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Basketball from a fans perspective

Bits n Pieces 

Sam Mitchell is a favorite analyst on NBA TV, he’s insightful without being overbearing as some who perform this task. I’ve always enjoyed his take on the NBA and players except this time. Covering the evening scores he said this about the Clippers Monday night win. “By the end of the season they might be the best team in the Western Conference.” They certainly are playing better basketball with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George in the lineup consistently. I realize once the playoffs occur the Clippers will not be forced to play all the contenders. These are the Nuggets, Grizzlies or Kings however there are the Suns and Kyrie Irving Mavs and maybe the Lakers to contend with. As for Mr. Mitchell and his current view of the Clippers this is my take, “Show me, I’m from Missouri.”    

The SEC and SWAC share an anomaly, each conference has three schools with Tigers as their symbol. We have the Mizzou Tigers, Auburn Tigers along with the LSU Tigers in the SEC. The SWAC has the Grambling State Tigers, Jackson State Tigers and Texas Southern Tigers. Tigers might not be the most used symbol among schools, but it certainly appears to be quite prevalent. We have the Memphis Tigers, Clemson Tigers, Tennessee State Tigers, Towson Tigers, Pacific Tigers, and Princeton Tigers. It might be a good idea if a school is considering a change in its symbol, they might choose something other than a Tiger.

It’s okay

Victor Wembanyama could be drafted in June and fall flat on his face by late winter 2023. I doubt that occurs but if you wish to argue he’s too skinny or something else about his game consider these facts. 200 NBA scouts and executives were salivating after seeing him in action last October against G-League Team Elite. LeBron James said, “Everybody’s been a unicorn over the last few years, but he (Wembanyama) is more like an alien. No one has ever seen anyone as tall as he is but as fluid and as graceful as he is on the floor.” This is Giannis answering the question, “He’s incredible. I believe in 2045, everybody is going to look like Victor.

His skills, the way he can shoot the ball, the way he can move, he’s extremely fast for his size, he can block shots, he can be a threat on the defensive end, he’s unbelievable.” Steph Curry approached his definition different from the others. “He’s like the (NBA) 2K create-a-player, every point guard that wants to be 7-foot. Cheat-code-type vibes, man. He’s a solid talent. It’s great to watch.” There have been other NBA players such as Kevin Durant and Rudy Gobert praise the future of the NBA with Wemby in some team’s lineup. I begin this account by stating you have no basis for believing what I say, I’m just a guy who loves basketball and enjoys writing about it. The athletes I mention have insight to accurately analyze talent, we need to listen to them.

Black History Moment

The late John Wooden has been closely associated with UCLA basketball. For good reason his UCLA teams dominated college basketball from 1965 through 1975, there was an earlier moment in the coaches history when he faced segregation head on. He coached at Indiana State (yes, Larry Bird’s school), the school was yet to move to Division I, they competed as an NAIA program. Kansas City has served as host for the tournament since the NAIA’s founding in 1937. Wooden’s 1947 team received an invitation to play in the NAIB as it was known then.

Wooden refused the invitation, the NAIB had a rule in place no black players were allowed. At the time most black players were enrolled in HBCU schools. The coach likely wrote the NAIB a “nice” letter chewing them out regarding their rules, Indiana State had a player named Clarence Walker on the squad. In 1948 with another winning team the school was invited to the tournament again. This time the rule banning black players had been lifted and it’s believed Wooden was the driving force. Not only the tournament but the hotel stay as well. It was reported Walker was allowed to stay in a hotel with his teammates although segregation was strictly in forced at the time. John Wooden a white man caused a landmark change in how this tournament would conduct itself in the future.  

Hey guys, you left me

This might not be the order but let’s pretend it was. Kevin Durant joins the Nets with Kyrie Irving at point guard and James Hardin shooting guard. The Nets would now contend for an NBA championship which will never occur now. I’m not saying the Nets will never win a championship, they will not win it since two of the trifecta are no longer in place. James Hardin informed the Nets last season he’d had enough and demanded a trade. Hardin is now entering his first full season as a Sixer. Last week Irving decided his time was up in Brooklyn and he also asked the Nets to trade him. So now Durant must be saying to them, “Hey guys, you left me,” I thought we intended to win a championship.