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Basketball from a fans perspective

This is a basketball blog

You know this is a basketball blog however there are times I venture into other sports, that is the case here. John Sherman owner of the Kansas City Royals wants a downtown stadium for his baseball team. My primary concern…who pays for this billionaires edifice? Allow me to explain further, Sherman indicates the entire project will total about $2 billion, he says Royals management will contribute $1 billion. Taxpayers will be on the hook for the balance of construction costs. Let’s take a look at other parts of the nation. In San Francisco Chase Center home of the Warriors was opened in 2019, construction cost was $1.4 billion it was privately financed. Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle is not actually a new arena, the former Key Arena was gutted except for the iconic roof.

Construction for Climate Pledge was privately financed and amounted to $1.15 billion, this arena opened in 1962 had a re-birth in 2021. Intuit Dome planned home of the Clippers will open in 2024, construction cost projected to be $1.2 billion. The construction cost will be underwritten by owner Steve Balmer. We close this exercise looking toward Philadelphia and planned home of the Sixers, this arena has an opening hopeful in 2031. Construction cost will be privately financed. I hope you see the common theme here, we have no idea what occurs 10-15 years after these buildings are open. Will local taxpayers be responsible for arena upkeep, that is an unknown as this is written and cannot be answered. As much as I love sport it is shameless for taxpayers to underwrite the cost of luxury palaces for sports owners. If or when this issue is placed on the ballot you have an idea which direction I intend to vote. I realize the view expressed is in opposition to many but that's okay. I fail to see why the public must remain hostage to sports owners who attempt to "blackmail" citizens with implied threats. 

The “new” Big XII

Evidently Colorado decided their move in 2010 to the Pac-12 was not what they expected, the administration decided it might be better to return to the Big XII. There is history, Colorado became a member of the Big 7 conference in 1947. The conference expanded becoming the Big 8 and finally Big XII. Once Texas and Oklahoma depart for the SEC adding Colorado the Big XII will become a 13-team conference.

I cannot speak the football or basketball however since this is a basketball blog we check the past basketball standings. Last season the Buffs finished the regular season with an 18-17 record but over the prior four seasons they won 20+ games. Tad Boyle’s been head coach since the 2010-11 season, in that time his teams have won 272 games while losing 172 for a .613 percentage. Without researching the question it’s my belief a move of this type must have occurred in the past. My first thought on this movie is certainly quite different.

Lost in basketball history

You might be unable to repeat chapter and verse but you’ve heard of them, (Larry) Bird Rights and the Oscar Robertson rule. These player right changes impacted the game significantly however at least two more came into existence due to Spencer Haywood. Those who are familiar with the name Spencer Haywood are probably unsure of his impact on the game. There are two instances of Haywood rulings in the past that directly reflect players of today. The first is the NBA draft, in 1969 the NBA rule stated an athlete must have completed his senior year of college to be draft eligible.

The American Basketball Association had a similar rule however the ABA commissioner figured out a method to draft Spencer Haywood. In 1969 Haywood was ready for professional basketball, he proved it first at Trinidad Junior College and later at the University of Detroit. A Mike Storen investigation uncovered the fact Haywood’s family was impoverished, Storen was the first to formulate the term “hardship.” This new term simply meant any player desiring to leave college early could utilize the same procedure. Haywood signed with the Denver Rockets (Nuggets) and dominated the ABA in his rookie year but wait there is more. Once again Haywood would make an impact on the game, the owner of the Sonics signed Haywood the next season. This was in violation of NBA rules so what occurred you ask?

Sam Schulman then owner of the Sonics filed an antitrust lawsuit against the NBA which eventually made its way to the United States Supreme Court. The NBA would agree to a settlement and thus Haywood was allowed to compete in the NBA. The latter portion of Haywood’s career was checkered, it had nothing to do with his ability. It’s the belief of many drug usage would rob him of much of his basketball skill. By all indications since retirement Haywood’s direction in life is one of a positive nature. In closing I’ve provided just a tidbit of the history, there is additional detail should you desire to research further. 

Bits n Pieces  

Who are they, the reference is college basketball All-Americans? This was never an automatic ticket to the NBA but it was status i.e. being named to the first or second team. With countless players leaving college after their freshman year while others bypass college all together. I had no idea who earned All-Americans this past season so I had to check. Junior Zach Edney returned to Purdue, as for the others three seniors and one additional junior Jalen Wilson of Kansas are all headed to the NBA.

In the Class of 2025 we have a new name, allow me to introduce to several the name of Tee Bartlett. Bartlett hails from Coronado High School in Henderson Nevada. Although I’m hesitant to refer to him as a Big Man (6 foot 10) his 275 pounds says otherwise. Bartlett is rated a 4-star prospect by Rivals and 247Sports, headed into his junior year of high school there are several offers on the table. Among those are Arizona State, UNLV, Michigan, Ohio State and others. We shall pay attention over the next few years to determine where he might be headed, it could be college, the G-League, OTE or Australia.

What do I know about basketball…not much apparently. I watched all the Laker Summer League games, I remember seeing Alex Fudge in action but failed to see anything outstanding. Despite the fact I was unimpressed my opinion fails to count with the Laker coaching staff who took an opposing view. The staff decided in favor of adding the 6-foot 9-inch 200-pound wing to the roster in the form of a two-way contract. In order to make this move Cole Swider in his second summer with the Lakers was waived. Hopefully Swider will be able to latch onto a team. Although Fudge is not much of an offensive threat it was his defense which impressed the staff.

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Basketball from a fans perspective

Two speculative story’s

You are about to read two accounts surrounding LeBron James, neither can be documented. The first involves Bronny James, Stephen A. Smith has no connection inside the James family but made this claim, “If his son is seriously ill LeBron will retire from the NBA.” The health and well-being of Bronny is crucial for mother and father I believe we all understand that. This is the statement, Smith has no more idea of the future than you or me he is only speculating the same thing we might do.

The second account revolves around NBA expansion as it relates to Las Vegas. This portion of the story originates with former NBA player Tracy McGrady and not James. McGrady claims he’s received inside information on a prospective owner. He states James is at the top of a list to become owner of a Las Vegas expansion team. McGrady further indicated he intends to join LeBron and whoever else would be in an ownership group. There is no doubt James has the financial clout along with several others to accomplish the task. This concludes two suppositions one by Stephen A. Smith the other by Tracy McGrady

He said WHAT?

I believe there is no one who will argue this fact, Clippers owner Steve Ballmer has several players who owe him a refund on their earnings. After I read this quote from coach Tyronn Lue I almost fell outta my chair. “I told Kawhi and PG (Paul George) this summer, we do gotta approach the regular season in a different way…let’s be serious about it, lets not wait til the playoffs, because its serious.” I understand coaches attempting to motivate an individual or a team to improve their effort this approach is not brand new. Allow me to state this upfront I respect Kansas Citian and Clippers coach Lue.

Lue’s appeal to the two keys to Clipper success borders on begging with them, these guys are longtime pros, why is it necessary to point out facts they should be aware of? The Clippers have never had a talent issue, in the recent past most figured they had one of the best starting lineups in the NBA. As an example Kawhi and PG are among the best talents in the NBA, the problem is they have been unable to maintain consistent presence on the court. This has been mostly due to injury however load management played a key role as well. What in the world of the NBA is going on when load management fails to apparently work successfully?  

