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Basketball from a fans perspective

The suspension

It will be a 25-game suspension for Ja Morant next season, the term utilized by the NBA is “reckless conduct” which certainly fits. Many in the media projected varying lengths of punishment, the most severe I read was a yearlong suspension. I have no insight just an opinion, I based my belief on cases of the past involving punishment by the league. This incident is not drug related nor was there violence involved, I shared my belief with acquaintances Morant would be out 25-30 games. As for the ruling by Adam Silver, he’s not David Stern, many including me have voiced the opinion if Stern were still commissioner the suspension would have been much longer.

In any event hopefully the time away from basketball will serve as adequate punishment for Morant. I anticipate he undergoes some type of professional counseling during his time away from basketball. In addition the possibility of mom and dad in his ear, who knows maybe they have but it’s not been evident. The suspension if upheld is without pay, rest assured he is going to feel the pain the loss of $7.6 million in salary although he certainly remains wealthy by comparison to most of us. Morant is a role model to legions of youthful fans; he’s got to get his act together for that simple reason alone. Certainly, the NBA community would love to see this talented athlete in action without the extra baggage he carries.

They were first

The majority of you reading this account might have believed the UCLA Bruins were the first collegiate team to win three consecutive national championships. The Bruins accomplished this from 1967 through 1969. The first school to win three consecutive national championships was the Tennessee A&I Tigers an HBCU school. The Tigers of the 1950’s were coached by the legendary John McClendon; McClendon learned the game from its inventor James A. Naismith who was the athletic director at the University of Kansas.

The Tigers won the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics or NAIA championship in 1957, they turned around and won again in 1958 and 1959. McClendon has been enshrined in the Naismith and College Basketball Hall of Fame; in a separate ceremony that Tiger team was also enshrined in Naismith. In 1968 the school underwent a name change and became Tennessee State a name more familiar to most of us today. For additional detail on this team check out The Dream Whisperer on NBA TV which premieres today at 2:00 p.m. Central Time.

The early draft

Can you imagine this, commissioner Silver announces Victor Wembanyama as the first pick. Later we hear Wemby claim “I have no interest in playing basketball.” That story actually occurred, in 1947 the late Clifton McNeely was the first draft pick by the Pittsburg Ironmen that season. The Basketball Association of America held its first draft and McNeely a 5-foot 10 guard from Texas Wesleyan was the choice. The record is unclear why McNeely refused to play professional basketball.

The history says his coach indicated the talent was certainly there. In any event McNeely would become a high school basketball coach and educator. Later he would return to Texas Wesleyan to secure a master’s degree. He would become assistant principle and later principle of two different high schools. In 1985 he retired from his administrative job with the Irving Independent School District in Texas, McNeely died in 2003 at the age of 84. The brief history of the man who could have been the first draft pick ever but chose a life of educating youth over basketball.

In 1948 the BAA Providence Steamrollers made the late Andy Tonkovich the first pick in that year’s draft. Tonkovich played his college basketball at Marshall earning third team All American honors by the Helms Athletic Foundation, Tonkovich was a 6-foot 1 inch guard. Similar to McNeely whom you just read Tonkovich’s mark in history is also quite interesting. He would begin play with the Steamrollers but quit at mid-season after playing but 17 games.

Tonkovich would sign with the Wheeling Blues of the All-American Basketball League as player coach. Apparently he never looked back after this move playing and coaching for them through the 1952 season. It’s said after he retired Tonkovich became a high school coach and physical education teacher, in 1973 he was enshrined in the NAIA Hall of Fame. He died in 2006 at the age of 83. If you are wondering his BAA average in those 17 games, 2.6 points per game. As you can see the predecessor of the NBA got off to a rough start with its first picks in 1947 and 1948.

Say What?

Have you heard the reports, the Lakers are looking at trading the number 17 pick on Thursday for veteran help. In my view I prefer to build a team in a manner similar to what the Nuggets have done. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is the only starter the Nuggets didn’t draft, that is an ol skool belief. Nowadays fans desire instant gratification, that is certainly true of some members of Laker Nation. After all with 17 NBA championships I guess it’s easy to become spoiled. 

As for the proposed move, if the Lakers intend to do this I’m okay with it except in one instance. I don’t want a veteran player no matter how talented that’s got baggage. My definition of baggage is a game not amenable to another system. I can provide you two examples of how I define this, Russell Westbrook and Patrick Beverley. Despite the apparent talent they brought to the table both were lacking that; you know what it is.