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Basketball from a fans perspective

He played basketball too

The late Tony Gwynn was among the best all-time baseball players. A lifetime .338 hitter, 8x National League Batting Champion, 15x All-Star and on and on, there are too many awards to list them all. The culmination might be his election to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Many probably were aware of this fact, I wasn’t, I didn’t realize Gwynn was quite a basketball player in high school and later SDSU. No basketball giant, he stood 5 foot 11 but we shouldn’t allow his size to fool us.

Although baseball would become his profession, he received no scholarship offers, it was different for the other sport. Later he would play baseball and basketball for SDSU our focus is the basketball. Gwynn played in the day when a point guard was just that, he scored a modest 8.8 points a game but could dunk the ball. Don’t allow that modest point per game total to fool you he could play the game. We arrive in 2023 and the All-Time assist record is still held by Gwynn although he last played basketball for SDSU in 1981. The late Tony Gwynn, a name from another sport most of us have forgotten, gained fame bouncing a ball rather than hitting one.

The Lakers continue to fool me

I’ve mentioned this previously, the February trade deadline plus a revitalized AD plus LeBron injured all appear to be contributing factors. These are factors in the resurgence of the Lakers this late season. The trade of Russell Westbrook and Patrick Beverley, the arrival of Rui Hachimura, Jared Vanderbilt, D’Angelo Russell and others. Laker Nation continues to hold its breath whenever AD is on the floor but there is no argument, he’s played outstanding basketball the last month.

The injury to LeBron James might have been a blessing in disguise. Despite his age players looked to James for leadership, with him not in the lineup they had to depend on themselves, they stepped up to the challenge. To date reserves including Austin Reaves have demonstrated their desire to win games. The Sunday evening victory was just the latest example. The Rockets are not a very good team, however the last time they faced one another the Rockets came out on the winning side. That would not be the case with this game, the Lakers were winners 134-109. AD had a 40-point game while James had a triple double 18 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists.

Rui Hachimura came off the bench contributing 20 points, 12 rebounds and 3 blocked shots, in addition Malik Beasley added 13 points. Since the February trade deadline the Lakers have gone 14 out of 21 games. The number is not overwhelming but certainly much better than earlier in the season. As the Lakers move up in the standings my mind drifts back to the beginning of the season. I wasn’t proud of myself but I had to admit the best NBA team in Los Angeles was the Clippers, April 2^nd, 2023, I’m not so sure.

Is it possible this time?

I have mentioned on more than one occasion my desire to wait for a decision. I want to wait until that player says, “I’m on the way,” that is the case for Jamarion Sharp. Some of you might be unfamiliar with him, the 7 foot 5 (yes that is correct) 235-pound center might be headed to Mizzou. He was reported to be interested in Mizzou last season when his former coach Kyle Smithpeters was added to Dennis Gates staff. Although Sharp played at Western Kentucky his coach at John C. Logan was the previously mentioned Smithpeters. IF (notice all caps) Sharp decides on Mizzou he would address a huge problem for the Tigers. He finished first in defensive block rate after coming in second the previous season.

His defensive rebounding rate is above 20% for his college career, a useful number. Sharp isn’t part of the offensive scheme although he’s got skill in and around the basket. Recognize this outstanding attribute, Sharp is swift up and down the court no lumbering stiff here. Now that I’ve built him up watch and see, he’s got one year of eligibility remaining, he likely remains at Western Kentucky…maybe. In other news Caleb Love was Mr. All Everything at Christian Brothers HS in St. Louis. Love was a 5-star prospect and had offers from several schools across the nation. Mizzou’s former Coach Cuonzo Martin tried to recruit him but the 6-foot 4 guard headed to North Carolina. Love has now entered the transfer portal, is it time for him to return to Missouri? Perhaps the wide-open offense Dennis Gates runs might be more appealing to Love over that of the departed Martin.

A name you should know

I knew the name but my circuits were not working, I was watching the HBCU College All Star Game on Sunday. During a portion of the game the announcer posed a question to viewers, “Who is college basketball’s all-time points leader (D-I, D-II, D-III or NAIA)?” His name, Travis “Machine Gun” Grant who played at Kentucky State in Frankfort Kentucky. Grant scored 4,045 points from 1969-1972 while playing at Kentucky State. His senior year Grant averaged 39.5 points a game, he was such a prolific scorer he was given the nickname machine gun.

Grant was one of the keys to his school winning three NAIA Championships in succession. He would become the 13^th pick in the first round of the 1972 NBA Draft by the Lakers. After being waived by the Lakers Grant later played for three ABA teams before concluding his pro career in 1976. He would then complete his undergraduate degree and a master’s degree from West Georgia University. Grant served as a teacher, coach and administrator before retiring in 2010. Grant’s professional career was marked by injury and he likely never reached the level many first thought. In 2009 he was honored being inducted in the College Basketball Hall of Fame, Travis “Machine” Gun Grant a name from the past we should know.