A Lilliputian lineup

If ESPN’s NBA page is correct the Golden State Warriors might have the smallest starting lineup since the 1940’s. We are not close to training camp however the depth chart could appear to be short in stature. Chris Paul (6’0) is listed as the point guard, Steph Curry (6’2) is the shooting guard, at small forward is Klay Thompson (6’6), power forward we have Andrew Wiggins (6’7) and 6’6 Draymond Green at the center position. Let’s take a closer inspection of this lineup working from the center and back. Green at 230 pounds certainly has the bulk to play the center position.

To my knowledge it’s been my belief Green’s not played center for the majority of a game, I could be wrong. Wiggins might be able to out quick a number of power forwards but he gives away far too much height and weight against most in the NBA. Thompson at the small forward most likely works, he’s practically playing the position at times anyway. We now come to the real dilemma, who is the point guard…is it Curry or Paul? This could work to the Warriors advantage, certainly Curry is a volume shooter over Paul but that fails to take into account Curry is more than a capable passer. In closing the question of defense must always be taken into consideration, who steps up for these guys?

A really Big Man

If you thought Victor Wembanyama was gigantic allow me to introduce a player even bigger in height and certainly weight. His name is Oliver Rioux and guess what…he’s still in high school. Rioux stands 7 foot 6 inches and 290 pounds and you thought Wemby was tall. Rioux is from Montreal Canada and is entering his junior year at IMG Academy in Bradenton Florida. YouTube video of Rioux in action prior to IMG is available, after watching the video it was evident to me. He might be taller and heavier than Wemby but is nowhere close to the French teen in his development on the court.

Rioux has developed a limited offensive game and video detailed him blocking shots or merely intimidating opposition players. Despite this fact he appears mechanical and somewhat stiff in action. Although these comments might be perceived as negatives Rioux displayed improvement as a sophomore over videos of him in action as a freshman. Basketball today seems to have limited interest in developing Big Men, Zach Edey provides us proof of this. Edey also from Canada was viewed as a second-round draft choice in 2023, he decided in favor of returning to Purdue in hope of improving his draft position. As for Rioux I will continue to monitor his progress over the next two seasons.

Skyhook

Former Bucks broadcaster Eddie Doucette dubbed Kareem Abdul Jabbar’s shot as a skyhook, if you are unfamiliar with how this came about a brief description. Broadcasting back in the day was much different from the present, we are accustomed to seeing broadcasters seated next to the games official scorers, clock managers and others. Doucette and others were seated in the upper portion of arenas broadcasting the game. Doucette claimed Abdul Jabbar’s shot appeared to be coming from out of the sky at the height he saw from his position. We certainly don’t claim this as fact it’s been reported no opposing player ever blocked the shot, Abdul Jabbar would miss on occasion but his shot was never blocked.  

I guess with a reported 8-foot 4-inch wingspan it might be a slight bit difficult to block the shot once Abdul Jabbar was at his maximum extension. Back in the day the opposition would attempt to push and muscle him from his comfort zone, this was to prevent him from successfully sinking the shot. You might wonder the direction I’m going with this story, it leads us directly to wunderkind Victor Wembanyama. Wemby indicates he is “working” on a hook shot currently. Despite his height advantage (7-5) over Abdul Jabbar (7-2) his wingspan is not quite as lengthy. The wingspan for Wemby is reported to be 8-feet, at the beginning of his NBA career he’s going to play power forward rather than center like Abdul Jabbar. Although he might be playing a different position this should still prove interesting if Wemby develops his own version of a skyhook.    

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Basketball from a fans perspective

There is a history

I watched and listened to a cardiologist this morning on The Today Show, the discussion centered on Bronny James and the cardiac arrest he suffered at practice. I then thought back to last winter and Bills safety Damar Hamlin and others. According to this cardiologist African American males suffer in disproportion numbers in this area no matter the field of endeavor. There are other issues which cause heart-related problems which I discovered searching the net.

“Research suggests African Americans may carry a gene that makes them more salt-sensitive, increasing the risk of high blood pressure and heart disease.” The flowing accounts are not instances of cardiac arrest however they are heart related, I mentioned Hank Gaithers at Marymount in yesterday’s account. I had almost forgotten about former Celtic Reggie Lewis. In the case of Gaithers and Lewis both suffered death due to heart issues. In 2018 Shareef O’Neal son of Shaunie and Shaquille underwent open heart surgery to correct an issue with his heart. As much as we might love the game of basketball to have a healthy life is much more important.

The SEC

Prior to Mizzou’s move to the SEC I didn’t know a great deal about the conference. Sure I was aware the dominance of Alabama, Auburn, LSU and Georgia football but not a great deal about the basketball. As for the basketball I thought it was only Kentucky and Florida and maybe Tennessee or one other, I figured Mizzou would struggle in football but compete successfully in basketball. I certainly missed the boat on that one, offering no excuse Mizzou basketball was not as good as I believed it would be.

After Mizzou struggled much of the past few seasons new coach Dennis Gates arrived on the scene and was able to produce a sustainable team quickly. As I look ahead to the 2023-24 season it appears Mizzou will have its hands filled once again. All way too early Top 25 polls list the same teams and get this, they are chock full of SEC schools. I perused ESPN’s poll they list Tennessee at 6, Arkansas 14, Kentucky 17, Texas A&M 19 and Alabama 22. This should provide us an idea the SEC will again be competitive in the upcoming season, will Mizzou be prepared for battle, I certainly hope so?

Bits n Pieces

I didn’t read the article only the headline, Laker guard Austin Reaves proclaimed former Laker Russell Westbrook “was the best teammate he’s ever had.” If this appears strange coming from me allow a brief explanation, I would like to point out there was never any hatred on my part toward Westbrook, at the time he was acquired I felt he just wasn’t a good fit for the Lakers. My view of him varied over the course of his time with the team. After he left the Clippers signed him and I pointed out his numbers were much better than had been exhibited for the Lakers. I hope Westbrook has a good season, just not against the Lakers I hope.

Wemby can’t play at the NBA level, at least that’s what we’ve been led to believe. I am unsure about you but I’ve heard from a number of former NBA players claiming Victor Wembanyama will have difficulty transferring his game from Europe. What is really amazing to me are the names willing to come forth with these claims. The most recent name to add to the crowd is Glen “Big Baby” Davis who spent the greater portion of his career with the Celtics. For those who might be unfamiliar with the name Davis was drafted in 2007 by the Sonics, his rights were later traded to the Celtics. He would conclude his NBA career in 2015 with the Clippers, his lifetime numbers 8 points along with 4 rebounds a game. We might discover Wemby can’t play successfully at the NBA level but why not determine that on the court rather than in the media.

I like this argument, we have witnessed statements mostly from NBA fans. They claim Player A who appeared in the 1950’s couldn’t play in today’s NBA and something similar. It’s always been an issue for me, comparing players from different eras and that’s changed now. I’m not sure where this began but a discussion ensued who was the better player Dwayne Wade or Paul Pierce. For once we had athletes playing in the same time frame. Wade entered the NBA in 2003 and was active until 2019, as for Pierce it was 1998 through 2017. If we look strictly at the numbers Wade scored at a 22.0 point clip a game while it was 19.7 for Pierce. Things are never balanced, the Heat might have depended more on Wade over the Celtics use of Pierce. Wade has three NBA championships to the single championship won by Pierce, you are the decider here.

