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Basketball from a fans perspective

I cover it all, literally

Before I begin this allow me to state up front, I never was as good as I hoped. I held a conversation with a co-worker this week, he was aware I published a blog although he was unfamiliar with the layout. In the past our discussions between us have centered on the NBA, he was surprised about this next statement. I said, “Rory I try and follow it all, the NBA, college even high school basketball.” He was almost shocked and began laughing “You are a real basketball fanatic.” Although I laughed too I’m unsure if he’s correct, I followed other sports but certainly not the degree I do with basketball at all levels. Where did it start, it was in elementary school in the 4^TH grade.

Our PE teacher was attempting to field a basketball team, guess who became one of the first cuts…yes it was me. Let’s say my skill was not very good, later my brother and me convinced our mom to have a basketball goal installed in our backyard. My practice routine continued however there was a problem…lack of height. Although puberty saw me grow in height I never came close to 6 feet. Although my play improved (in my eyes) due to my lack of growth I didn’t have enough confidence to even consider trying out for my high school team. Later while spending time in the Army there were teams and gyms at every post I served, and with practice my play certainly improved. That’s the brief story of my basketball roots, loved the game but was never skilled enough to play it at the level I hoped as a youth. Based on my shortcomings as a player I decided to concentrate on writing about basketball.

The decision is made (maybe)

I’ve been writing for at least 2-3 weeks the Lakers’ desire to fill their last roster position. It appears the want is a Big Man and the name is Christian Wood. As you might remember acquisition of Wood is easier said than done, the main obstacle is money. The Lakers have veteran minimum money available which probably won’t satisfy Wood. I reported the Mavs were considering releasing 35-year-old JaVale McGee. It was reported yesterday that McGee shared time at the center position with Dwight Howard when both played for the Lakers and won it all in 2020. This is written Wednesday morning and I’m reading the Mavs have released McGee.

I wonder is Rob Pelinka on the telephone yet attempting to contact McGee’s agent? As I indicated on Tuesday my co-worker disagreed with this move. I believe it might be the only one remaining and I’ll explain. Without providing names the list of available free agent centers is not very extensive. Those remaining or undersized (6 foot 8) or come with questions. Wood despite all his talent might be the best of the bunch except for the X factor…attitude. I believe playing spot minutes McGee is the better choice although there is an outside chance it becomes Wood. As this was finished I read the Kings might put in a bid for McGee too.

World Champions

I am a party of one, I am loudly proclaiming the Nuggets are NBA Champions, that honor does not reflect the world. An American sprinter Noah Lyles of all people has caused this firestorm by claiming what I just reported. NBA players came rushing to the forefront critical of Lyles statement. We appear to be confused sometimes about basketball fact versus reality. Before I delve into this latest kerfuffle an older one. At least two retired NBA players were critical of a couple of names in the Naismith Hall of Fame, they questioned these players inclusion believing their NBA career was only ordinary. They had to be reminded it’s not the NBA Hall it’s an honor recognizing all basketball.

Let’s check out a few facts, if you remember at some point during the NBA season I reported an ever-increasing number of international players now dot the roster of NBA teams. This past season the NBA reported there were 120 players from 40 nations and 6 continents. So what is that stating, just this single fact. Despite the point Nikola Jokic plays for the Nuggets he is a citizen of Serbia, he cannot play for Team USA unless he decides to become a citizen here. Jokic like the other 119 players has returned to his native country, as for the Nuggets they did not play a team from Serbia or any other world nation to win the 2023 NBA Championship. International players journey to the U.S. to play in the NBA, they do this because the best basketball in the world is still played here. Despite that statement it is not world championship.

Revisionist history

Some of you in Mizzou Nation will be upset over what you are about to read. It covers Bill Self and how the school responded once upon a time. This has been mentioned several times in the past, when legendary Mizzou coach Bill Self was fired/asked to resign a national search began for a replacement. In 1999 during the interview process two candidates must have come to the forefront, Duke assistant Quin Snyder and Tulsa head coach Bill Self. We have no idea some 24 years later but at this point your revisionist history begins. Snyder after playing for Coach K. became a member of his staff as an assistant. Snyder was a youthful 33 years of age when hired. As for Self, he’d been a winner at mid major Tulsa. In addition Self was four years older, he was 37-years old.

You are aware of the balance of the story Mizzou hired Snyder over Self but what might have occurred if Self had been hired. Since 1999 Mizzou has seen 6 head coaches (7 if we count an interim). After a time he left Tulsa for Illinois and then departed for Kansas in 2003 where he continues. Since 1999 Mizzou basketball winning has been up and down but is a little misleading. For example not counting the single interim coach is not quite as bad as might be perceived. Of the number of former coaches only Kim Anderson actually compiled a losing record. The recently departed Cuonzo Martin was one game above .500 during his time. Back to Self a moment, Mizzou might have compiled a better record if he’d been hired however the other must be taken into consideration. Kansas basketball was a ready-built opportunity to successfully coach one that certainly didn’t exist at that time for Mizzou.

Talent vs need

We’ve discussed when acquiring talent do you draft to fill a need or the best athlete on the board? The following will not resolve the debate but provide insight into what occurred in Laker history. In 1977 with pick number 22 in the first round the Lakers made Duquesne point guard Norm Nixon their choice. Over the next two seasons Nixon’s talent was quite evident at the point advancing the ball to Kareem and others. The team had plenty of scorers so there was no requirement for him to shoot, despite this fact Nixon contributed 13.7 points a game on nearly 50% shooting. It was his assist total which stood out, nearly 7 assists a game for a rookie, the next season the numbers were even better…17 points and 9 assists. It might be apparent just reading this you might see no requirement for another point guard.

Despite having a wealth of talent at the point in the 1979 NBA draft the Lakers with pick number one in that draft chose point guard Magic Johnson out of Michigan State. Despite having two-point guards playing at the same time, each managed to tailor their game to benefit the team. The end result both players were instrumental in the Lakers winning the 1980 and 1982 NBA championship. The history says GM Jerry West decided to trade Nixon to the San Diego Clippers prior to the start of the 1983 season, it was done to free Johnson from sharing the ball. Thus ends the account of Norm Nixon and Magic Johnson two outstanding point guards who shared backcourt duties. I could point to the championships and say this cast worked for a time however West must have believed in the long run the team required a change. So what do you think…good draft move to acquire Magic? 

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Basketball from a fans perspective

Think about it

I listened to a Rich Eisen podcast recently, Jay Bilas was his guest. I’ve mentioned this previously Bilas is one of those basketball analyst I listen intently, he is the voice of reason in my opinion on numerous subjects some unrelated to basketball. The discussion surrounding conference alignment was the subject at hand, Bilas brought out several points during the 25-minute podcast. He indicated realignment or schools moving to other conferences is not a new thing, he said there’s been a history. Based on that I decided to research several schools which might be considered Blue Blood. It we said Duke basketball the conference that comes to mind is the Atlantic Coast Conference but that’s not always been the case. From 1928 to 1953 Duke played in the Southern Conference, the ACC came into being in the 1953-54 season and Duke made the move.

