bronny’s list of schools. It’s been stated Ohio State is in the lead although that’s not been confirmed. In closing a bit of trivia, it certainly doesn’t occur often a father-son combo. LeBron and Bronny become the third father-son duo to be selected McDonald’s All-Americans. The second father-son was Lester Earl LSU and Kansas in the late ‘90’s. His son Jeremiah Robinson-Earl played at Villanova and was drafted in 2021 by the Thunder, he’s currently playing for their G-League affiliate. The first is actually a trio a grandfather, father and grandson, the Wagner’s. Milt the grandfather, DaJuan the father of D.J. who was named a the 2023 McDonald’s All-American team. Thanks to Rob for coming to my aid in this research project.

Live by the jump shot, die by the same 

Recently my friend Alex reminded me of the old adage which is the headline. It simply indicates when your shot is dropping everything is good when it’s not you lose. Generally that was the problem for the Tigers when they faced Alabama shot poorly and lost the game, that was not the case on Tuesday evening as they faced Ole Miss on the road. Mizzou was a slight favorite as they should have been, Ole Miss entered the game with a 1-6 conference record…9-11 overall. As Dan Patrick would often say on SportsCenter, Mizzou was “en fuego” as they shot 55.4% from the floor and 53.3% from behind the arc.

Kobe Brown returned to the court after his injury and contributed 18 points, D’Moi Hodge scored 24 points emerging from his shooting slump. I’m unsure if Isiaih Mosely is a permanent starter but he contributed another outstanding game with 20 points and 53% shooting. The team must now prepare for the SEC-Big XII Challenge on Saturday as number 12 Iowa State makes an appearance in Columbia. Around this part of the nation a few sports talk radio host liken these hires to be a contest between Jerome Tang at Kansas State and Dennis Gates. I applaud Tang, he’s changed the culture and created a winning program. I’m okay with my guy too, Gates has done a commendable job to date based on the team he inherited.

Tell me what you know, not what you think

Your head is probably spinning wondering “What the heck is this guy talking about?” Earlier today I listened to an interview with Myron Medcalf senior college basketball reporter for ESPN. Medcalf answered question after question with concise and informative answers. On Monday I heard a similar interview and discussion with Mike DeCoursey of the Sporting News. DeCoursey provided information giving us his opinion in the same manner of Medcalf.

The basis for the headline, it really doesn’t matter who you are if asked a question you must inform us what you think. The problem for me is a number of these folks have become “actors”, they perform more than provide information. The simple answer, Medcalf and DeCoursey and others are giving us the answer what they think. They don’t find it necessary to become “the story” they simply report the story. They don’t add any fluff or unnecessary information just the facts. I focused on Medcalf and DeCoursey but there are others who perform in the same manner. They are able to provide us answers without the hyperbole in those performers disguised as media members.

He's an enigma for me

I’ve been a Dennis Schroder fan long before he began play for the Lakers. The limited play I saw while a member of the Hawks and Thunder excited me when the Lakers received him in a trade. That first year (2020-21) appeared successful, the Lakers were reported to have made a contractual offer. Schroeder refused the offer “Thanks but no thanks I’m a free agent now.” A strange thing occurred; on the free agent market Schroeder didn’t receive offers anywhere close to the amount of money he wanted.

Schroeder would then sign a one-year contract with the Celtics later, he played for them half a season and then was traded to the Rockets in February. At the end of the season free agent Schroeder decided on a return to the Lakers rather than signing with the Raptors or Suns. I was surprised but believed he could help the Lakers in a reserve role. To date Schroeder has settled into the reserve role I expected, a much better shooter than Randy Beverley but not as good a defender. Schroeder’s steal against the Grizzlies was key to the 122-121 win and his 19 point 8 rebound 8 assist game demonstrated his solid game.