I could be proven wrong

Based on the latest news Mexico City might be gain an NBA franchise over my hometown. The NBA announced on Wednesday the Orlando Magic and Atlantic Hawks will play a regular season game November 9, 2023. According to a news release “It will be the 32 NBA game in Mexico since 1992, more than any other country besides the United States and Canada.” If you remember the article I questioned if the altitude of Mexico City (7,349 feet) might be a detriment to obtaining an expansion franchise. Visiting NBA teams have complained for years about playing in Denver’s rarefied 5,276-foot air.

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Basketball from a fans perspective

Shocking news

On Monday morning I wrote “Is he an NBA prospect?” The story dealt with Bronny James and the three mock draft sites I utilize regularly. On Tuesday morning at work I was shocked to read the youngster had suffered cardiac arrest while at Southern Cal practice. At this point you have as much if not more information as me but I want to look a little further. The sports world came to a halt last winter when Bills safety Damar Hamlin suffered the same fate on the football field, I didn’t see the action as it occurred only video of it later that afternoon. I can remember seeing video of Loyola Marymount’s Hank Gaithers collapse on the basketball court.  

Because I’m focused on basketball I was more familiar with Bronny James over Hamlin however the concern was evident. The early medical report on James, he is in stable condition and his outlook appears good, he is no longer in ICU. As for the long-range plan that is unknown, I feel reasonably sure of one fact. There will be no basketball for James in the 2023-24 season, beyond that is an unknown. LeBron James Sr. has spoken of playing on the same team as his son, that prospect may be out the window now. The health and well-being of young James is certainly more important than any basketball game. Stay informed for further updates on this story.

Imagine this

I read a portion of this from a .com site and thought it so interesting I wanted to share. Can you imagine this, a basketball team that once averaged 107.1 points per game during its season. If you are thinking an NBA team plus the shot clock and 3-point baskets that’s easy to understand how a pro team could score in that manner. Wait a moment, did I state it was a professional team, I don’t believe I said that. The shot clock was introduced to the college game in 1985, the 3-point basket came into being in college basketball in 1986. The 1976-77 UNLV Running Rebels under the late Jerry Tarkanian scored at that accelerated pace. I have no idea of their schedule, at the time they played as an independent. If you are thinking the UNLV was loaded with NBA prospects that was not the case. Of the players on that roster Reggie Theus was the only roster member to have an extensive NBA career.

He scored what?

The scoring and rebounding exploits of Wilt Chamberlain have been covered over time. As this is written I came across a story I found…well allow me to explain. Chamberlain who once score 100 points in a game, Chamberlain in the 1961-62 season averaged 50.4 points a game. It wasn’t just Chamberlain’s offense his rebounding of the basketball today is difficult to believe. The lowest percentage during his NBA career was 18.4 rebounds a game, there were 11 seasons his rebound total exceeded 21 or more per game.

Now that you see the big picture the game played March 27, 1973, would prove quite unique for what would occur. In 46 minutes of action Chamberlain scored 0 points because he took 0 shots from the floor. Chamberlain was a notoriously poor free throw shooter but no matter he took 0 free throws anyway. He did manage 14 rebounds and 4 assists, he fouled twice in the Laker loss against Kareem Abdul Jabbar’s Bucks 85-84. The only explanation, Chamberlain was close to ending his illustrious NBA career so he certainly had slowed by that point. That is the only explanation for a game that saw the prolific scoring Chamberlain register 0 points in a game.

More trivia

I discovered trivia you can utilize with your friends and acquaintances. If I were to ask the oldest professional basketball team still active today you probably look to 1947. That was the date the Basketball Association of America organized and began play but that’s not the answer. The correct reply is the Sacramento Kings who continue play to this day, you might say “How can that be, the BAA hadn’t been founded yet?” At this point you must begin following the timeline of several moves and name changes. The team began play in 1923 but it certainly wasn’t in Sacramento. Rochester New York was the original home back then, they were the Seagrams they would play under that name until 1942.

In the 1942-1943 season they were re-named the Eber Seagrams, later in 1943 they underwent a name change again becoming the Rochester Pros. In 1945 they were re-named once again becoming the Royals they remained in the city until 1957. That year the team moved to Cincinnati and maintained the same name, the Royals called Cincinnati home until 1972 when they moved once again this time to Kansas City-Omaha and underwent another name change becoming the Kings. In 1975 Omaha was dropped and they would continue as the Kansas City Kings from 1975 until 1985 when they move to Sacramento where they remain the Kings to date. The early association with the Seagrams name is likely the liquor company, the uniforms of that period read Eber Bros (brothers).

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Basketball from a fans perspective

Figure him out if you can

James Hardin has traveled a bit during his lengthy NBA career, let’s do a quick count of the teams he’s played for. He was drafted by the Thunder in 2009 and remained with them through 2012. Next up it was the Rockets and Hardin remained in Houston until 2021, he would move to the Nets and was in Brooklyn through the middle of 2022. A trade sent him to the Sixers where he remains to date but wait there is more.

Once again Hardin appears on the move as he’s indicated a desire to leave Philadelphia. Perhaps this is not fair on my part but the Sixer games I witnessed last season didn’t represent the Hardin I was accustomed to seeing play. This might appear to be a playoff thing but when Hardin was good he was very good, when he was bad, okay I think you understand the direction I’m going here. Hardin will turn 34 years of age before the season begins, the question now has become is there any gas left in the tank for Hardin? Although from what I read he’s yet to name a destination but definitely wants out of Philly.   

10 + 4 = 14 – 2 = 12

The mystery in the headline is this, the Big XII conference has operated with 10 teams since the 2011-12 season. In July Brigham Young, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF became conference members (14). The following season will see Oklahoma and Texas depart for the SEC leaving it a conference of 12 again. Now football is much easier to schedule but since this is a basketball blog that’s what we’ll cover here. At the time there were only 10 schools the basketball was scheduled in this manner. Each school played a home and away game for a total of 18 conference games.

The complete play dates have not been finalized however the conference announced the schedule in this manner. Each Big XII school will play 5 opponents twice home and away, they would play one game each against the remaining teams four at home and 4 on the road. Once the 2024-25 season comes about the schedule will revert back to the previous one. In all the gyrations undertaken the conference will still play the same number of schools this upcoming season the format has been changed. Have you got this new adjusted schedule committed to memory yet? I wonder how Bill Self will take the departure of Oklahoma and Texas, should I remind you what occurred for Mizzou with the coach?

He might even be better today

I covered this story recently, for an unexplained reason Dennis Rodman decided he would attack Celtic great Larry Bird’s ability to play the game. He hinted that Bird might not be good enough to play in the NBA of today. I discussed this with a co-worker who was unfamiliar with the Rodman podcast. I relayed it to him and he brought a different perspective to the issue. James said, “Playing in today’s NBA Bird might be even better than what we witnessed in the 1980’s.”

He continued with this observation, “Team defense is certainly nowhere near as good as it was back then.” What’s not to say Bird might be an even better shooter today over 1986 playing in the present NBA.” James went on to say, “Today’s players are better conditioned and for the most part in better physical shape than many back then. There is no doubt in my mind players adjust their game based on conditions, why would that not be the case for Bird.” I stated this previously this could be Rodman or someone else, how can you compare players from 1986 and try to match it to those playing the game in 2023.

