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.