How about Kansas Jayhawk basketball, you think Big XII prior to that Big 8, Big 7 and on down. Bet you didn’t realize Kansas was once a member of the Missouri Valley Conference at a point in time. Our next stop is UCLA once the premier basketball program of the Pac-12 before that Pac-10 and 8. It’s not always been the present conference for them either. Prior to 1959 it was the Pacific Coast Conference, from 1959-1968 the conference of UCLA was the AAWU or Athletic Association of Western Universities. We close with a look at Carolina basketball. The Tarheels were also longtime members of the ACC but that’s not always been the case either. From 1928-1953 Duke was a member of the Southern Conference, the founding of the ACC caused them to move. Please keep in mind I’m neither defending nor promoting the latest conference movement, I’m simply pointing out what Bilas was discussing conference or team movement has always existed.

Interesting 

I read an article recently, the author indicated the San Antonio-Austin area is growing so fast it might one day rival the other Texas metroplex Dallas-Fort Worth. I’ve visited DFW on several occasions so I have knowledge how vast it is but San Antonio? I checked the geography first, San Antonio and Austin are about 80 miles apart and less than a 2-hour drive. In 1960 there certainly was more distance between the two but you’re asking a question. What the heck does population growth and distance have to do with basketball? How about this, I reported a few weeks ago San Antonio is looking toward building a new baseball-basketball complex.

Of course the emphasis is on the basketball with Victor Wembanyama having arrived on the scene. San Antonio futurist are projecting a large increase in foot traffic to see the youngster play over the next few years. They believe a downtown location to replace Frost (formerly AT&T) Arena would prove a financial boon to the economy. This is my statement, it’s unlikely folks are driving down from Austin two or three times a week for Spurs games. They could however make it a weekend feature, I might foresee an Austin Spurs fan attend a Friday, Saturday or Sunday game. In closing despite this glowing report I don’t work for the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce but I could see a development of this type come to fruition in the near future.

Dennis Gates 

Imagine this, I’m going to get inside the mind of Mizzou’s coach for a single reason…Big Man play. I’ve mentioned this last week, Mizzou received a commitment from Peyton Marshall. He’s a 7-foot 300-pound post player and is polar opposite of the type of athlete the coach has recruited in the past. Last seasons roster contained Mabor Majak (7-2 245 pounds) and the departed 6 foot 10 Mohamed Diarra. Neither played major minutes last season, will Majak’s minutes increase in the upcoming season? On campus is freshman Jordan Butler (7-0 195 pounds) and ORU transfer Connor Vanover (7-5, 227 pounds).

Butler needs to gain about 20 pounds of muscle, with his height the addition should help him greatly around the basket. On the boards Mizzou was woefully short at times rebounding the basketball so the added height should aid that cause. Hopefully with this addition the defense should improve but what about the offense? Will these Big Man find a role in the Gates offense without sprinting up and down the court which was often the case. I don’t expect to see any of these Big Men jacking up 3-point shots, I expect pick and roll basketball played at times and lob baskets. Next season should Marshall remain firm in his commitment he needs to drop about 20 pounds as he adjusts to Division I basketball and SEC play.

Do you know him

The name Antonio Gates popped up on my social media page. Gates was being enshrined in the NFL Chargers Hall of Fame, how does this story relate to basketball? The 6-foot 4 inch 255-pound Gates at one time chose basketball over football. Enrolling at Michigan State he hoped to play both sports however then coach Nick Saban said you can only play football. At that point Gates apparently said bye-bye and transferred to Eastern Michigan University. A period at junior college and then he ended his college career playing at Kent State.

How good was Gates, he received honorable mention as an All American 20.6 points and nearly 8 rebounds a game. In two years of play Gates certainly demonstrated his basketball talent but then came the issue. NBA scouts informed him he was a “tweener” at his height and would likely go undrafted. At this point Gates had a tryout in front of NFL scouts, despite not having played football during his previous four years and undrafted the Chargers signed him. This is the portion I find most interesting he was near the same height as Charles Barkley who certainly distinguished himself in the NBA. I guess we could say in this instance the NFL gained the advantage over the NBA.

College to the NBA

I’m sure there might be others but Quin Snyder is the first name that comes to mind. He left the college ranks for a pro job, he’s now been head coach for the Jazz and Hawks. Mike Woodson did it differently, he left the NBA for a college job. Woodson a former NBA player moved into the coaching ranks after he retired as a player. He’s been head coach with the Knicks and Hawks but in March 2021 he did what few were able to accomplish, Woodson returned to his alma mater Indiana as head coach. Indiana believed they had the man they wanted with this hire.

I cannot speak to the talent Woodson inherited however his Hoosier team finished that first season with 21 wins and 14 losses, 9 wins in the Big 10. Indiana secured an NCAA berth that year, the following season saw the Hoosiers finish with a 23-12 record and they were tied for second in the conference. The pre-season predication has Indiana duplicating last season’s record losing three key players, two being drafted into the NBA draft and one graduated. Despite what some might believe the Big 10 remains highly competitive and one of the best in the nation. The addition of UCLA and Southern Cal will make the Big 10 even more powerful in the future.

Published Monday thru Friday    

Basketball from a fans perspective

Bits n Pieces

I have no desire for you to fall down and injure yourself with laughter, safety first. This is what’s occurred for me, I quit viewing ESPN’s First Take with Stephen A. Smith a while ago. Unfortunately headlines involving SAS kept popping up on my news feed, being somewhat technically challenged I discovered this accidently. I can reduce news feeds of a particular site or individual, I’ve done this with SAS and one website. This restriction is in the elementary stage so I’m unsure how effective it will be. Hopefully you will have read my last SAS complaint now that he’s restricted by me. In closing allow me to state this, SAS’s opinions are just as valid as mine. The only issue for me is I find myself only in agreement with him about half the time.

June 10, 1981, saw a unique occurrence, the late Tony Gwynn was drafted by the baseball Padres and the San Diego Clippers. From July 1982 until his retirement October 7, 2001, he compiled a career batting average of .338. Gwynn won 8 batting titles during his 21-year baseball career and that represents a tiny portion of the accolades he received prior to his early death. Gwynn had distinguished himself on the baseball field at San Diego State and on the basketball court as well. Let’s say his basketball numbers were not great however he must have impressed the San Diego Clippers. They saw enough of the 5 foot 11 185-pound guard to choose him in round 10 of the NBA draft. In 1989 the NBA draft was reduced to 2 rounds. As for Gwynn he likely chose the best sport for him, baseball led him to a Hall of Fame career.

Willis Reed

This story has been told previously but this is a slightly different slant. Former Knick great Willis Reed while playing at Grambling had a conversation encounter with the coach. Asked how tall he was Reed informed his coach he was 6 foot 9, the coach said no, “You are 6 foot 10. They pay 6-foot 10-inch guys more money.” We might ask the question once again how “big is big?” What prompted this column you might ask.

I read a recent headline stating: “Argentine big man Aaliya commits to Michigan”, curious I read the story. Much to my surprised I discovered this Michigan prospect stands 6 foot 9 hardly a Big Man to me. For purposes of this story I only consider players 6 foot 10 or taller as big men. If we use this measurement as a barometer we could claim LeBron James at 6 foot 9 is also a Big Man. We could make the same statement about the Heat’s Bam Adebayo or Kyle Kuzma of the Wizards both sharing the same height. I must admit this is my view, there is no requirement for you to agree with me.   