Best prospect available

The NBA draft can certainly on occasion prove tricky, scouts and front office personnel projecting future play of a prospect. I’ve mentioned on more than one occasion the former administration of the NFL Cowboys always went for the best prospect available rather than position. I must admit this account contains a portion gathered from another site. If we travel back in time to 1979 we discover the Lakers made a similar decision, drafting the prospect over the position required. The Lakers had very capable Norm Nixon playing at the point, they also had the first pick in the June draft so a decision was needed.

This was the Laker thought process, “We need a shooting guard, Sidney Moncrief at Arkansas is the best shooting guard in this draft.” What direction do you suppose the Lakers went in the 1979 draft, if you are thinking shooting guard you are incorrect. They drafted Magic Johnson a point guard they had no requirement for the position. Just in case you are unfamiliar with Moncrief who was drafted by the Bucks consider this. He was an All-American at Arkansas and would become an NBA All Pro. After he retired Moncrief would be enshrined in the Naismith and College Basketball Hall of Fame so we can conclude the guy must have certainly been an outstanding player. As for the other guy, Magic Johnson, turned out to have a pretty good NBA career too. The Bucks, while certainly good during Moncrief’s time never came close to the championship record Johnson help establish for the Lakers.

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Basketball from a fans perspective

It seems

Every morning or afternoon I’m reading a story on who the Lakers should sign for their 15-man roster. You want to know how bad it’s gotten, just the other day I read one connected with Nerlens Noel. My thought didn’t he sign with someone else, yes he did I discovered? I looked at the publishing date and discovered it was 2 days old. Unless we are discussing a historical event I try as best possible to maintain stories of the current nature. This is written on Sunday for publication on Monday and it involves Colin Castleton.

While the Lakers appear to be searching high and low for that center they actually have him under contract although it’s a two-way. I know what you are going to say, “Summer League basketball is not real basketball, there are no veterans present.” I’m going to agree with you except, how can a rookie learn to play at the NBA level if never given the opportunity. The numbers for the 6-foot 11 250-pound Castleton were good. 20.6 points, 13.5 rebounds, 6.4 assists along with 1.7 blocks per game in 40 minutes of action. For me the numbers in bold really stand out, they offer proof Castleton is not a selfish player he can find the cutters for skillful assists.  

He’s a Royals fan

It’s difficult to locate many Royals fan outside of the Kansas City metro. The struggle is real, this season the Royals are the worst team in major league baseball, you see the difficulty for fans. As this is written they just lost their 73 game of the season, they have only been in the win column 28 times thus far. Despite such a poor record they have a long-time fan on the east coast, not only that this guy grew up practically in the shadow of Yankee Stadium. Who is this glutton for punishment you might ask before I go there allow me to return to the past. It was July 24, 1983, the Royals back then were one of the better teams in the majors, among the talent on the team was third baseman George Brett. For those unfamiliar with Brett he was among the best hitters in baseball history (look him up). The Royals were playing the Yankees in the old stadium demolished in 2009.

The Royals were behind 4-3 in the top of the ninth when Brett hit a two-run homer against their ace reliever Goose Gossage. Brett would circle the bases and touch home plate and returned to the visitors’ dugout. Yankee manager Billy Martin called time out and met with the home plate umpire, after consultation with the other umpiring crew Brett was called out…the basis, pine tar on his bat was ruled to be too high. The Royals played the remainder of the game under protest, a ruling was made by the commissioners’ office in their favor and the final inning was re-played August 18 with the Royals deemed winners. Watching the July game on WPIX-TV in his Jersey City home was 10-year-old Dan Hurley. Hurley now UConn basketball coach indicates that’s the day he became a Royals fan and has continued his allegiance to this day. Of course his occupational sport is college basketball, last April Hurley’s UConn team became NCAA champions as the Huskies beat San Diego State 76-59.

OTE made its presence known

If you saw the 2023 NBA draft or read about it you are aware of this fact, Overtime Elite or OTE had its coming out party on June 22. This new league had Amen Thompson as the number 4 pick while Ausar Thompson was chosen pick 5, it was more than just the twins being drafted. These two became the first athletes drafted into the NBA by OTE a startup league in its second year of operation. Much later Jaylen Martin and Jazian Gortman signed two-way contracts, both played this past season for OTE.

One or more of these athletes must prove successful in order for the league to register on the NBA’s radar. We can attest to the fact OTE has certainly gotten off to a swift start. As for its background OTE is based in Atlanta and the league contains six teams, these teams play one another and also compete against national high school competition across the nation. 2021-22 was the first season of play for OTE, unlike the G-League and similar leagues a prospect can begin play as a 16-year-old. This is a partnership league, players receive a minimum salary of $100,000 along with a signing bonus plus shares in the business, high school classes are provided for those yet to receive their diploma. Financial opportunities plus the opportunity to play competitive basketball is certainly quite a dividend.

Several former NBA players are associated with the OTE in several capacities, Dominque Wilkins is administrator/general manager. Carmelo Anthony, Jay Williams and Pau Gasol serve on OTE’s board of directors and beginning in the fall several games will be televised on Prime Video. Only time will tell if this startup league will be successful into the future, we can agree on this single fact. OTE continues its task in signing talent for the upcoming third season in the fall, how about internally? Could we see additional teams added, after all there are only 6 teams at this stage. 

No requirement to be a butt head

Sometimes we have it all wrong, we have a tendency to believe those who are blessed with great wealth are butt heads. Possibly in a number of instances that observation might be correct, how about the other instances? We could profile Josh Kroenke as an example, he’s been super rich his entire life. Josh was born into the Walton family of Wal Mart fame. He attended public high school in Columbia (MO) and Mizzou on a basketball scholarship. Kroenke was an okay basketball player and the basketball world was aware Josh was not headed to the professional ranks.

After time he was named president of the NBA Nuggets and NHL Avalanche by his farther Stan. I was made aware by a former Mizzou basketball player Josh Kroenke was truly a friend, despite his families great wealth he’s remained an everyday guy who loves the game of basketball. This person stated in Columbia from time to time he’s heard negative comments regarding the Kroenke family…really not surprising though. Josh Kroenke President of Basketball Operations for the Denver Nuggets and Colorado Avalanche. This transplanted Missourian has a reason to be proud, his Nuggets team culminated the season with an NBA championship.

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Basketball from a fans perspective

A money thing vs Attitude

Much has been written over the past week regarding the Lakers effort to sign Christian Wood. Wood adds an element to the team that’s lacking at the present. As for the money thing there are at least two teams that could outbid the Lakers for Wood. The Lakers only have the vet minimum available, as best I can determine that amounts to $2.6 million. That would be seen as sufficient for the majority of us but we are discussing the salary of a veteran NBA player, I believe Wood is earning in the neighborhood of $13 million. It appears the Lakers are going to come up short but wait there is more…attitude. I have been reading Wood has issues, he tends to take time off during a game.

For all the talent in the world if a player has commitment issues is he worth the amount of money it would appear he desires? I only have my view of the matter and it certainly probably doesn’t agree with the Laker management position. My desire has gone back and forth on this matter but currently I want them to sign rookie Colin Castleton to a regular season contract. The chief concern for the 6 foot 11 250 pound Castleton is his defense, I believe he could handle playing offense in the NBA. Whatever occurs I will remain a part of Laker Nation who just happens to express his belief on what should be done.

