Basketball from a fan’s perspective

How to approach this

As the Lakers head home they remain in the same funk, unable to beat the Nuggets at a time they have a significant lead. Can I say in truth this game was different from the others, not really. They always manage to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory i.e. they can’t win against these guys. The Lakers held a 20-point lead in the second half and allowed the home team back in the game, they would come up once again on the losing end against the Nuggets, this time it was 101-99. It's difficult to detail the game in its entirety let’s just say there was a disconnect between Laker players and the coaching staff.

I’ve voiced an opinion in the past, I’m wary of coach Darvin Ham and his coaching strategy. As I have attempted to point out on several occasions Ham doesn’t take shots…rebound the basketball or do the other things. The post-game messages uttered by this coach are confusing, I’m referring to the one regarding The Joker. This is it, “It’s like (profanity), I don’t know what to do” describing the Joker. Do I expect a different outcome on Thursday for the Lakers? Yes it could occur, they could halt their losing streak to the Nuggets at 10. I’m not sure what else to say regarding the Lakers and the kryptonite Nuggets.

A level floor…hardly

I came across some content I’d like to share with you. Looking back there were a number of Americans asking why Brittney Griner was playing in Russia. Of course you are aware of the legal issues, she was held for a time by Russian authorities and later released. I’m not going to discuss that part of the story it’s the finance that is in question. Griner and other American players have played on foreign shores for several years supplementing their income. Recently it was pointed out Caitlin Clark will earn $76,000 from the Fever in her rookie year, similar to the NBA year two and year three will see increases but nowhere close to the salary Wemby currently earns.

As an NBA rookie it’s reported Victor Wembanyama’s salary is in the neighborhood of $12,000,000 in his first year in the league. Unlike others the majority of those drafted in the 2024 WNBA draft Clark has NIL money to supplement her reported salary from the Fever, in addition as this is written she will sign a shoe deal. A sizable portion of WNBA salaries might be attributed to the fact most in the league fail to earn income on the level of most NBA players. Will the salaries in the WNBA and NBA ever be on the same level, I cannot in truth answer the question although I have serious doubts. In closing perhaps Clark, Angel Reese and others will become the tidal wave of change regarding WNBA salaries.

Whoa

Bill Self can walk on water or at least that’s the belief of a great number of Jayhawk Nation. I’m here at this point to burst that bubble, the guy can still coach that’s not the issue, it’s the upgrade in competition. The 2024-25 season will see the Big XII become a 16-conference league, surely a name change is forthcoming at some stage. Competing in the conference will be newcomers Arizona (27-9), Arizona State (14-18), Utah (22-15) and Colorado (26-11), their prior won-loss record is in parenthesis.

I’m not stating they will duplicate this effort in the Big XII or whatever it will be called. This past season found newcomer Houston finished first in the regular season conference race, where did Kansas finish, tied for 4th place? No longer are teams simply rolling over and playing dead for Kansas, not even in Allen Fieldhouse. New to the conference BYU marched into the Jayhawks home and beat them 76-68. Cynics will claim “You just hatin’ on Kansas basketball,” that is not the case I am attempting to look at this 16-team conference in the world of reality. For a number of reasons the media in the Kansas City metro fails to see Kansas basketball in any light except winning.

Notice I didn’t say Kansas wouldn’t win. Self and his team will continue to be competitive because no argument from me, Self remains a good coach and Kansas has a national/international influence in attracting talent. Despite this fact there will be no more conference domination as once existed. I believe Kansas won something like 9 or 10 regular season championships in a row, those days are gone. I’m sure many in Jayhawk Nation will refuse to believe me, that’s okay…just wait and see.

The Wemby factor

I cannot remember the exact day and date, it was sometime in late November or early December. One article after another was written by yours truly regarding Victor Wembanyama. For me and maybe several others we became immediately enthralled with the teen youngster from France. I received some good nature kidding, “Can’t you write on another rookie or team?” The explanation was easy for me, the opportunity to see a generational player overwhelmed me. I cannot make the same statement about Kobe Bryant for one reason alone…lack of playing time. 

That Laker team contained so much talent and were so good they didn’t require a 17-year-old fuzzy faced kid in their starting lineup. Having seen LeBron James in action for St. Vincent-St. Mary there was a great deal of hype surrounding him in that first Cavs game his rookie year. ESPN existed at the time but with no television contract such as exists today those rare opportunities we might have seen Kobe in action consisted of highlights. As for TNT forget that the network didn’t exist back then. For LeBron the basketball world was forced to sit up and take notice and the hype machine began to work to affect. As for Wemby television played a role in his evolution plus the period, we saw the youngster in action in Las Vegas prior to the draft. His Metropolitans 92 team was matched against NBA G-League Team Elite. 

With Wemby’s rookie season complete there are two issues that might prevent him being lumped in with conversation of the all-time greats. A serious injury and his attitude toward the game, one of those elements he can control the other is a different matter. Every issue of Off the Dribble will not contain a Wemby story however prepare yourself. You are going to read many more accounts of le super extraterrestre jouerur de basketball. My apologies, I hope the translation was correct.