The return

It’s often said everything cycles, certain styles of clothing become the IT, later they are replaced by some new styling. At a point in time it returns, I’ll provide you a for instance I learned. Cuffs in men’s suit trousers have come and gone, currently they are no longer in style. We can make the same statement about basketball, once upon a time every college and NBA team wanted a Big Man. This Big Man with his back to the basket dominated play until…along comes sharpshooting Steph Curry. I’m unsure whether Mark Jackson is to be given credit or Steve Kerr but we discovered the guy could score. The Warriors became championship quality and as they say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

Not only could Curry score often his quick release was from distance so what occurred, everybody began a search for their “Steph Curry.” Suddenly (maybe gradually) 7 foot plus athletes began shooting from distance most out to the 3-point line. No longer was it necessary (to borrow Dick Vitale’s term) to have an “aircraft carrier” on the floor. Big Men had difficulty latching onto professional jobs unless they developed distance shooting ability. As I pointed out in the beginning practically everything cycles, the back to the basket game of the Big Man will return one day mark my words I just cannot provide a date and time. My prediction the play will not revert to 1950 basketball in its entirety but will resemble a combination, “Steph Curry shooting” and back to the basket post.

To be or not to be

JaVale McGee is likely to be released by the Mavs, reports indicate the Lakers are thinking a re-doo. You might remember the 7-foot center shared time with Dwight Howard on the 2020 Laker Championship team. I cannot remember why but at some point McGee departed the Lakers after that year. Fast forward to August 2023, Christian Wood is still available however his salary demands are more than the Lakers can afford.

The Lakers continue to state they need a center for the final roster position, McGee is 35-years old now, I’m wondering is he worth a second look? AD and Jaxon Hayes would play the bulk of minutes at center, also there is 6-foot 11 250-pound rookie Colin Castleton on a two-way contract. I’ve read detail regarding Wood and I might state I’m a little concerned about his “motor.”  Despite the age factor I’ve seen enough of McGee to say why not. In the instance of McGee I’m looking at his defensive presence more than anything. The con, my co-worker claims the Lakers should take a pass on McGee.

Published Monday thru Friday    

Basketball from a fans perspective

Bits n Pieces 

Annor Boateng visited Mizzou on Friday August 25, as a reminder to some Boateng is a 4-star rated prospect by sites Rivals and 247Sports. I stopped counting at 12, this 6-foot 5-inch 205-pound shooting guard has offers for that number of schools. As mentioned previously Boateng hails from Little Rock Arkansas and enters his senior year at Little Rock’s Central High School. Rivals FutureCast indicates there is a 100% chance he chooses Mizzou over all other offers while fans who voted project the percentage a bit lower. In FanFutureCast they are 90.0% sure Boateng’s school of choice will be Mizzou. As for 247Sports they offer no crystal ball prediction of which school he decides. Despite the number of offers in front of Boateng I believe we’ll discover sooner than later on his decision, it doesn’t matter if its Mizzou or some other school.

A Friday news release was good news for Bronny James. You remember the report he’d suffered cardiac arrest at practice and was rushed to the hospital. He spent three days before being discharged, since he was admitted the only news we heard or saw was encouraging but certainly nothing related to his recovery. Tests reveal Bronny has a congenital heart defect, I guess for now no surgery is required. He’s been given medical clearance to resume normal activity, that activity we guess would include playing basketball. “Bronny James will be able to return to the basketball court at “some future date” the release read. For now that’s no basketball this season, as for next year that might be a different matter.

I’ve mentioned my problem viewing west coast NBA and college games in their entirety. Well this is the opposite dilemma from late night basketball. I wanted to check out the Group Phrase of the U.S. match in the FIBA games. The game was being played in the Philippines, it’s 11 hours ahead of us in the U.S. Central Time Zone. It began at 7:30 a.m. Central Time, needless to say I didn’t see the game against New Zealand only highlights. The final score in Manilla was Team USA 99 New Zealand 72. Now that I have this information it’s likely the balance of FIBA play will be recorded on my DVR.

It must be difficult

You ask the question what is difficult, it must be demanding being Stephen A. Smith? We can state in truth “rarely are you incorrect on any position you spout on television or your podcast.” Even when it appears someone or several someone’s have a different opinion this is your response. You go on one of your usual rants loudly proclaiming your take is the only one possible. Want an example, I will gladly provide it. SAS proclaimed, “Lonzo Ball cannot stand up without assistance.” SAS claimed he’d been given this information by inside sources. We know this next bit of information from Bulls management, they announced Ball will miss the 2023-24 season. As for me I prefer to wait on the medical staff and athlete before any declaration and its clear why.

With no medical expertise on my part it would be pure speculation for me. SAS’s assessment of must have not set well with Ball, he produced video proof of him standing up unassisted. Ball went even further asking the question where SAS is receiving his information. That was all SAS could take, nobody but nobody contradicts him. He went on a loud rant attacking Ball and “the trolls” on social media who provided their opinion on the matter.” So what does SAS do, he doubles down by claiming “he’d received information from some of the doctors who performed the surgery.” This appeared in the New York Post by Jenna Lemoncelli August 24, 2023. Let’s suppose SAS did receive the information regarding Ball as claimed. SAS is informing us that the medical staff was in clear violation of the HIPPA Law and Privacy Rule. This I believe, I wouldn’t stand to near SAS because his “pants are liable to catch on fire.”

Wow, you don’t say

In the age of the NCAA Championship basketball game being held in football stadiums this might be difficult for some of you to imagine. Did you know Kansas City and iconic Municipal Auditorium served as host for 9 of them, I repeat 9 NCAA Tournament Championship games. And understand this, the arena has been remodeled and can now seat 10,700 for basketball. The auditorium complex opened its doors in 1935, back then in time up to the renovations of 2007 and 2013 the seating capacity was 9,287. To take this story one step further at the time the Kings called Kansas City home this arena served as home court along with the Omaha Civic Center.

The number of open dates prohibited the Kings from securing all the dates, the schedule would be split with Omaha, Nebraska thus the team became the Kansas City-Omaha Kings. Later with a modified schedule all the games were played in the auditorium here, then in 1974 Kemper Arena opened. The Kings began play in the new 16,700 seat arena. As for the Municipal Auditorium complex it’s more than a basketball/circus/concert arena. In addition to college basketball and the NBA several NAIA championship games have been won in the building. Willis Reed and several others of that generation demonstrated their basketball proficiency during NAIA play in Kansas City. In another portion of this huge building is the Music Hall and the name denotes what its principle use is. Also in the complex is The Little Theatre a ballroom with 400 capacity or banquet seating for 225. The large building multiplex at 301 West 13 Street in downtown Kansas City Missouri has quite a basketball history.

Has the network changed or is it me?