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A winner

Mizzou was back on the winning track with a road victory 89-77 over the Ole Miss Rebels. Shooting was outstanding for the Tigers. Although he wasn’t the game’s high scorer Isiaih Mosely with 53% shooting from the floor scored 20 points and dished out 5 assists. D’Moi Hodge emerged from his shooting slump to lead the team in scoring with 24 points, Kobe Brown added 18 points for the winners. Big Man Mohamed Diarra came off the bench scoring 11 points along with 6 rebounds. Mizzou shot a sizzling 55.4% from the floor and 53.3% from 3. Mizzou is now .500 in the SEC with a 4-4 record and 15-5 overall, more on the game in the Thursday edition.

The last time

As the game clock ticked downward it appeared Kansas was about to lose its third game in a row. The Jayhawks have tasted such success it’s difficult to imagine any Bill Self coached team losing a game at all. I wondered about the loss this past Saturday, Monday’s game would be played on the road and the question could they beat a competitive Baylor team. The final score read Baylor 75 Kansas 69 and the Jayhawks went down to defeat for the third time in a little over six days.

I thought for a moment, has any Kansas team lost that many games in a row? I had to check the archives because in truth I had no idea of Kansas suffering three losses in a row. It was the 2012-13 season and Kansas in succession lost to Oklahoma State, TCU and Oklahoma. Just in case you might be curious how the season turned out. Kansas finished with a 14-4 Big XII record and 31-6 overall. That Kansas team was defeated in the Sweet 16 by Michigan, you see a losing streak does not always equate to a poor season.

A change at the top

First the controversy and then the report, Magic Johnson has gone on record pronouncing Victor Wembanyama “The best basketball player in the world.” Naturally a quote like that even from Magic Johnson solicited a great number of negative comments by fans. My intent is to not detail any of the letters just say they occurred. The real news at least for me is the fact nbadraft.net’s made a change at the top for January 20. Wembanyama has moved into second place on their mock draft, Scoot Henderson’s supplanted him in their eyes and is now listed in first place.

This is certainly no intent on my part to state the draft will turn out in this manner, this is only a mock at that. The coin flip is the ultimate determinator of where a team might draft. Of course with the manner it’s conducted the teams at the bottom are more likely to have the opportunity at the top pick. At the time this is written that would be the January thought, but it does make for a question. If the season currently ended the Rockets, Hornets, Pistons and Spurs would appear to be the leading contenders for the number one and two draft picks. Don’t believe the draft to be final, how many times has the draft rights been traded to another team.

Who is this guy

On Monday came word the Lakers made a trade with the Wizards. Headed west to the Lakers is Rui Hachimura a 6-foot 8 230-pound wing, Kendrick Nunn is on his way east to the Wizards along with three second round draft choices. Laker Nation might be asking what do we know about this guy? He played his college basketball for Mark Few at Gonzaga, he was made the 9 pick in the 2019 NBA draft. Prior to Gonzaga Hachimura was born in Toyama City a five-hour drive west of the Tokyo capital. His mother is Japanese, and his father is from Benin a nation on the African continent. At the time Hachimura was selected he became only the second native born Japanese player drafted into the NBA.

Hachimura’s career scoring average mostly as a reserve is 13 points along with 5 rebounds a game, his 3-point shooting has risen over his three plus years in the NBA. Last season in 42 games he shot nearly 45% from three. Hachimura will turn 25 years old in February, the Lakers are continuing to look at youngsters rather than acquiring grizzly veteran players. This I believe is a good move in a number of ways, at the top of the chart the Lakers are guard heavy, trading Kendrick Nunn frees space in the backcourt. I believe acquiring a youthful wing player should relieve LeBron to a degree. Please note I’m not saying Hachimura is replacing LeBron. There might be an argument the Lakers might have given up too much to acquire Hachimura with the three second round draft picks. I’m okay with the move believing he can play immediately over yet to be drafted talent.

