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Basketball from a fans perspective

Where do they sit?

The UConn Huskies are to be congratulated, they won the 2023 NCAA Championship beating SDSU 76-59. SDSU managed to whittle the lead down to 5 points in the second half but that was about it. UConn simply overwhelmed its opposition. With Monday’s outcome UConn’s won 5 NCAA Championships, where do they stand in the grouping of great basketball programs? A friend texted me Tuesday morning “Congratulations for picking UConn to win it all.” My response was quick, “I appreciate it but it was ESPN’s Jay Bilas not me. Early before play began Bilas picked UConn, I just went with his choice.” With that out of the way let’s check a few things, I have another friend who grew up in Storrs. Sean is probably not going to be pleased in what he is about to read now.

Is UConn a Blue Blood program, after all they have more NCAA Championships than Kansas with 4 championships as an example? I am hearing arguments pro and con on the matter so let’s delve into them. I have listened to arguments claiming the 5 Huskie Championships have been spread apart so is it legitimate? The last time UConn won it all was 2014, 9 years ago. Kansas spread was even more drastic, they won the 1952 NCAA Championship but didn’t win again until 36 years later, 1988. Is it a team’s overall win total that deem it a Blood Blue program or something else? I’m unsure if we can use a teams coaching history as a barometer of a program’s success or lack thereof. The question remains is Indiana considered a Blue Blood program; the Hoosiers have won 5 championships, the last one in 1977. There are other issues I might have missed or plain overlooked, what do you think?

Who are they

Below is the list of schools and the number of championships won. 1939 was the first year the tournament was held and below is the list of the Top 5 winners of all-time. 

UCLA – 11

Kentucky – 8

North Carolina – 6

Duke – 5

Indiana – 5

UConn – 5

Kansas – 4

As you check your math you will discover the schools on this list have won half of the NCAA Championships, it might have been more if not for the pandemic. The 2020 championship was cancelled due to covid.

The Hall of Fame

A number of Halls of Fame exist throughout the nation, however the most prestigious are the national institutions. Springfield Massachusetts is home of the Naismith Hall of Fame. Before I go any further allow me to state it is not the NBA Hall although there seems to be confusion in some instances. An individual, team or media member can be enshrined and have no connection to the NBA. Now that’s out of the way I will proceed with this story.

I have no intention of mentioning all the names to be enshrined in September, just a few. A number played for more than one NBA team so the team I list is the one believed to have been the most noteworthy. Becky Hammon former WNBA player, first female assistant NBA coach who hired her. Gregg Popovich is a veteran Spurs coach and in my estimation one of the best ever to occupy a coaching chair. Gene Keady was Purdue basketball for a number of very successful winning seasons. Those are just a few names receiving notice they join a prestigious list of former players, coaches, teams and media members of the past.

Gregg Popovich – Spurs

Dirk Nowitzki – Mavs

Dwayne Wade – Heat

Tony Parker – Spurs

Pau Gasol – Lakers

Becky Hammon – WNBA

Gene Keady – Purdue coach

Another sighting

Have you read or heard the commentary? A number of folks have already decided Victor Wembanyama is too skinny for his height (7 foot 4 230 pounds) I have the eye of an amateur who must depend on what a number of scouts and NBA players have stated. Can Wembanyama play in the NBA, I have no idea, however I ain’t brave enough to say he can’t and there is a clear reason. You might remember a TV guy questioned whether Kristaps Porzingis was good enough to play in the association prior to the 2015 draft. 

You might remember in 2002 Charles Barkley on Inside the NBA made a ridiculous bet in my view regarding Yao Ming and his ability to play in the NBA. There have been a number of draft busts over the course of time, the difference we wait until they compete on the court. We cannot decide if they can’t play before they even arrive on an NBA court near you. We certainly have the right to make predictions but I would hesitate to accept the results until candidate A proved he couldn’t play in the NBA. While mulling over the statement check out the video, have you seen the play in the past?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mP6r0svXgV0