Despite the apparent turmoil going on at ESPN it continues to remain a staple in my household. The key difference for me is that I only watch the events. NBA, college or high school basketball even the McDonald’s All-American game. An occasional college football game and selected bowl games. What I barely watch now is studio programming. I hardly ever watch SportsCenter anymore, I can remember a time my evening always concluded with Dan Patrick and Keith Obermann providing me information on the day’s events even though some of the information might not be basketball.

NBA Today or whatever its now called is viewed on occasion, I no longer believe I’m missing anything with the constant change in hosts. The college basketball special programs are much better than the NBA product. When he’s in studio or analyst Dick Vitale is always entertaining. Jay Bilas is one of the sharpest basketball minds in existence, every time he appears I turned up my television just a bit to make sure I’m able to hear his commentary. As for ESPN’s pre-, half-time and postgame programming I manage to miss them all. In truth I cannot say I’m upset with all of the changes made by the Worldwide Leader in sports broadcasting. In closing I guess maybe it’s a little of both, ESPN’s changed but so has my ability to gather sports news.

Published Monday thru Friday    

Basketball from a fans perspective

Maui relief

It’s hoped this will just be the beginning of sports teams aiding Maui to recover from the devastating fire. The “title wave” of funds will began rolling in just like the Hawaiian surf. 1. “The LA Clippers’ preseason opener against the Utah Jazz will be played at the University of Hawaii at Manoa on Oct. 8, with all proceeds from the game being donated to the Hawaii Community Foundation’s Maui Strong Fund to benefit wildfire relief in Lahaina, Hawaii.” Later in the month, October 29 Kansas will face Illinois in an exhibition game to be telecast on the Big 10 Network. The proceeds for this game will also be designated for the Maui Strong Fund. To my knowledge these are the first two sports benefits intended to aid Maui in its recovery from the devastating fire that swept the island and more specifically Lahaina. 

1. ESPN.com NBA page Sept 24, 2023

Norm Nixon

After apologizing to Jeff Pearlman for my mistake I’m back on his case again. This time I am echoing the words of former Laker guard Norm Nixon. Nixon indicates his portrayal in the HBO series Winning Time is only partially correct. Nixon claims he did indeed have a problem with Magic Johnson but certainly not in the manner depicted in the series. Once again we have another former Laker of the era claiming this production was untrue. As I attempted to point out it is clear some of the dialogue occurring must be scripted but the question again, why embellish the events?

I would guess for dramatic purposes it makes sense. We are more likely to watch something promoting controversy over a vanilla story. I am making a pledge at this point I hope to honor for the future. This will be my last entry regarding Winning Time and Pearlman. It’s clear by this point despite Pearlman’s concern about lack of viewers in season two there will be no change, he will continue to promote this production. I hope to not give readers of this blog a basis for viewing the series. For Laker fans it’s not worth much in accuracy.

“Not on my watch”

It had been several weeks since I reported the efforts in San Antonio to build a new arena and baseball complex. I searched the net and uncovered only one story by a local television station but that’s not the news, the real news is the comments on the story. This planned complex would be located in downtown San Antonio, it would continue a trend of sports palaces moving into downtown portions of a city. There were only two letters however the second one was quite biting. “If they want a downtown arena the Spurs and Missions need to pay for it,” for informational purposes Missions is the city’s minor league baseball team. It would appear the sentiment of many in San Antonio matches that of several in Kansas City. 

The key difference between the two cities, the future looks booming in San Antonio not so much in Kansas City. The Spurs are bad however they have the promise of Victor Wembanyama, for the baseball Royals the future is a little murkier. There is no intent on my account to poo-paw the stadium effort in San Antonio or Kansas City. Whatever occurs in San Antonio won’t affect me, as for Kansas City that’s a different matter. The letter written provided for you only represents a statement by a single individual. Despite that fact don’t be lulled into believing that is the only objection to the planned San Antonio complex. Taxpayers in San Antonio and Kansas City are stating their objections, “Not on my watch” is their shout out.

Bits n Pieces 

Analytics has permeated the sports world baseball, the NFL and NBA. There is no requirement to worry this might be the one place where there is no requirement for you to read or even understand analytics in Off the Dribble. There is a clear reason, I don’t get it! Actually it’s more to the story, if I desired to understand analytics formal study would take part for me. I guess you could say I don’t have the desire…that’s it I lack desire because of this key reason. Proponents claim it’s important to know what the outcome might be. In this instance I will remind you of the Mike Tyson statement because it might apply. The former heavyweight boxing champion said, “Everyone has a plan until they are punched in the mouth.”

Most but not all of the non-con portion of Mizzou’s schedule has been finalized. As most expected its going to be slightly tougher in the second season of Dennis Gates. We knew in advance Kansas and Illinois were on the schedule but what else was ahead for Mizzou? November 9 the Memphis Tigers will play at Mizzou Arena, December 3 and 9 Wichita State and Kansas. Mixed in the schedule are Seton Hall and Pittsburg, this might provide Mizzou Nation an early idea how competitive the team might be in the 2023-24 season. No doubt the games against Kansas and Memphis will probably be the toughest. Kansas is ranked number one in most pre-season polls and Penny Hardaway Memphis coach always produces competitive teams.

Hype, what hype 

Cooper Flagg announced his first three visits as a high school senior. Flagg, who reclassified into the Class of 2024 is now the number one prospect by most sites. His mother indicated his list will be UConn, Kansas and Duke, none of the schools are surprising or shocking, the dates are yet to be announced. You might remember this story, at some point after the June NBA draft several media sites began to ask the question was there too much hype surrounding Victor Wembanyama? This from one website, “Cooper Flagg’s legend grows in New York City showcase.”

I underlined legend for a specific reason by asking the question, how can a 16-year-old be a legend unless the media makes that declaration. The subject becomes who is responsible for hyping prospects basketball fans or the media? From a YouTube video titled Ball Boy Bob, “Coldest white boy since Larry Bird!!” This from NBC Boston in July, “Who is Cooper Flagg? Meet the next NBA great”, the headline read. NBA great when he’s not set foot on an NBA court yet. You can see where I’m going with this account, the statement is made again by me. Young Flagg is not creating the hype, who is the guilty party, we know the answer?

Published Monday thru Friday    

Basketball from a fans perspective

A difference of opinion

We constantly have differences of opinions on players, my argument has always been that it’s unfair to compare players of different eras. This time we have two whose careers overlapped one another. Jazz guard John Stockton holds the All-Time record for assists in the NBA. The number for Stockton is 15,806, the active player nearest him is Chris Paul with 11,501. At 38-years old it is highly unlikely Paul passes or even ties the Stockton total.

Laker guard Magic Johnson is in 7^th place with 10,141 assists and that’s where I begin this. Recently a friend declared “John Stockton is the best point guard in NBA history.” That caused no pushback on my part however the next portion of his statement most certainly did. My friend said, “I don’t consider Magic Johnson a point guard, he was a forward.” I could agree with a portion of that, standing 6 foot 9- and 220-pounds Magic certainly matched up well with most forwards of the era. The only issue for me, that’s not the position he played except maybe on defensive switches. Because we are discussing assist totals how about LeBron James, he’s in 4^th place with 10,420 assists.