“Just Win, Baby”

The late owner of the NFL Raiders made that headline famous for his team. It certainly makes sense on several levels, winning (no matter the sport) is encouraging for fans to attend games. As proof I offer the revitalized basketball program evident at Mizzou. I’m not sure of the network, a short video was shown of Kobe Brown in action during a game last season. Mizzou Arena looked so empty I believe you could have tossed a rock into the stands, and it might not have hit anyone, that’s just how vacant the arena looked.

Contrast that with Mizzou Arena in January 2023, the last five games played has seen the building rocking. Four of those games were sellouts and the other was listed as 96% capacity (14,448). Mizzou’s not in first place in the SEC, as this is written they reside at 9 in the conference race. The difference between last year and this, Mizzou is competing this season even in the games they lost. Someone reading this might conclude I’m stating the previous Mizzou team failed to contend…not true. I will continue at least for the time being maintain Dennis Gates has made a world of difference between last season and this.

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NBA Coach of the Year

There should be no argument from anyone, the NBA Coach of the Year is Kings coach Mike Brown. Once upon a time Kings coaches were in a revolving door pattern. Just as soon as one coach was hired within a short time, we heard he’d been fired and replaced by an interim who was made head coach, then he was later fired. It almost made us wonder if management loved paying the coach on staff and the one fired. That method of operation appears to have changed now, as this is written the Kings are in third place in the Western Conference with 26 wins on their resume. Before I go further allow me to repeat an old adage, “Coaches get too much credit when a team wins and too much blame when they lose.” Okay applause is due Mike Brown, and he should be NBA Coach of the Year.

Get this Brown was fired twice by the Cavs and once by the Lakers. The Cavs story is real interesting owner Gilbert claimed “I made a mistake firing him” yet turned around later and fired him again. That and the Lakers are in Brown’s rear-view mirror now. He became an assistant to Steve Kerr and at times assumed the role of head coach for the Warriors. Brown was considered a contributing factor in the Warriors championship last season. May 9, 2022 he was announced as the next head coach of the Kings. As for the team perhaps the talent was there all along and that was required a steady hand directing them to the next level. That steady hand has proven to be Mike Brown, congratulations on winning Coach of the Year. I realize the winner of this award is yet to be announced but I’m prepared you ahead of time.

Give that man that job

The Lakers certainly haven’t set the world on fire with their early season play. After the calendar turned to 2023, they have played slightly better despite the fact Anthony Davis has been missing since December 16. Part of the reason for the improved play is the result of Thomas Bryant moving into the starting lineup. Bryant has provided good numbers although there are probably a limited number of plays run for the 6-foot 10 center. I reported this in the past, AD claimed whoever was playing the post caused floor spacing issues for him. AD’s gone on record on more than one occasion indicating he prefers to not play center.

If that’s still the case, it says to me there should be s change made and Bryant should be the center. As for the Sunday night game Bryant wasn’t the high scorer in the win against the Blazers, but he certainly filled the box scoring. 31 points on 12-15 shooting (80%) from the floor, his game also included 14 rebounds and 2 blocked shots. The game represented a career high in scoring for Bryant, if you check his season totals, they appear average. Despite this fact there are two considerations to consider, he’s not been a starter all season until recently. In addition I mentioned earlier it’s likely the Lakers probably run few plays for Bryant at the post position. One note related to the team, the Lakers had surrendered a lead to the Blazers and came roaring back from a 25-point half-time deficit on the road no less to secure the victory. There is a report Patrick Beverley was part of the basis for the comeback, it’s claimed he took over the locker room at half time.

To top off the amazing comeback Beverley had the gall to gesture to the crowd near the end. You’ve seen the motion Dame Lillard does signifying Game Time, Beverley did the same thing, don’t think that’s gonna come back at him next time? As this account was being finished the Lakers were able to consummate a trade with the Wizards. The Lakers will receive Rui Hachimura a 6-foot 8 230 pound forward who plays both wing positions. Headed to the Wizards are Kendrick Nunn and three second round picks, more on this trade in the Wednesday addition of Off the Dribble.