Why I quit

I have no idea what the future holds, by the time you read this I might have returned. Returning to what you ask, pay attention to local sports talk radio. I’ve mentioned in the past the difficulty of being a college basketball or NBA fan in this metro. You with your hand up, you claim I’m not correct with the college game? You say there is plenty of reporting on Kansas basketball over the airways. Okay, that might be true but what about coverage regarding Kansas State, Mizzou or others in the region? Do you have a response to my statement, thought so? As for the balance of sports coverage I realize the NFL Chiefs are at the top of the heap here as they should be. The Chiefs have competed in the Super Bowl 3 out of the last 4 years, in addition winning 2 of those games. In fact that was the issue the afternoon drivetime guy decided, some might remember the statement I wrote he made this past winter.

“The Chiefs playing into January every year it might be a good idea for the NCAA to consider starting the basketball season later.” This guy actually made that asinine statement, what was even funnier to me was the response. His co-host had no issue with his statement and affirmed his belief but there was push back. A national guy who covers college basketball provided him an emphatic NO when this proposal was mentioned. Listen I have no desire to take anything away from the Chiefs. They have assembled a talented roster, a good front office and coaching staff. I don’t have a twitter account so there was no way on my part to respond to radio guy but think about this. You read earlier there are 1,200-1,300 colleges and universities with basketball programs. According to this guy all that comes to a screeching halt due to the Chiefs deep playoff run every season, 1,300 colleges and universities should adjust their schedules in order to not conflict with the NFL playoffs and Chiefs. This guy has to be kidding, to borrow one of my favorite phrases, he must have fallen out of bed and bumped his head. NOTE: There’s been no go back to date, life has become easier for me (maybe others too).

I was called out

The statement was made in a joking manner, “Why haven’t you covered former Mizzou Tiger Kobe Brown’s summer league play?” I answered quickly “He’s playing for the wrong Los Angeles team.” I only meant it as a joke because I believe the Clippers have drafted a talented gem in Brown and given time he will adjust to NBA play. You hear the term all the time, “He’s got an NBA body” that certainly applies to the Clipper rookie. Brown is a chiseled 6-foot 8-inch 250 pound “player.” Notice the term I utilized, he is a combo power/small forward, he is quite skillful passing the rock. Does that entail playing the point, not hardly however there were times at Mizzou he did accomplish the task.

I made this statement previously without checking but believe it to be correct. Last fall Brown’s name was nowhere to be found on any NBA mock draft site, by the middle of his season at Mizzou we began to note him included on several mocks as a second-round draft pick. Imagine my surprise June 22 when the Clippers made him pick number 30 in the first round. There are a number of issues that stand out for him one of them is three-point shooting. As a freshman Brown shot 25% his freshman year, his shooting wasn’t that much better his sophomore and junior season. Brown’s senior year witnessed him shooting a mercurial 46% from three. There are a number of NBA veterans in front of Brown, will it be G-League or a final roster spot? I hope fellow Missourian Ty Lue decides to hold on to former Mizzou Tiger Kobe Brown, I hope. 

Son’s of _________

The son’s continue to follow their dad into the sport, they do this with all the pressure in the world on their shoulders. They are always faced with the “Aren’t you the son of __________”? We could ask Marcus and Jeffery Jordan sons of number 23 how their basketball careers turned out, maybe it was their youth or perhaps they just loved the game of MJ. We are aware the Jordan’s were certainly talented enough to play at the collegiate level but how about the Michael Jordan level?

Another few have taken up the game of their famous fathers, much earlier LeBron James Jr. a.k.a. Bronny is now enrolled at Southern Cal. His younger brother Bryce might be a more talented athlete than his older brother. Bryce is not the only one, we also have Kiyan Anthony son of Carmelo and also included in our count is the Boozer’s. You might remember Carlos Boozer NBA veteran, son’s Cameron and Cayden have taken up the game. Those named are the most recent offspring but certainly not the only one’s taking up the sport of their famous fathers.  

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Basketball from a fans perspective

Bits n pieces

This is different, Brad Calipari could have taken a job anywhere and we could say no big deal. Calipari being hired at Vanderbilt and Jerry Stackhouse’s staff is interesting. Of course Brad is the son of Kentucky head coach John Calipari, one of the coaches sons’ will become director of on court player development. Exactly what that title entails is really unclear, we know this for a fact…he’s got a new job. Young Calipari could have probably been hired by his dad and placed on the Kentucky coaching staff however he might not have wanted the hint of nepotism.

You remember the complaint from several years ago don’t you? Donovan Mitchell was one of several who mounted a criticism. He and others were upset with Ben Simmons being the leading candidate for 2018 NBA Rookie of the Year. Their argument centered on draft date rather than play. A summer injury kept Simmons out of the Sixer lineup for the 2017-18 season, it was 2018 before he first played in the NBA. Chet Holmgren was drafted in 2022 but an injury presented a similar story to Simmons, he missed this past season. The 2023-24 season will be Holmgren’s first year in the NBA. We might be unlikely to have a comparable situation because the odds might be more in favor of Victor Wembanyama being named NBA Rookie of the Year.

Remember back to late spring or early summer, there was a discussion surrounding expanding the annual NCAA Tournament? Discussions were held regarding increasing the number of teams eligible for the tournament from the present number of 68. Expansion talk has been placed on hold for the time being, will it be renewed at some future date? You’ve got to expect that to occur however what’s the number, how many additional teams will be added? Should the number of teams be 70, is it 80 or 100…I’m not so sure increasing the number of teams is something necessary except improving revenue?

Did you know?

I’m sure you are familiar with the Virgin Islands, the official name for the chain is the U.S. Virgin Islands. The group of Caribbean islands and islets is an unincorporated territory of the United States. A number of you reading this are acquainted with the territory due to it being the home of former Spurs great Tim Duncan. I didn’t realize the British Virgin Islands existed, of course they are an overseas territory of the United Kingdom, geography wise they lie north and east of the U.S. Virgin Islands. Tortola is the largest of the British Virgin Islands and home to D’Moi Hodge Laker rookie.

Laker Nation is aware of former Mizzou Tiger Hodge from his summer league play. There is no guarantee he earns a roster spot although he’s signed to a two-way contract. Hodge indicates he’s modeled his offensive game after Kentavious Caldwell-Pope former Laker sniper. Deliberate on this, Laker Nation’s been pining for Pacer Bubby Hield like forever it seems. Despite this fact the Lakers have never been able to acquire Hield, let’s conduct a quick comparison with Hodge. Hield is 30 years old certainly not ancient but Hodge just turned 24. I’ve not seen enough of Hield to determine his defense however Hodge at Mizzou and Summer League gave us an inkling of his skill level.

The summer league numbers for Hodge, 15.4 points, shot 44% from the field along with 40% from three. Although comparing him to JJ Redick is unfair but bear with me on this. Redick arrived in the NBA high profile having been a Duke Blue Devil. Redick made himself into a three-point specialist and had an outstanding NBA career, can Hodge do the same? The disclaimer, summer play is not the real thing, as indicated earlier there is always the possibility he doesn’t make it. It certainly would be outstanding if he and Kobe Brown earned roster positions.