If my friend had said “LeBron ain’t no point guard” I could agree with him on this one, he’s played point forward his entire NBA career. On the other hand despite his height Johnson was a point. We have no idea the assist total Johnson might have accumulated without his premature retirement at age 32. Much of the media dubbed Paul Pressey “point-forward” at the time he played due to his passing skills. Might we consider Magic (and LeBron) as such?

Don’t look too far into the future

Some might claim this is a cautionary tale, why are you trying to tie Dennis Gates down so early? There are a number of reasons for my view on the matter, Mizzou is not a Blue Blood program or usual destination for upward bound coaches, that’s the principal reason the school decided to extend the contract of Gates back in May. As pointed out previously the issue has been stability in the hiring, if Quin Snyder is hired now that would be a good thing. In 1999 Snyder’s time under Coach K. was likely the deciding factor in his hire, I must acknowledge that was a miss at the time.

Mizzou interviewed Bill Self then at Tulsa but passed on hiring him in favor of Snyder. In truth Mike Anderson was a good hire except it always seemed he placed one foot outside the door awaiting another coaching job. Like Snyder I believed Frank Haith was a good coach however he arrived with “unclaimed baggage.” Haith’s past at Miami and lack of wins, especially the last season caused him to resign prior to a likely firing. Would Haith have been terminated anyway…I don’t have the answer. After he departed the AD at the time made a hasty and bad hire in Kim Anderson. Allow a brief explanation here, Anderson had tasted success at the D-II level. In addition he’d played for legendary Mizzou coach Norm Stewart, it turned out Anderson was unable to recruit talent successfully and team performance suffered.

Cuonzo Martin was another coach I genuinely admired but after a few years under his leadership the basketball program reverted to losing ways. Much as I hated to see turmoil exist again a new coach was required. AD Desiree Reed-Francois and her team began searching for a replacement for Martin. At the time Dennis Gates was announced a loud sigh could be heard from St. Louis to Kansas City, Springfield to St. Joseph. The question out of most mouth’s, “Who is this guy?” There is no requirement repeat what occurred after the arrival of Gates, can I just conclude by stating my belief he’s a keeper.

Sixth man

Several reading this account might remember Lou Williams, he retired this past June after a 17-year NBA career. Williams was one of a small number drafted from high school into the NBA, the year was 2005. During his career Williams appeared as a valuable commodity off the bench for 7 NBA teams. He was selected three times as NBA Sixth Man of the Year (2015, 2018, 2019). In the last few years we’ve noted a number of postseason awards named after a former player or individual.

Examples are the Larry O’Brien trophy (NBA Championship) honoring a past NBA commissioner. We also have the trophy with Wilt Chamberlain’s name (NBA Rookie of the Year) and the Michael Jordan trophy (NBA MVP). Williams has gone on record indicating the Sixth Man of the Year trophy should be named after him. He goes on to state if the trophy is not named for him it should be either Jamal Crawford or Manu Ginobili. What do you think, do you agree with Williams that the poll should be named in his honor? The counter statement might be, shouldn’t Williams allow the NBA to nominate him?

What is it

We all believed the Pac-12 was going to die quickly with the number of defections in recent weeks. Hold on a moment that might not quite occur as we speculated. A story is circulating that the remaining schools, Stanford, Cal, Washington State and Oregon State are looking at expanding at least to 8. This is only conjecture and I offer no proof however SMU, USF and Memphis are reported to be the prime candidates to be added.

They would require only one additional school to become an 8-team conference one they operated from 1968-1978. And then we hear this story the conference is considering adding even more schools becoming the Pac-18. At this point I need to correct earlier information provided you. The Pacific Coast Conference operated from 1915-1959, it then became the Athletic Association of Western Universities (1959-1968). In 1968 the conference became the Pac-8 and 1978 became the Pac-12, in 2023 the defections begin to the Big XII and Big 10.

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Basketball from a fans perspective

It's clear he’s annoyed…so am I

If you are unfamiliar with the name Rick Barry look him up. Based on the short read in ClutchPoints  Barry is clearly upset and I can understand why. Recently you read Gilbert Arenas and his view of NBA players, as I stated then and continue to maintain Arenas has a right to his view. Despite that fact it fails to take into consideration his assessment might be a little off base, that’s the argument for Rick Barry Hall of Fame player. What does Arenas, Shaq, Barkley or Rodman offer us as proof other than their mouth?

Those former players mentioned and others competed in the NBA at a high skill level. In truth can we take an NBA All Pro from 1958 and prove he couldn’t play at the same level in 2023? As I’ve attempted to point out players of this generation for the most part are better conditioned than those of the past. This generation has the advantage of trainers in addition to vitamin supplements and other stuff. I am going to try my best for this to be the last time the issue of old versus current players is covered. I have this declaration, please provide me solid proof other than your mouth Arenas, Shaq, Barkley and Rodman.

There are questions

James Harden has been a mystery to me over the course of his career. To me it’s attitude over talent, allow an explanation. The Sixers have become team number four and once again he’s ready to move. He’s declared “war” by referring to Sixer president Daryl Morey as “a liar.” That statement alone is likely not to change for Harden but I uncovered some interesting commentary on him. Before that’s covered let’s check the recent past, unable to get an extension with the Thunder Harden was traded to the Rockets. After several seasons with the Rockets once again Harden demanded a trade, this time it would be the Nets.

February 2022 another trade, Philadelphia would be the landing spot which he’s now requesting a move again. Some might remember Kevin McHale was the Rockets coach at the time Harden was acquired. I’m not going to detail the entire podcast but it was interesting. The shortened version McHale claimed Harden was unable or unwilling to do those things necessary for the Rockets to move to a championship level. Fast forward to the present, its claimed an increasing portion of the Sixer offense was tailored toward Joel Embiid. That certainly makes sense based on games I was able to view, Harden’s playoff basketball was up and down. Harden turns 34-years old this month which is not ancient but questions whether he’s worth a long-term contract. The contract issue appears to be the crux of Harden’s issue with the Sixers, this is an unfinished story, we shall see how its eventually resolved.

In another portion of the nation the questions involve long-time Blazer guard Dame Lillard. Is Game time over in Portland, that’s what we are led to believe. It seems since the end of last season the media has contained reports indicating Lillard wants to leave town. His situation is somewhat different from Harden in this regard, he’s only played for one team. Up till this point in time it appears Lillard was content remaining in Portland for the balance of his NBA career. What prompted this change in attitude, probably a number of issues but the chief one might have been listening to others. We began hearing legions of retired NBA players making similar statements. “He (Lillard) needs a playoff contending team.” The solo call for Lillard to leave Portland grew to a chorus advising him which contender he should consider. This is another case we have no ability to determine how the story ends.   

FIBA play

As most are aware FIBA play has begun, as this is written Team U.S.A. has won all 5 of its exhibition games. There is additional tough play ahead, I will continue to root for them to win. Overall it’s my belief the world has not caught up to U.S.A. basketball yet! You notice I said yet, that day might come at some point. As more and more international play comes about through the Olympics, FIBA, college and the NBA it will change. This past season the NBA had the largest number of international players in the leagues history. I cannot see a valid reason for complaints by those in this nation for a simple reason.