The Great White Hope-from June 2022

History says Jack Johnson 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.

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.

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The best guess

This is pure supposition on my part, I have no method to provide evidence for you. For the 2022-23 college season I believe the Big XII Conference is head and shoulders above others in the nation. Once upon time the ACC, Big East and Big1G took turns at the top but no more, the best conference top to bottom is the Big XII. Kansas has 16 wins and 3 losses, 2 of the losses have occurred since Big XII conference play. In second place and above those other conferences is the SEC. What’s interesting the conference once thought of as strictly for its football has improved its basketball play exponentially over the past few years.

No argument here, anytime you mention the SEC many will think Alabama, Auburn and Georgia football that’s because they don’t realize the change. The change came about with hiring quality coaches. Nate Oats hasn’t made the Crimson Tide forget Nick Saban and football but it’s no longer just football at Alabama. The story was football and spring football but that was the old SEC. The difference is across the board the conference has begun hiring quality coaches. We know John Calipari but what about Eric Musselman at Arkansas, Buzz Williams Texas A&M along with Jerry Stackhouse Vanderbilt and Mizzou’s Dennis Gates. This certainly wasn’t done with intention but it’s my belief for a number of years basketball took a backseat to the conferences football programs. Don’t confuse this account, football remains king in the SEC, but basketball is no longer an afterthought.   

The other twin

Twin brothers will be drafted into the NBA in 2023, one of the twins according to scouting reports is slightly better than the other. The twins are Amen and Asur Thompson, they are 6 foot 7 and 200 pounds, they play for Overtime Elite. The brothers were born in Oakland California but played at Pine Crest School in Fort Lauderdale Florida. Although both are projected as lottery picks Amen is considered the more complete athlete, he’s projected as a point/shooting guard. Asur is projected as a shooting guard or small forward. After graduating high school they chose Overtime Elite rather than college as preparation for the NBA.

In the NBA the twins will play on separate teams probably for the first time, this will not be a unique occurrence. In an earlier time probably unknown to a number of you the Van Arsdale twins Tom and Dick were drafted into the NBA in 1965. In later years the Grant twins Harvey and Horace would find their way to NBA stardom. Today’s NBA contains two sets of twins, the Lopez twins Brook and Robin who played on the same team in high school and college. Their separation in play occurred once they arrived in the NBA. We also have the Morris twins, Markieff and Marcus who played at Kansas while in college. There are certainly other twins who played in the NBA this is but a short list. As for the 2023 NBA draft expect the commissioner to announce both Thompson twins early in the first round.

I must depend on others

Is LeBron James Jr. a talented college basketball prospect, in this case I must depend on others to analyze his game. That’s what I had to do with Emoni Bates when the hype ballooned around his exploits. After an injury and less than stellar freshman season at Memphis transferring to Eastern Michigan has proven beneficial. Whether that translates to the NBA is still an unknown at this point. Back to LeBron Jr. or Bronny as he’s nicknamed, is he a genuine potential college talent?

ESPN100, Rivals and 247Sports and maybe other sites believe that to be the case awarding the 6-foot 4 190-pound combo guard 4-stars. Although he continues to grow Bronny might not reach the 6-foot 8 height of his father but that’s not bad. The key as they say, “Has he got game?” We are not likely to have an answer to the question until he plays at the collegiate or G-League level. Even playing there will require some adjustment on his part. An athlete of his stature travels from being the best guy on his high school team to opposing players who are capable of smacking your stuff into row 5 of the stands.

Has it occurred before

Perhaps the question might be on the minds of Jayhawk Nation, has KU ever lost two games in a row? I ask myself that as well, I certainly remember infrequent losses but two games in a row. Last week saw the Jayhawks on January 17 suffer a one-point OT loss to cross state rival Kansas State 83-82 at their place. This past Saturday TCU administered one of the worst beat downs in my memory of a Jayhawk team 83-60 at Allen Fieldhouse no less. Let’s turn on the way-back machine and return to the past for an answer, when did the Jayhawks last suffer two losses in a row. The year was 2017, the Jayhawks found themselves losers to the University of Washington and days later Arizona beat them 95-85 at Allen.