St. Louis basketball

Unless you are a basketball historian you might not be aware St. Louis had more than one pro team. The Bombers were a BAA team the forerunner of today’s NBA. They played from 1946-1950 and with the merger came into the NBA but that would be their last year of operation. It’s lost to history why the team went out of business, more on the Bombers in a later account. 1955 the Milwaukee Hawks moved to St. Louis where they played until 1968 and they would move to Atlanta. There is one additional team a friend posted a photo on social media, this was the Spirits of St. Louis.

The Spirits were an ABA team which moved to the city from Carolina in 1974, probably at that time a merger with the older established NBA was in the talking stages. Two brothers, Ozzie and Daniel Silna purchased the team probably believing they would have an NBA team in the city once again. Over the course of time the Silna’s struck a deal earning them millions, more on that later. As for being included in the merger that would not be the case for the Spirits, several franchises were not included in the merger and the Spirits were one of them. The won-loss record for the Spirits was only 35-49 that first season but the roster contained a number of players who experienced later success in the NBA. You’ve heard of Moses Malone I’m sure, NBA MVP, Naismith Hall of Fame and more.

Maurice Lucas NBA Champion with the Blazers, 4 times NBA All Star and a defensive specialist. Then we leave you with Jim “Bad News” Barnes a talented power forward. There were others but I hope you get the idea, I almost forgot Mike D’Antoni, he was also a team member. As for the Silna brothers this story has been mentioned previously. Folding the Spirits franchise the NBA made a deal with the owners involving television coverage of the NBA. That deal is still in place in 2023, so this is the condensed story of the Spirits of St. Louis.

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Basketball from a fans perspective

Suppose the NBA might be better

After writing such a glowing report on Emoni Bates yesterday I decided to clarify aspects of my account. I hope no one reading my justification for his performance might believe I was making a claim Bates was on the road to an NBA All Pro career. This is the fact as I see it, there have been several players over the years who turned out to be better NBA players than college. I’ve read and heard NBA scouts and front office folks say this, “__________ will be a better NBA player than college, he won’t have to contend with the junk defenses intended to slow him down.” In addition Bates must have impressed someone besides this writer, the NBA Summer League second team contains his name.

How to build an NBA Championship team

I have absolutely no idea how to build an NBA champion however I can share with you what I believe is required. There are two schools of thought on this process, the first, we build our team by trading for talent or free agent signing. The second group says our championship team will be constructed through the draft. The OKC Thunder belong to the second group, I have not checked the figure but trust the information. According to bleacherreport.com the Thunder have 35 draft picks over the next 7 years. Consider this a moment, there are only 30 draft picks in each round. The Thunder might be able to choose every player in the first round and into the second round concluding with number 35.

The question for now, how exactly are they going to manage this plethora of draft choices. One of my complaints about my Lakers in the past is that they have done an excellent job drafting talent however it’s not been infused into their lineup. Most of those drafted have been traded to acquire veteran talent. I believe this to be correct, the Thunder as this is written are the youngest average age team in the NBA. They have been quite shrewd in drafting talent however the process must end at some point. I believe the 2023-24 season they must begin to show progress, they must earn a playoff berth and move into the power ranks of the NBA. The primary reason there is no one answer is simple. We’ve seen failures for teams utilizing both methods to build a championship contender.

He was caught in the scandal too   

You might remember the Connie Hawkins story I covered recently, he was banned from playing in the NBA due to a 1960 college betting scandal. There were other players impacted by this stain on college basketball, one of these was Roger Brown. Brown, unlike Hawkins, was exceptionally good but apparently didn’t have the creed of Hawkins coming out of high school. He was another New York City basketball talent and also from the Brooklyn borough. Just like Hawkins there was nothing pointing to Brown shaving any points, similar to Hawkins he was acquainted with the gambling ringleader. The University of Dayton banned Brown from play and the NBA would later follow suit. The 6-foot 5 Brown would continue to play basketball around the Dayton area until 1967.

That season would see him become the first player the Indiana Pacers would sign. Over the course of his ABA career playing for several teams he was an ABA champion three times, Brown was 1970 ABA Playoffs MVP. The date is unclear however unlike Hawkins he never played in the NBA although the league relinquished its ban. Brown retired in 1975 and several years later served as an assistant coach for the Pacers. He would later serve on the Indianapolis City-County Council for four years, in 1996 he was diagnosed with colon cancer and died the following year. In February 2013 the Naismith Hall of Fame’s ABA committee recommended him for induction, September witnessed him being enshrined posthumously. As for the lifetime ban by the NBA for Hawkins, Brown and others I’m unsure if such a miscarriage of justice would occur now. Surely there must have been proof of involvement rather than simply being an acquaintance of someone, the 1960 scandal will be covered later.

How many, that many?

You might remember our discussion on the number of Division I basketball programs across the nation. Well that level of basketball receives the most coverage however the sport is played at other levels too. There is NCAA Division II and III plus NAIA schools, have you ever wondered about the number, maybe you haven’t but I certainly have? If you remember we discovered there are 351 Division I schools, in Division II the total is 312 and Division III is 418. For the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletic or NAIA schools their members total 230.

Together the number of colleges and universities with basketball programs total 1,311. One school stands out for its uniqueness, Simon Fraser University in Burnaby B.C. Canada holds an NAIA affiliation, Burnaby sits next door to Vancouver. There are other Canadian colleges and universities fielding competitive basketball teams but Simon Fraser is the only non-U.S. school. Allow a bit of clarification at this point, colleges and universities in Hawaii plus the University of the Virgin Islands and San Juan University in Puerto Rico also are included in the U.S. count although they are not connected to the geographical United States.

The Wemby factor

Will Victor Wembanyama become a superstar in the NBA, I haven’t a clue? Can we guarantee Wemby will have a modicum of basketball success at this level, I haven’t a clue? This is my intent in the middle of summer, I’m going to wait until the season begins to even attempt a half-hearted assessment of Wemby’s skill level. This is a cautionary tale for one reason alone, we just don’t know. The Pistons made Darko Milicic the second pick in the first round of the 2003 NBA draft, he stood 7 feet and 250 pounds. NBA star written all over him except that wasn’t the case. In 2013 we thought Anthony Bennett was going to be the face of the year for the Cavs, but we discovered that would not be the case.

In 2019 the Pelicans made Zion Williamson top pick in the draft we thought “he’d be a superstar.” Unlike Bennett who just couldn’t play at the NBA level, a series of injuries have managed to keep Williamson off the court for an extended period of his NBA career. The jury is still out on Williamson he’s only 23 years old, he still has time however its believed Pelicans management has become concerned. Back to Wemby, the hype machine has been running overtime since his Metropolitans 92 team played G-League Elite in the fall of 2022. He clearly demonstrated he was talented however that was not the best of the best NBA players Wemby faced despite his domination. I’ve read some of your letters and a few of you desire a guarantee of future stardom for Wemby and there is no way that can occur. Truth is I could be 2-3 years before we are able to fully determine his ability.

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Basketball from a fans perspective

It ain’t that big a deal…or is it?

I caught a portion of NBA TV analyst Steve Smith’s discussion on Cavs rookie Emoni Bates. Smith was describing how impressed he was with Bates’ play this summer. Sure summer league is not real, rookies are matched against other rookies or second year players. No real practice probably little emphasis on defense but it still requires a player score the ball. That’s exactly what Bates has done for the Cavs in this brief excursion into professional play.