We have exported the game to great success around the world. I have no method to validate this statement but believe it to be true. Basketball is the world’s second most popular sport (except in Canada) ranking only behind soccer (football). As for the composition of Team U.S.A. that’s a different matter, NBA players make the choice to play or not. There is nothing that can be done in this area, on the other hand there is one thing…quit complaining. This rant is aimed at Shaquille O’ Neal and Mr. “I hate everything” Gilbert Arenas. Instead of complaining about who is not there how about boosting those who decide to play. There might be other former NBA players complaining about the makeup of the roster who however O’ Neal and Arenas appear to be leading the complaint department.

He won them over

Basketball fans are familiar with Rucker Park, this hotbed of basketball is located at 155^th Street and Frederick Douglass Boulevard in Harlem. NBA legends of the past have played in this legendary  outdoor court, some of the names are Dr. J., Wilt, Kobe, Lebron and Durant performing on this historic basketball court. The names appearing include playground legends too, Earl “The Goat” Manigault, Pee Wee Kirkland and Herman “Helicopter” Knowings are just a few of those names.

You must either be special or perform spectacularly to impress the Rucker Park gathering. That’s exactly what Cooper Flagg did recently, can you imagine this? A 16-year-old white kid from Newport Maine had the crowd shouting his praises. It might be easy to assume Flagg might have been wowed after all the 2020 census indicates Newport has a population of 3,100. The Harlem portion of upper Manhattan where Rucker Park is located contains 200,356 citizens. I reported earlier Flagg reclassified and is now the top prospect in the Class of 2024. The 6-foot 8-inch 200-pound prospect has been compared to Larry Bird which I think is unfair. The hype machines have already begun to work overtime promoting this kid.

As for his schooling he attends Montverde Academy in Florida, the next question is where is he headed? In this age we cannot assume a prospect of his tenor is headed for a college, he’s got choices. Among Flagg’s choices are college…of course, Overtime Elite, NBA G-League and the NBL in Australia. I had no opportunity to see the Rucker game but I did see the shot. Flagg hit a step back 3-pointer sending the game into overtime. I cannot wait to see him in action whatever his choice might be. 

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Basketball from a fans perspective

A correction

If there is a mistake made and its brought to my attention I want to provide a correction. I wrote this in yesterday’s Off the Dribble. I authored my view of Winning Time the HBO production regarding the Showtime Lakers. This is a portion of what I wrote, “Despite this fact it might have been better if he’d chosen to write about the era without feeling the need to embellish the storyline. This I saw at the beginning of a movie, “The following dramatization, although fictionalized was inspired by an actual event.” It might have been a good idea for Pearlman to use this at the beginning of each episode.” I am offering a correction, at least one episode of Winning Time contained similar wording. With that I’m apologizing to Jeff Pearlman for incorrectly reporting a fact of his production. As for the reason why Pearlman chose to exaggerate some events no apology is offered.

No longer flyover country

The State of Missouri and more specifically Columbia where the university is located was dubbed “flyover country” by some in the media. You are asking the question how did the nickname come about, that’s easy to explain? It seemed high profile basketball prospects would take flights over and around the state and few landed in Columbia. At least for the near future that is changing and it might no longer exist for the most part. If you are reading this Tuesday morning he arrived yesterday. He stands 6-foot 10-inch in height and weighs 235-pounds, his name is Jayden Quaintance. He attends Word of God Christian Academy in Raleigh North Carolina and was on campus to check out the facilities at Mizzou.

He likely met with coach Gates and his staff. Quaintance is listed as a Rivals 5-Star prospect and another site, 247Sports awards him 4-stars. As I’ve attempted to impart to fellow members of Mizzou Nation there is no guarantee Quaintance commits to Mizzou today or even some future date. This is the best portion of the visit as I see it, Gates and staff are beginning to attract top notch talent to Mizzou. I’m unsure if this is in order but believe the next visit September 1 will be Trent Burns, Burns is a 7-foot 2 inch 220-pound prospect in the Class of 2024 from Houston Texas. Rivals awards him 4-Stars, with Big Man Peyton Marshall committing last week there is lesser of a chance Burns decides on Mizzou. Despite that fact the visit offers proof Gates and staff are building something. In closing I can state I hope this trend of attracting talent continues into the future, I believe no longer does “flyover country” apply to Mizzou.

When he speaks, I listen

Former Laker great James Worthy’s gone on record before the season starts. Last winter his eye was on Austin Reaves, he claims Reaves has proven he’s the MAN. Who is Big Game James looking at this upcoming season as the X factor for the Lakers, he claims Rui Hachimura is the focus for him. After being acquired in a mid-season trade it took some time for Hachimura to adjust to the Laker scheme. Once the playoffs began Hachimura really came to the forefront.

The Laker power forward shot a sizzling 55.7% from the floor and 48.7% from the three line, I almost forgot his 88.2% from the free-throw line. Hachimura’s scoring average was only 12.2 points per game however the Lakers are not necessarily looking at him for scoring. They hope he continues to play steady defense and bring to the table numbers close to those above. At 6 foot 8- and 230-pounds Hachimura can defend centers on switches. Worthy has announced where his focus is this season. I know I’m going to pay attention, whenever Big Game James speaks I listen.

Pros and Cons

It’s clear by now the NBA intends to expand one day, it’s practically a done deal with Seattle and Las Vegas at the front of the line. Which city is in third place, it might surprise some but that might be Mexico City. To date the only NBA franchises existing are in this country and the Raptors in Canada. Exporting the NBA to Mexico would be something few probably have considered except for Adam Silver. The commissioner has gone on record indicating the NBA is looking south of the Rio Grande. What is intended here is to explore the pros and cons of adding a team in Mexico City. I’ve never visited Mexico, this supposition is based on research and my opinion. Keep in mind the major portion of this account is my opinion, which certainly fails to argue you should agree with my view of the subject matter. Pro-Mexico City is the largest populated city in the northern hemisphere with 22 million citizens. Every person is not interested in the NBA but as you can see the population to support a team is there.

Pro-the arena presently in use was opened in 2012, it seats 22,300 it would move into first place as the largest arena in the NBA in its first year. Pro-no time zone issues, it’s 1:24 p.m. Central Time as I write this, it’s 12:24 p.m. in Mexico City. If an NBA team was to play in Europe there would be a 7–8-hour time difference in France versus the United States. Pro-the economy, Mexico’s GNP is ranked 14 in the world. This places Mexico ahead of most European Nations in Gross National Product including Saudi Arabia…that’s surprising isn’t it? A quick study might place the issues raised as in favor of the NBA expanding to Mexico City. Well we must stop and consider there are negatives to expansion into Mexico. Con-the first one to me at the top of the list of negatives is altitude, Mexico City is 7,349 feet or 2,240 meters above sea level. The NBA city with the highest altitude above sea level is Denver at 5,276 feet or 1,608 meters. Visiting NBA players have complained for years about the rarified air in Denver, just imagine the complaints about Mexico City.