This is certainly no forthcoming sign of the apocalypse or anything that drastic it just proves a point. Earlier you read an account where I stated without offering you proof of my belief. The Big XII is the strongest most competitive basketball conference in the nation. Earlier I would have stated the Jayhawks are the best team in the Big XII, these recent events have caused me to reconsider my early view. For the first team in recent memory the championship of this conference will be decided among a number of schools. Right now Kansas State is in first place, in second are Kansas, Texas and Iowa State. TCU and Baylor are certainly within distance to contest the outcome. As for the post season tournament that’s going to be a pitched battle, of course all this is based on teams remaining free of injury.     

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Oh no

Alabama is the number 4 team in the nation, we knew that going into the game. Nate Oats might have the best team in the nation however Mizzou had an early issue. Mizzou’s Kobe Brown was a scratch due to an ankle injury, what could they do against the Crimson Tide without the scoring and defense of Brown? Bama would be the winner 85-64 over Mizzou, with that out of the way allow me to get to the upside. I’m a “glass half full guy rather than half empty” so you can quit reading at this point if you desire. The good, 6-foot 10-inch Mohamed Diarra would come off the bench and score 8 points and snatch 12 rebounds. For those who might not be familiar with his name Diarra arrived from Montreuil a town in France.

Once in this country Diarra would enroll at Garden City Community College. Prior to his arrival Diarra was Co-Defensive Player of the Year in the KJCCC last season and in 2021 Kansas Jayhawk Community College Player of the Year. Gates has brought him along slowly in an adjustment to SEC play. And leading Mizzou in scoring off the bench was The Invisible Man Isiaih Mosley, would score 19 very needed points. I certainly hope as Mizzou moves into the middle portion of SEC play Mosley is prepared for a stretch run. In closing there was one other noteworthy occurrence for me. This Mizzou team never gave up, never failed to hustle and never hung their heads despite being down double digits for a large portion of the game. I like this coach and I like this Mizzou team.

Don’t you play yourself into contention

I read and hear a great number of basketball things that make me scratch my head and say WHAT! I mentioned the other day a veteran (now retired) NBA player stated; “The Clippers are built for the playoffs.” All of us realize to win in the playoffs is the ultimate reward however there is a question on my part. If you have a non-performing team during the regular season how in the heck is that going to prepare you for the playoffs? This former player went on to state the Clippers are 8 in the Western Conference.

If the season ended as you are reading this, they would earn a playoff berth. Remember that thing continuity, where is with the Clippers? The reserves cannot play at a capable pace unsure if Paul George or Kawhi Leonard are available. If they are both on the court where does my game, go might be the questions for several of the reserves. You know my sayin’ which I haven’t used for a while, “I’m from Missouri, you’ve got to show me.” That’s what the Clippers must do…prove to me they are the best team in the NBA. I’m unsure if the Clippers are the best team in Los Angeles despite the Laker struggles.

Bits n Pieces 

How long…it’s been that long; I don’t remember which site I discovered the information. I thought it vital enough to post it in case you hadn’t seen it. LeBron James career has been long and storied how long you might ask. LeBron now in the twilight (a good twilight) of his NBA career has played against 9 father-son combos. Just a few of the names, Glen Rice and Glen Rice Jr. along with Kenyon Martin and Kenyon Martin Jr. Also Gary Payton and son Gary Payton II and Glen Robinson and Glen Robinson III.

