Basketball from a fans perspective

THANKSGIVING BREAK

Please note this is the last daily edition of Off the Dribble until Monday November 27, the pause will allow for my family’s annual family gathering for Thanksgiving. If you celebrate the holiday I hope yours is a get together where mass quantities of food are consumed. For those traveling, I wish you a safe journey to your destination and return home.

Upsets occur when you don’t play well

After I posted the Mizzou-Jackson State score a friend chose to provide me a history reminder. He asked if I remember Norfolk State upsetting Mizzou in the NCAA Tournament. Upsets occur when you don’t play well, I’m certainly not providing you information you were unaware. Mizzou’s loss to Jackson State was embarrassing for the program, the coach and Mizzou Nation. Can I say the best team doesn’t always win, yes I think I will. The following is offered as proof, it can occur in tournament, regular season and NCAA Tournament play.

We can delve into a little history…say 1982, no one except folks living in Hawaii had ever heard of Chaminade. The school now plays a Division II schedule, at the time they played Virginia, they were NAIA. Their claim to fame, beating the University of Virginia 77-72 with Ralph Sampson in Virginia’s lineup. It should be of note Virginia was undefeated going into the game. You say that’s too long ago, how about 2019, Stephen F. Austin beat then number one Duke. In 2006 the Bradley Braves beat Kansas University in the NCAA Tournament 77-73. March of last season Fairleigh Dickinson beat number one seed Purdue 63-58 in last season’s tournament. Upsets occur and will continue, the best team doesn’t always win the game.

All is not lost

I wanted to revisit an earlier post, the impact of international athletes in the NBA. One podcaster really hinted the days of American basketball players domination of the game was over. He didn’t say it in so many words but certainly hinted it, listen I get it. As a basketball fan I love what I’ve seen thus far of Victor Wembanyama. The NBA MVP has been held tightly in the grasp of Nikola Jokic of Serbia the last few years and this past year Joel Embiid Cameroon. I’m unsure of others and for me it becomes difficult at times to write of the future and how it unfolds. I’m going to attempt it at this point somewhat cautiously.

Is there another Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant or Larry Bird equivalent someplace in the nation? This is not hinting at a clone of the aforementioned players it’s an athlete who dominates the game as these three and others did. Leaving Wemby out of the picture I will ask the question. Is that next player Chet Holmgren who appears on the surface potentially capable? How about Cooper Flagg who is yet to play his first game at the collegiate level? On the other hand that player could be Brandon Miller, Scoot Henderson one or both of the Thompson twins, Ausar and Amen. As I explained previously international athletes are welcome in the nation by me to play the game whether in college or the NBA, I have little concern regarding who is the basketball leader in producing talent.

Is it necessary

Some reading this might remember Lou Williams, rather than play college basketball out of high school he declared for the draft in 2005. The Sixers made him a second-round draft choice, that would be the beginning of a 17-year NBA career playing for several teams. During his career Williams was only an occasional starter most times he played in a reserve role. To provide evidence of his effectiveness Williams was chosen NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 2015, 2018 and 2019.

In retirement Williams was asked the question “Are you Hall of Fame worthy?” His answer was yes, I believe that should be expected from anyone with a 17-year successful NBA career to answer in the affirmative. There are probably a handful of players with similar time that cannot equal the record Williams established. He cannot nominate himself to Naismith so someone must lay the groundwork for his inclusion. Without naming a particular player or players I consider Williams just as worthy as many named by GIMMESPORT in last Sunday’s edition.

Triangle Offense

Execution and more important talent is necessary for success. That would be the case for the Triangle Offense, this scheme was in use during the time the Jordan led Bulls were dominating the NBA. Who originated this offense and what are the tenants of it? Although Phil Jackson utilized the triangle with the Bulls and Lakers it was his longtime assistant Tex Winter who was the architect of the offense. I used the term “architect” because Winter adopted the offense and tweaked it to fit his idea. The late Sam Barry a basketball coach invented the offense and we could say Winter was an early disciple. As for Winter his given name was Morice Frederick but was nicknamed Tex for obvious reasons. He was born in the Texas Panhandle town of Wellington in 1922. 

After a period of play during World War II Winter moved into the coaching ranks the first stop was as an assistant coach at Kansas State in 1947. There were a number of other jobs as head coach over the years, in 1985 he was hired by former Bulls GM Jerry Krause and became an assistant for head coach Phil Jackson. This bit of trivia, while in the military during World War II Winter was the starting guard for Chuck Taylor yes, the same Taylor most associated with Converse basketball shoes. Barry taught Winter and Winter taught Jackson the triangle. In 2018 Winter died at the age of 96 in Manhattan Kansas where he once coached the Wildcat program. Winter is enshrined in the Naismith and College Basketball Hall of Fame. “Triangle offense traditionally starts by passing the ball to the low-post player on the strong side. From there, the sideline triangle can set plays: They can move to score, or the post player can pass to one of the sideline triangle players, or perimeter players.” Confused, check out the video below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YahlaJVvpo