Con-criminal activity, some might find this offensive however it exists in the U.S. we might as well discuss it in Mexico City. Based on my research I can uncovered the fact Mexico City has a lower crime rate than the balance of the nation. Con-With a city of 22 million you can bet there would be an air pollution problem. Is this issue serious enough to remove the city from consideration, I don’t think so? Con-language barrier, Spanish is spoken by the majority of residents however that fails to take into consideration that would be a detriment to obtaining an NBA franchise. I place the issue of language last because in this day I fail to believe it would be a hinderance to an NBA team calling Mexico City home. There is basketball played currently, The Capitanes de Ciudad de Mexico are three years old and have now become an NBA G-League team. In conclusion what occurs, one day Mexico City will one day receive an expansion team…exactly when is an unknown date. 

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Basketball from a fans perspective

Maui tragedy

The early college basketball season contains a number of tournament games. One of the annual tournaments always on the docket is the Maui Invitational held in Lahaina, Hawaii. The tournament was to be held November 20 through the 23, after the devastating tragedy and loss of life occurring in Maui there are questions if it will be held this season. Before this was written I checked media sources discovered this information. Lahaina Civic Center where the tournament is held is reported undamaged. Despite this fact structures surrounding the building have been destroyed by the fire.

As you would surmise this annual basketball tournament is a financial boon to Lahaina and the entire island of Maui. What to do is the question, the first answer is the citizens, take care of those in need first that is the priority. Despite the financial devastation of the fire on the community if the tournament is not played Maui will lose a great deal of additional income from the event. I’ve read the 8-team tournament could be played in Honolulu or maybe a location on the mainland. That might partially address financial issues but let’s not venture too far ahead of any decision. Whatever resolution is made there is no doubt there will be citizens who remain displeased with the verdict.

That’s really too bad

A few reading this might remember the scathing account I wrote about Winning Time. This was the series featured on HBO, it was reported to tell the story of the Showtime Lakers. The only problem is no one associated with the Lakers of that era had anything positive to say about the series. Jerry West even threatened to sue at a point although to my knowledge it never occurred. Abdul Jabbar, James Worthy and others were upset by the manner the characters were portrayed in that era.

Jeanie Buss is the only one with a positive comment, she claims John C. Reilly reminds her of dad Jerry Buss. Jeff Pearlman wrote Winning Time and has gone on record stating there might not be a season three unless viewership increases. Pearlman blames a portion of the drop in viewers on the writers’ strike, which for me sounds strange. The production is already in the can and viewable on HBO so his comment’s got me wondering what he’s talking about. We can take almost any historical era that was made into a movie, Patton, Malcom X, Sully or Apollo 13. Were editorial liberties taken in the movie scripts…of course they were.

I’ve never read criticism of those movies or any others you might think of. My question then and remains for Pearlman, how is it possible to take events and characters and fictionalize the script. I wish to make this clear I don’t wish any ill will toward Pearlman he’s got to earn a salary to feed his family. Despite this fact it might have been better if he’d chosen to write about the era without feeling the need to embellish the storyline. This I saw at the beginning of a movie, “The following dramatization, although fictionalized was inspired by an actual event.” It might have been a good idea for Pearlman to use this at the beginning of each episode. 

You say hype

This is a re-visit or maybe part two of an earlier discussion, it was said “The hype machine is working overtime regarding Victor Wembanyama.” I thought for a brief period, perhaps it wasn’t necessarily the NBA how about high school leading into college and then the NBA. The first name that comes to mind is OJ Mayo, he’s out of the league now but he arrived from Southern Cal with great expectations. There was an enormous deal of hype regarding Mayo which continued in college. His NBA career has been good but certainly nothing close to projections. Drug issues have sidelined him although he’s eligible to return has declined the opportunity thus far. Tyreke Evans is another name, he was raised by his older brothers and was groomed early for an NBA career.

We followed Evans’ path as he left for college at Memphis but stayed there but a single season and then decided on the NBA. Evans had been fairly successful but he too is no longer in the NBA also banned due to drug issues. He’s also eligible to return, he played briefly with a G-League affiliate but has since been released. I am unsure if Zion Williamson should be included here, the hype build up begin in high school continued his one season at Duke. He can play the problem remaining on the court for long periods, it seems he is always injured. In closing the last name to consider is Emoni Bates, now it might be unfair to include him in this analysis. It’s yet to be determined if he can play at the NBA level, he’s included for one reason alone…the hype that’s surrounded him since his sophomore year of high school. Those are but a few that come to mind where the hype machine worked overtime, I am sure there are others to consider.

This is certainly a different age

I believe there are two keys to a successful basketball program, coaching and recruiting. I think Mizzou has at least one of those cornered, we have not seen the real Dennis Gates yet. Despite that fact we gained insight into his coaching and management style this past season. Season two beginning in about three months will provide even more insight into Gates for us. What about the recruiting part of the question? In the short run that might be easier to discern than the coaching issue and I will explain. There is more to the picture than simply attracting talent, a coach must be able to mold those talents into a cohesive unit.

With the number of opportunities in front of high-profile prospects (G-League, Overtime Elite, Australia) successful recruiting of prestigious athletes might be more difficult than ever in this age. The balance of this account is focused on Class of 2024 prospect Peyton Marshall, despite his size (7 ft, 300 pounds) he is no second coming of Shaquille O’Neal. His game, at least at the high school level reminds me of that however he’s quite raw from what I’ve witnessed thus far. This is a different age for Big Man basketball, no longer is it a back to the basket game. At the same time I for one don’t expect this large person to stand on the 3-point line chucking up shots. Scouting reports indicate Marshall is adaptable to coaching and that’s good for him.

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Basketball from a fans perspective

Why   

If you checked the career points total of Julius ‘Dr. J.’ Erving in the NBA records you will discover during his Hall of Fame career he scored 18,365 points but is that all? His actual professional scoring total is 30,026, prior to entry into the NBA he scored 11,662 points for the ABA Nets and Virginia Squires. How about Moses Malone, we uncover this fact he scored 27,409 points but the question is asked again…is that all. He would score another 2,171 points for a total of 29,580. Like me we are asking the question why the discrepancy? These two are not the only former ABA players impacted by a strange decision but perhaps the most visible based on their name recognition.

This is one more example I continue to maintain that there was actually no ABA-NBA merger. For example in football when there was an actual merger in 1966 all AFL teams moved into the older NFL forming a single league. That was not the case for the ABA, six teams existed in 1976 but only four survived. The Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, New York Nets and San Antonio Spurs shifted into the NBA, the Kentucky Colonels and Spirits of St. Louis were folded. Rosters from the two franchises that went out of business were placed in a dispersal draft to be chosen by NBA teams. As for the football merger I will leave that to someone else to uncover whether player stats were transferred to the NFL. As for the NBA apparently they saw no requirement to continue honoring ABA numbers.

In closing I have continued to maintain the Kansas City Kings due to finances likely made an error that likely impacted their tenure here. The Kings with the third pick in the ABA disposal draft chose Ron Boone a serviceable 6-foot 2-inch shooting guard, with pick number 5 the Blazers chose future Hall of Fame player Moses Malone. Malone was entering his third season but was only approaching 20 years of age, he was the first in the modern era to enter professional basketball directly from high school. Is this revisionist history on my part…perhaps but I maintain its possible the Kings are still here with Malone providing the anchor for franchise stability.