Confusion reigns supreme for me, allow a further explanation. I read an article recently written by a baseball writer, he indicated MLB needs to change its rules regarding blackouts. Although there are differences in the sport my thoughts went immediately to my NBA dilemma, I’m sure this must apply in other areas of the country. This applies across the board, if a Thunder or Nuggets game is telecast on NBA TV, I cannot view it due to the NBA blackout rules. At the same time if those teams are on TNT, ESPN/ABC the rules go out the window. Any games telecast by the latter networks mentioned I’m able to view.

He said it but I can agree, I don’t believe in luck. Longtime writer Mike DeCoursey discussing a stretch of wins by a certain college basketball team made the statement to the radio host. If there is any such thing as luck, it’s my belief an individual or team makes their own. They play at 110% while others might only register at 85-90%. They reach down deep in their soul and will themselves or their team to victory. Michael Jordan had that ability while playing for the Bulls, I believe Magic Johnson and Larry Bird also had the “winning” gene in their DNA. Those are just a few players that come to mind. Teams, how about the 1983 NCAA champion North Carolina State team or 1991 when undefeated UNLV lost the championship to Duke 79-77. Houston and UNLV were both overwhelming favorites yet lost.

Ted Stepien

Because I digest basketball beyond my years I knew of Ted Stepien. This is what I didn’t know, The Stepien Rule, “which states that a team must have at least one first-round pick in every other draft moving forward. That pick doesn’t have to be their own, but they have to be guaranteed a pick from somewhere in every other draft.” The previous portion you read was from Sam Quinn NBA writer for CBS Sports. In case you were curious who was Ted Stepien and why did he make such an impact on the NBA? It’s generally agreed Stepien was/is the worst owner in NBA history. Think about this for a moment, in the rich history of this basketball league since 1946 up to the present.

Just consider the numbers who’ve owned teams during this period and for one guy to be identified as the worst owner. The Cavs were an expansion team, according to the records Stepien purchased a 38% interest in the team continuing to obtain shares until he owned 82% of the stock. Once he owned the majority of shares the circus moved into full effect. During the 1981-82 season Stepien fired 3 head coaches and hired 4 in their place…in a single season. Between 1981 and 1985 the Cavs traded five consecutive first round draft picks. The NBA at one point had to prohibit the team from making any additional trades. Team playing poorly, suffering at the gate so what does Stepien do? He threatens to move the team to Cincinnati, Toronto or Pittsburg after the attendance bottomed out.

You think the statements made by former Clippers owner Donald Sterling were racist and insensitive, allow me to introduce you to Ted Stepien? The history doesn’t provide us detail, but I believe the NBA forced Stepien to sell the Cavs. In April 1983 Stepien sold the team to the Gund brothers George and Gordon. As a businessman Stepien probably believed the moves he made were in the best interest of the team they were proven to be unwise. As for his racial comments unlike Sterling and Suns owner Robert Sarver made in private Stepien appeared to see nothing wrong with his racial comments since he made them to the media. This is a compacted version of the chaotic time when the Cavs had Ted Stepien as owner.

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The dreaded SI jinx

You might remember several weeks ago I wrote a story on college basketball home winning streaks. Some of us might have believed Duke, Kansas, UCLA or some other team might have the longest stretch of home wins. Turns out all the guesses were wrong; the winner was Gonzaga. The Spokane Washington school had a 76-game home winning streak longest in the nation until Thursday evening. The streak ended and most of us probably had little opportunity to see the game except those in the Mountain and Pacific Time Zones.

It was far too late for most of us in the Eastern and Midwest Time zones to watch the game. Those on the east coast and Midwest rose early Friday morning to discover Loyola Marymount had beaten Gonzaga 68-67. As for the SI jinx a number might be aware of this story. It seems every time the publication reported a story usually that team or player would suffer a loss, that would be the case for me in this account. This is the second time in recent memory I’ve written a positive story along the same lines and within days the entire scenario changed. I must ask the question of myself, have I become the dreaded SI jinx?