His numbers are modest, 16 points and 6 rebounds a game but a sizzling 35.9% from three. The Cavs were a 50-win team last season, in addition they are a young team. The winning plus the youth of this team might prove a hinderance for Bates to earn a roster spot. Despite the negatives working against him I’m one rooting for him to earn playing time with the Cavs, he’s only 19-years old so he should fit in with the youthful Cavs. Coach Bickerstaff has plenty of decisions ahead of him regarding his team. Does one of those critical decisions involve Emoni Bates, we must wait and see for that answer?

Buyer’s remorse

Scoot Henderson drafted by the Blazers will become a star…that’s my bold prediction in late July 2023. He’s got all the tools to be an excellent point guard in the NBA, I’ve got no argument with Jeff Smith. Smith is the media scribe who wrote the Spurs might “regret passing on Henderson in the future.” He wrote this prior to Henderson or Wembanyama seeing real game action in the NBA. We get it, if this were any draft other than 2023 Henderson would likely be the top pick. I question if Brandon Miller might be chosen over Henderson but that’s an argument for another time.

The doomsday mystics continue to forecast doom and gloom for the future of the NBA, that’s really okay if they believe that picture they are painting. I happened to disagree with them, face it friends this is not your daddy’s NBA. There are elements within the game that have changed most of the changes have made the game better. Allow me to state this up front I’m not a fan of the play in tournament, maybe I’ll become accustomed to it but not right now. Back to the question of incoming talent, there is no doubt these athletes are skilled enough to play basketball at its highest level. The question becomes do they have the mindset, I can say in earnest the top three have the gene. For me it’s the will to play the game and continue to grow their game as long as they are in the association.

Is he going to be in demand?

At this point in July Mizzou Nation has no idea what unfolds in the second season for basketball coach Dennis Gates. It’s been documented previously so there is no requirement to go over his past coaching history. He was hired by an athletic department disappointed with the direction the program was headed under Cuonzo Martin. As I stated at the time of the Gates hire he assembled a staff and went to work immediately recruiting a team. Mizzou finished the regular season with a 25-10 record including a victory in the NCAA Tournament. The schedule becomes tougher this upcoming season, Gates is no longer the new guy. Opposing coaches have an inkling of their game strategy but let’s suppose this occurs. We are going to look ahead without the benefit of being there. Mizzou’s record is slightly better than in the coach’s first year, what occurs if this happens?

The name Dennis Gates begins circulating throughout the coaching world as jobs open in the college ranks. Will the athletic department be prepared to raise his salary in order for him to remain at Mizzou? Mizzou is a member of a Power 5 conference, despite this fact it might not be considered a prestigious destination. I realize some in Mizzou Nation might be upset with that statement however allow me to explain. If or when John Calipari leaves Kentucky a national search for his replacement will begin, I could make the same statement for Bill Self at Kansas. It was unnecessary for North Carolina and Duke to look elsewhere they hired “family members” in Hubert Davis and Jon Scheyer. The fit for Mizzou is far different which tells me this, should Dennis Gates continue his winning and I hope that is the case. The school had better be prepared to pay the coach large sums of money to retain him.

One more planned arena 

Construction is moving swiftly on the Intuit Dome, the new home of the Clippers. Owner Steve Ballmer’s palace has a planned opening in the fall of 2024, they will now be separated officially from sharing space with the Lakers. On the east coast 76 Place is in the works although there is no construction yet, preliminary drawings of the arena have been released. The 18,500-seat home for the Sixers is planned for a 2031-32 season opener. But wait there is one more arena on the horizon, this one I refer to as “The Wemby Arena.” That’s not the official name of this arena, there’s been nothing formally done as this is written. The talk is strictly in the planning stage. According to news reports the county administration of Bexar County is exploring a downtown San Antonio arena to replace AT&T Center. The present home of the Spurs is relatively new having been opened in 2002.

Despite the fact this development would be an entertainment and sports development complex. In addition to the basketball arena a baseball stadium for the minor league team would be adjacent, I would envision this something like we have in Kansas City. This might change in the future however Arrowhead Stadium home of the Chiefs sits next door to Kaufmann where the Royals play baseball. You might ask why a replacement arena is required after AT&T has been in operation for such a relatively few years. There are sources who believe the drafting of Victor Wembanyama changes the picture for San Antonio. These elements appear to believe foot traffic will increase significantly for those wanting to see Wemby in action and they are relying on the fact he will become a star. As you can see if this comes to fruition this will be similar to the United Center in Chicago. It was said Michael Jordan was the basis for the Bulls moving from Chicago Stadium (opened in 1929) to the then brand-new United Center.

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Basketball from a fans perspective

Who do they sign?

Reports have continued to circulate of the Lakers desire to sign a Big Man. Several names have been circulated among them Mo Bamba who the team had acquired at the trade deadline and then released. It was said they would attempt to sign him for a lesser amount, well that didn’t occur. Bamba would sign with the Sixers so that plan never materialized. Who are the remainder of the names banded about the Lakers are reported to be interested in. Bismack Biyombo veteran center who is only 30 years old, it seems as if Biyombo’s been around much longer. Although he stands only 6 foot 8 he tops the scales at 255 pounds which is an indication why he can play center in the NBA. Next up 6-foot 10 Christian Wood who only packs 214 pounds on his thin frame.

Despite this fact Wood has he’s a 7-foot 3-inch wingspan, he’s got an offensive and defensive game   however there are questions surrounding his attitude. Next up as this is written is Bol Bol who was released by the Magic. Bol is young, tall (7-2) and has had limited playing time since he arrived in the NBA in 2019. He’s got a 7-foot 8-inch wingspan but is still somewhat raw. The Lakers are hardly likely to pencil in Colin Castleton for the slot for a simple reason. Although the 6-foot 11-inch Castleton has played well in summer league he is a rookie out of the University of Florida. What does Larry Laker desire the Lakers do with this remaining roster position? I read another report indicating the team might revert back to 2020 at the center position. Remember they had JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard sharing the role, I’d like the minutes divided between Biyombo and Castleton. The reasoning is simple Biyombo for his defense and spelled by Castleton’s offensive skill. NOTE: This was written prior to the Suns signing Bol Bol on Sunday.

Bits n Pieces

Former Mizzou Tiger D’Moi Hodge is a longshot to earn a spot on the Laker roster. Afterall Hodge was not drafted however he along with Colin Castleton signed 2-way contracts. The easiest explanation for me is these contracts are similar to AAA baseball. It’s likely Hodge, Castleton or both will spend time with the South Bay Lakers although a spot on the Laker roster is possible as well. Wednesday’s game might prove quite helpful for Hodge, although it was a loss 90-95 to the Celtics check this out. Hodge scored 22 points along with 4 rebounds, he shot 6-13 from the 3-point line (.461). Shooting from beyond the arc is something vitally needed by the Lakers. It’s interesting Hodge stated he looks at former Laker Kentavious Caldwell-Pope for inspiration, KCP was vital to the success of the Lakers prior to the trade.

This is funny to me, you remember the Dennis Rodman story regarding Larry Bird. While at my usual occupation conducting research a video popped up on my feed I wasn’t seeking. This YouTube video was Bird’s Celtics matched against Rodman at the time a member of the Pistons. What I say in the video certainly offers no proof that in 2023 Bird would be playing in Europe as stated by Rodman. There were a several good plays by Rodman however my overall impression…Bird shot lights out in the three minutes of video. I will repeat this again, I’m really unsure of the basis for the Rodman statement. This I can state with conviction Rodman was way off base on this one. I have a question for him and other believers, why do you think a 1986 Larry Bird wouldn’t have been unable to adjust to play in 2023? I’ve never been able to locate anyone willing to respond to the question.