An extension

By now most reading this are aware the Lakers have extended Anthony Davis. I read the headline but not the account, it was claimed they signed the deal without consideration for AD’s injury history. Later I saw video of a WNBA player claiming the Clippers need to extend Kawhi Leonard. We have no idea if there is behind the scenes negotiation occurring but there’s been no news as this is written. This is rare for me to venture into the area of pay and make a statement. There is no argument from me that Kawhi Leonard is one of the most talented players in the NBA.

What keeps me from placing him nearer the top is his injury history. I don’t believe in luck but Leonard appears to have something working against him. When healthy and able to play as I stated he’s one of the best but then we must deal with his injury history. I believe this next statement to be correct, Leonard has managed to play in 41% of Clipper games since he signed with them in 2019. I have no intention of detailing the injuries but believe this fact. Clipper management must take into consideration Leonard wants to play when healthy. As Rod Tidwell once screamed loudly, “Show me the money,” you are familiar with Tidwell I hope.

Sonny

Perhaps you watched the movie “Air” starring Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, it dealt with Sonny Vaccaro and Nikes pursuit of Michael Jordan for a shoe deal. The movie was okay however I had a little difficulty seeing Damon as Vacarro and Affleck as Nike head Phil Knight. I might suggest for your viewing the ESPN 30 for 30 documentary on the background of John Paul Vincent Vacarro a.k.a. Sonny.  

Although he’s not as visible now the 83-year-old was the driving force behind Nike and later Adidas. Vaccaro was high school basketball long before Rivals, McDonalds All Americans and others came into existence. Vaccaro co-founded the first high school all-star game, the Dapper Dan Classic played in Pittsburg Pennsylvania from 1984-2007. See the documentary, it can provide for more information than I could or you might gain from viewing the Damon-Affleck movie “Air.”

He’s entitled to his opinion, I just happen to disagree

I’d mentioned this before but wanted to briefly cover it again. I along with several others worked a community event recently. Young and old, children and babies were in attendance, I noted 4-5 individuals with Mizzou shirts of all types. That number certainly is not huge but contrast with the fact I saw zero shirts representing KU or the University of Kansas. Kansas City on the Missouri side of State Line Road has divided loyalty and that’s okay, my resentment is aimed at much of the Kansas City media. Neal Jones KCTV 5 sports was discussing the conference moves regarding the Big XII, Big 10 and Pac-12.

I’m unsure how the subject moved to Mizzou sports however this paraphrases the comment of Jones. “Mizzou sports is not as popular in Kansas City as it once was with the move to the SEC.” This media person is entitled to his opinion, I just happen to disagree with it. Jones gives us the impression in 2013 that all the Mizzou fans in Kansas City on the Missouri side began rooting for programs other than Mizzou. That view is simply untrue, I monitor sports reporting and it is certainly one-sided although that was not always the case. Despite the view of Jones there are plenty of Mizzou fans in Kansas City on the Missouri side of State Line Road.

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Basketball from a fans perspective

Mizzou secures another...I hope

Maybe the headline should have a question mark behind it, Annor Boateng will soon make his choice of a school known to the basketball world. The Mizzou faithful has their fingers crossed on this prospect hoping he makes a decision beneficial to them. Boateng is a 6-foot 5 inch 205-pound shooting guard, he’s a senior at Central HS in Little Rock Arkansas. He’s got scholarship offers from 22 schools around the nation which certainly gives him plenty of choices.

Boateng has a Mizzou visit scheduled on August 25 so an announcement should follow shortly thereafter. As for the scouting report both Rivals and 247Sports award Boateng 4-stars. In the past I have attempted to remain on the sidelines until a commitment was made by a prospect. The recent successful recruiting week by Gates and staff have embolden me into believing Mizzou might acquire another potential talent. If for some reason he chooses another school it will be reported here…I say this despite the fact I’d prefer he commit to Mizzou.

Big Baller Brand

Lonzo Ball’s time with the Lakers ended in 2019, despite this fact both are in the news this week. The Bulls are saying privately that Ball’s NBA career might be over based on a concern once expressed by the Lakers. Ramona Shelburne and Paula Lavinge indicate Ball said the Lakers were concerned about his shoes. Doug Gottlieb Fox Sports confirms the account regarding the BBB shoe issue. 1. “Lakers believe his initial injury, was caused by his shoes. BBB were complete trash, no R&D like Nikes, just thrown together.” The account went on to state Ball was often forced to change shoes at the quarter. I discussed this issue with three former athletes a soccer, basketball and football player.  

Two of the three played their respective sport at the collegiate level so I asked the question. My student mind said I could understand ankle problems but Ball’s most recent injuries have been knee related. The former football player said, “Shoes are key and yes, bad or poorly manufactured shoes can eventually affect your knees. “The Zo2s I was playing in, they were not ready, I had to switch them up every quarter because they would just rip, said Ball.” He quit wearing the shoes in the 2019-20 season switching to Kobes. Was dad LaVar Ball so intent on selling $495 shoes he was willing to risk his son’s NBA career? One other note, younger brother LaMelo never wore the BBB brand instead preferring the Puma, LaMelo now wears his own signature shoe the Puma MB1.

1. ClutchPoints.com

Update

Yesterday we briefly discussed Matas Buzelis possibly being the top pick in next year’s draft. The following is a little detail on the 6-foot 11 195 pound small forward/shooting guard. The prevailing thought Buzelis would be headed for college instead he decided in favor of G-League Team Elite and a professional career. What might we suppose prompted Buzelis to pursue a pro career rather than a major college, he explains in detail what motivated this decision over college?

“I think people wanted to see me in a college environment. But being around pros, pro coaches? They can take your skill to the next level.” School wasn’t really my main focus. No disrespect to my teachers, it just wasn’t for me! Some of my teachers understood and respected it. Some people want to be doctors. Not me.” 1. Buzelis played his high school basketball at Sunrise Christian Academy near Wichita. This Class of 2023 prospect could have chosen among 23 scholarships. From the detail provided at least for now Buzelis has no desire to attend any college.   

1. Conde Nast GQ

Who is he      

Cooper Flagg reclassified, several might be asking who the heck is Cooper Flagg? He is a 6-foot 9 195-pound talent who reclassified, Flagg moves into the Class of 2024 and will likely move to the top of most scouting sites. This is the portion of the story most interesting, Flagg is now being declared “the best high school senior in decades.” I guess that statement would include LeBron James as well. Just a few weeks ago we discussed the hype surrounding Victor Wembanyama, several suggested Wemby was being overhyped.

We might ask the same question about Flagg but once again he’s not the one tooting his horn. In the case of Flagg and Wemby the media is the driving force behind the news. Home for Flagg is Maine however he is enrolled at Montverde Academy in Florida. Flagg has two brothers who also play basketball and just like Wemby his mom played the game at the college level. Currently there are 10 schools with offers for him to play at their school, this 5-star athlete is looking forward to attending Duke, Michigan, Iowa, Kansas or one of the others with an offer to pay. Be on the lookout for the next season for further news on Flagg in his senior year.