Wow

Mizzou managed to win a hard-fought contest 79-75 over number 25 Arkansas. After two road losses in succession (Texas A&M and Florida) Mizzou was desperate for a win. Could they, would they be able to get back on track? The usual suspects were present not shooting good from the 3pt line and rebounding the rock. That old adage applies “Live by the jump shot, die by the jump shot.” As for the other Arkansas held a 42-23 advantage, Mizzou’s got to do better in this area. Okay now that I have the negatives out of the way how did Mizzou manage to win this match?

With the exception of the 3pt line they were only a couple of percentage points behind Arkansas, they had 21 turnovers to the 12 of Mizzou. Kobe Brown on 60% shooting led the way with 17 points and 8 rebounds. Brown was aided by DeAndre Gholston with 16 points and Sean East with his 12 points, both Gholston and East came off the bench for the Tigers Mizzou has little time to savor the victory, on Saturday the top team in the SEC Alabama will be in the house. This becomes the second game close in my view if played last season Mizzou would have lost. Mizzou was down 10 points with about 5 minutes remaining in the game. I realize that’s a difficult comparison, we must explore two different Mizzou teams.      

Is there interest  

We’ve mentioned NBA expansion in the recent past, one of the locations maybe overlooked is Pittsburg Pennsylvania. The city’s had professional basketball teams in at least two professional leagues. Few are familiar with this fact; the city was a charter member of the Basketball Association of America. In 1946-47 the Ironmen began play but it would be the only season they existed; they never made it to the merger to become an NBA team. The Ironmen finished that first season with a 15-win 45 loss record, why they went out of business in only one season is unclear these 70 plus years later. The city would remain without professional basketball until 1961 when the Rens would began play in the American Basketball League not to be confused with the American Basketball Association later.

That team featured Hall of Fame player Connie Hawkins banned from playing in the NBA at the time. The ABL under financed soon went out of business only operating until December 31, 1963. It would appear the city loves being a charter member of something, in 1967 the Pipers were born in the American Basketball Association. The team moved to Minnesota the following season and then back to Pittsburgh. In 1972 they were re-named the Condors, in succeeding years poor attendance would see the franchise fold in June 1972 about four years prior to the merger. Since that date there’s been no professional basketball in the city maybe except for an exhibition game or two. Could the city support an NBA team today, that is an unknown. The NFL Steelers, NHL Penguins and baseball Pirates appear to do well at the gate. The key might be the lure of the NBA whether a substantial number of residents desire a team.

Television and basketball 

According to information provided by the NCAA the first televised game occurred way back in 1940, Pitt beat Fordham 57 to 37 at Madison Square Garden. There is no indication of the attendance however an estimated 400-1000 individuals were able to view the game. Since that marriage television has been instrumental in the growth of the game over the decades. Television and the NBA would occur at a much later date, in 1953-54 season 8, the NBA signed a contract with the defunct DuMont Network. The following season NBC took over responsibilities for the broadcast. The reason as I read the DuMont Network was found lacking in nationwide stations. The NBA was so minor league in that day they wanted DuMont to televise the worst teams rather than the best teams. The fear attendance would be affected if the best teams were telecast, go figure.

Nothing similar to today one game a week Saturday afternoon was it. This model for a game of the week schedule remained in affect through the NBA’s move from NBC to CBS to ABC and back to CBS. I’m unsure who followed whose model, but college basketball also adopted a Saturday afternoon format. Can you imagine the NBA Championship not being telecast; it did occur at a point in time. It would be years later before the NBA and college championships were available to a national television audience. The game changer for the NBA and college would be the advent of cable television. No longer handicap by network programming the goal of sports cable channels was to provide sports programming period. A virtual explosion of cable networks would occur in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s. The birth of ESPN took the lead but even they would eventually see competition in sports broadcasting. Besides ESPN basketball (NBA & college) moved to the USA Network, TBS, TNT, CBS Sports, Fox Sports, YES and 10 or 15 more not listed in this account. In closing don’t consider this complete the intent was to detail some of the history of basketball and television.