Have you ever wondered how Hakeem Olajuwon became such a dominate Big Man? Part of it was his skilled footwork, he played soccer as a youth which certainly aided him. As for the other part he claims it was Moses Malone. For those unfamiliar with his story Olajuwon arrived on these shores from Nigeria as a raw talent, basketball was new to him although the sport would reward him greatly in life. This basketball novice attended a summer camp run by Moses Malone prior to Olajuwon’s sophomore year at the University of Houston. During his freshman year he played 18.2 minutes and 8.3 points a game, after Malone tutoring it became 27.4 minutes along with 13.9 points and nearly 12 rebounds a game. Olajuwon indicates Malone was one of the nicest people he met until it came time to latch of his basketball shoes to play. Unaccustomed to playing basketball at any level Olajuwon says Malone introduced him to how Big Man basketball was played in the U.S. 

Never in the discussion

Doesn’t matter who is leading the discussion, practically every time NBA expansion is mentioned two cities are missing. The cities are St. Louis and Pittsburg, the Hawks now in Atlanta once called St. Louis home. As for Pittsburg it’s been so long only the history is able to detail the events. In 1946 the Basketball Association of America (forerunner of today’s NBA) began play with 11 teams. The Pittsburg Ironmen were charter members of the BAA but it wouldn’t last very long. The Ironmen finished the 1946-47 season with a 15-win 45 loss season, last place in the Western Division and worst overall in the league. This is the portion of the story lost to history, the record indicates the Ironmen not only finished the season

Finishing in last place allowed the Ironmen to receive the first draft pick in the 1947. That pick would be Clifton McNeely who never played for the Ironmen, they closed operations prior to the start of the 1947-48 season. In a strange bit of irony although McNeely was made the top pick he never played professionally for any team. McNeely said at the time “I’m not interested in playing professional basketball.” Can you imagine Victor Wembanyama or any top prospect claiming they didn’t want to play in the NBA? The Ironmen were awful but other teams with nearly similar records continued to survive. I was unable to uncover any information why the Ironmen disbanded so in conclusion my research remains clouded. The passage of time and with no one to provide the WHY the story is lost to time.  

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Basketball from a fans perspective

You think they did okay?

The ESPN play-by-play guy for the Hornets-Lakers game mentioned this fact, “Kevin Durant and Steph Curry both shot 30% in Summer League play.” I believe both have managed darn good NBA careers, this certainly is a reminder for all. Don’t be so quick to judge any rookies shooting as a basis for determining their skill level in the NBA. As I’ve said over and over a complete regular NBA season is often not adequate enough time to determine whether a player is NBA ready.

It was a different time, much earlier than Durant and Curry was Kobe Bryant. I bet you hadn’t stopped to consider Bryant played very little his first two years in the league. In a 1997 playoff elimination game Kobe shot four, I repeat four air balls during a crucial portion of the game. The shots themselves were not a direct cause for the Lakers losing the game and playoff series but they provided motivation for Kobe to become a better player. So the reminder for all, delay your assessment of a player until we have unmistakable evidence they are lacking ability.

NBA expansion

I’ve surfed YouTube videos regarding NBA expansion, check them out if you care. The videos are opinions only and certainly don’t represent actual fact, one city appears in most videos…Mexico City. The NBA certainly wants to expand internationally and extending into Latin America would be just that I’m just not sure Mexico City is a go, despite negatives we often hear in the news our southern border neighbor has continued to grow economically. So if there is wealth plus an adequate population what’s the issue? Some might believe it’s a language problem I don’t believe that to be the case.

The chief culprit I think is the elevation of Mexico City over anything else I can outline. Consider this fact Denver’s elevation is 5,276 feet higher than every NBA city. I’ve never heard or read visiting baseball teams have had issues with the altitude, same for football. I’m unsure if I’ve ever heard anything regarding the NHL, the NBA is a far different matter. Visiting NBA teams have stated for years the difficulty of playing in mile high air, the constant sprints up and down the court can be detrimental for visiting teams. The elevation for Mexico City is 7,349 feet some 2,073 feet higher than Denver. So in my view Mexico City remains on the sidelines for now. Nothing says forever, the NBA probably desires 33-35 teams in the future. It’s likely the NBA will revisit this issue again at some future date. 

The Westbrook conundrum

Russell Westbrook and his Clipper play has seen plenty of positives from the media and a number of fans. Whoa, let’s place a period at the end of the sentence, this account is two-fold. Those singing the praises of Westbrook and his Clipper play fail to check out the team in the other locker room. The Lakers went on an extensive run post Westbrook, the run allowed them to gain a playoff berth when most of us thought they were dead in the water. Granted a portion of the improved play of the Lakers was the fact both LeBron James and Anthony Davis were in the lineup for the majority of this stretch run. I’m unsure about you but sometimes you see a problem but are not quite able to describe it in detail.

That is the case for me regarding Westbrook in the Laker lineup, as an example I can cite these notes for you. As swift as Westbrook is, the Lakers appeared even faster minus him in the lineup. Let’s check several numbers, Laker FG percentage .417 for the Clippers .489. Westbrook’s been notoriously bad from the 3-point line as most are aware, check this out. From the three-line Westbrook while a member of the Lakers shot .296 while in a Clippers jersey it improved to .356. In fairness we’ve got to consider he played 56 games for the Lakers while he was only in action for 21 games with the Clippers. Finally a number we cannot detail, was teammate LeBron James a contributing factor to his play? Whatever the case the Clippers saw fit to resign Westbrook, he will be working on a 2-year contract.

Bits n Pieces

You are aware by now the Spurs made the decision to sit Wemby down for the balance of summer league play. More than 5,555 fans (smile) have registered their complaint with this latest development. I’m one of the few NBA fans having no issue with the decision made by Spurs management. We know there is always the injury factor to consider for everyone playing the game at the NBA level. The Spurs have no desire to risk injury on such a highly valued rookie? So despite the large number of complaints by fans I’m okay with the move. I would bet money the majority of Spurs Nation are likely pleased with this as well, of course I could be wrong.

Could it work a second time, the reference is the “Austin Reaves” thing? You remember the story don’t you, Reaves informed NBA teams he preferred to not be drafted. Recently Reaves literally broke the bank signing a 4-year $56 million contract with the Lakers, not bad for a guy who wasn’t drafted. Of course there is more to the story, his talent plus the opportunity to play on a team he wanted. Could history repeat itself this upcoming season? The Lakers signed Colin Castleton to a two-way contract, the 6-foot 11-inch center/forward playing for the summer league team has demonstrated he’s got skill and talent. If he fails to earn a roster position expect to see him in action with the South Bay Lakers.

You might not remember the name Andy Katz but he’s one in the media who covers college basketball with a passion. For nearly 17 years he worked for ESPN, you might remember from his White House visits. All 8 years of the Obama administration Katz would meet with the former president who would list his bracket to Katz and the television audience. In 2017 Katz was one of a number of ESPN employees laid off, he went on to indicate it actually opened other opportunities for him. He is an analyst for the Big Ten Network and does free lance work. From time to time he even pops up on ESPN reporting a college basketball story.