Basketball from a fans perspective

Who is leading?

It’s my belief the contest to determine the 2024 NBA Rookie of the Year is a two-man race. Sure there are plenty of rookies to consider but at present only two have solid credentials November 30, 2023. Chet Holmgren Thunder power forward and Victor Wembanyama Spurs center are their names. One website claims the lead at this point belongs to Holmgren, I beg to differ which is my prerogative. If we simply look at stats the two are tied in my book at this time. My claim since the beginning of the season remains the same. Holmgren plays on a better team at this point, the Spurs are not terrible but they are certainly nowhere near as good as the Thunder.

This provides Holmgren with a clear advantage over Wemby, please note I said advantage I didn’t say he was more accomplished. In addition the Thunder rookie had an NBA season where he didn’t play due to injury to prepare, he became accustomed to his team and the rigors of an NBA life. What do I expect at the end of the season, one or the other could be named ROY. On the other hand we could have co-Rookies of the Year, its occurred three times in NBA history. In 1971 Dave Cowans and Geoff Petrie tied for the honors, in 1995 it was Grant Hill and Jason Kidd gaining the award. 2000 was the last year we had two winners, this time it was Elton Brand and Steve Francis. In closing, never say never it could occur again in 2024. By the way, remember all the talk about both being too skinny prior to the season start? Well I can't speak for you but I haven't heard anyone mention weight in quite awhile. 

The best ever

You just read the name Warren Jabali recently and might question it since most you probably never heard his name. How about a little background on him, if we are discussing the best basketball player from New York City or Los Angeles we could drag out bunches of names. His name was Warren Armstrong as a youth and into his play at Wichita State but I’m getting ahead of myself in a look at this talent. He was born in Kansas City Kansas and began to grow his talent in junior high school there. In the early 1960’s the best basketball on the Missouri side was played by Central High School under the leadership of coach Wilkinson.

I don’t have the full story but somehow the Armstrong family moved across state line and he began play in his sophomore year at Central High School. From day one it was clear Armstrong was extremely talented and a superior athlete. Seniors on the basketball team looked to this sophomore due to the leadership he exhibited on the basketball court. No one in Kansas City had ever witnessed an athlete with his great leaping ability. In 1964 Wichita State basketball was superior in some circles than the majority of Big 8 schools, so it off to the Kansas school for Armstrong. He continued to grow his game and in the 1968 NBA Draft he was chosen by the Knicks, the new American Basketball Association Oakland Oaks also drafted him. He was Rookie of the Year and help lead that Oaks team to the league championship. A physical rock standing 6 foot 2 and 200 pounds, Jabali was a high wire act no one had ever existed in the Kansas City metro previously.

If you think this is just me talking listen to the words of the legendary Dr. J., Julius Erving. The Hall of Fame Erving certainly faced a number of talented players during his ABA-NBA career, Jabali is one of them. 1. “There were two guys. Warren Jabali and Jumping Joe Caldwell-Pogo Joe, they called him Pogo Joe. So I think I averaged like 28 against the rest of the league. But those two guys, I think I averaged like 24. So they weren’t really busting me, but a 4-point difference in scoring is worthy of note.” Jabali passed in 2012 at the age of 65, in life the cerebral Jabali stood much taller in basketball circles than his height.

1.Knuckleheads, Basketball Network

Too much?

Could this be too much recruiting on Mizzou’s part…maybe that is the question. On the roster is freshman Jordan Butler 7 foot 3, 230 pounds, arriving next fall are two more huge guys. 7-foot Peyton Marshall 300 pounds and 7-foot 3 210-pound Trent Burns. Count it that’s 21 feet 6 inches and 740 pounds of Big Men with Mizzou on their jersey. The first statement, all three are raw or at least that’s my belief. Butler’s just arrived on campus this fall to begin play in the tough SEC, the other two are still in high school.

Question number one becomes, can any of the three play effectively at the college level? Number three, I’m not the coach but could we possibly see a twin tower lineup on the court? We’ve held a number of discussions regarding the game no longer being low post oriented. After watching Jordan Wembanyama play could we envision Burns on the perimeter shooting from distance? I’m picking on Burns for no other reason than he fits the Wembanyama profile, tall and lanky. Sure as I’m being held down by gravity one of the three is likely to not be in Columbia for the long term. Hopefully, it will be a pro contract rather than a transfer to another school’s program.

Reserve role

In the NBA’s history a significant number of players were placed in the role of 6th man. In some instances the player preferred the role while others were probably not suited to fulfill time as a starter.  Generally speaking the reserve player is to change the complexion of a game in a number of different manners. If its scoring he does that, if the situation calls for more defense he can do that as well but there should be something of significance he provides. 

Let’s check out the Clippers once James Harden was acquired, a number of fans questioned if he and Russell Westbrook could play in the same backcourt. After a few games we discovered this would not work with two ball dominant players, one of the two must take on the reserve role but who would it be? My vote for what it’s worth was Harden, I stated this at one point and continue to believe he’s the one. Despite the fact I believed Westbrook had not played up to expectations with the Lakers it appeared he done just that role for the Clippers. This next portion is a little murky, it was pointed out Westbrook had approached coach Lue about coming off the bench or as the team’s 6th man. 

Now who’s suffering on the Clippers, it’s Westbrook, his numbers have clearly gone down the drain? This from memory says Westbrook only came off the bench a few times for the Lakers, with the Clippers early he was inserted into the starting lineup. So the James Harden effect is at work for another team, previously I expressed my belief they could win an NBA Championship…now I’m not so sure.