Basketball from a fan’s perspective

The Rules 

1. Never match players from different eras against one another.

2. A nickname is given, a player cannot bestow a handle on himself.

3. Comparing draft choice ensure the player you use as the example is well known.

4. Become well acquainted with basketball abbreviations or phrase

5. Research high school prospect sites periodically, they are a valuable source.

6. NBA mock draft sites are a reference tool only, an analyst opinion.

7. Don’t attempt to invoke humor discussing a serious event or person.

Has the window closed?

The question is asked for this simple reason alone. I’ve held this belief for a number of years, the opportunity to win a championship exists for a short period. If a team fails to win it all they never win, in the NFL that might be the Buffalo Bills. Before Bills Mafia become upset with me allow an explanation for my reasoning. The Bills appeared in four consecutive Super Bowls without winning, from 1991 through 1994 they came up losers each season. Has this scenario played itself out for the Clippers, will they win an NBA championship with this current roster? I don’t have the answer however it would appear the opportunity to win might slowly be concluding. Even LeBron James cannot continue to play at a high skill level forever.

That is the primary issue facing the Clippers going forward, in addition to the injury factor we could say they are “getting” a little long in the tooth.” Russell Westbrook is Iron Man however he’s 36-years old next season, in addition he cannot hit an open jump shot if you paid him. Paul George recently celebrated his 34th birthday, despite the fact he plays at a high skill level he cannot carry this Clippers team alone. Point guard James Harden turns 35 before next season, Harden remains skillful at distributing the rock but don’t ask him to defend his counterpart and then there remains Kawhi Leonard. You remember a few years back, a number of the media questioned the “ancient Lakers?” It might have been valid, they did have one of the oldest average age teams in the NBA. It would appear, notice I said appear the window of opportunity is not yet closed. It’s getting mighty darn close to being shut tight with this present group of Clippers.  

Abbreviations

We love abbreviations in this country, I believe much of the world fails to use them as often as we do. Allow me to cite several examples, in Missouri and Michigan you can use the same initials and be talking about different schools. Both sets of parents claim their basketball playing offspring attend MSU, those in Missouri would guess Missouri State University unless told otherwise. Those in the northern state believe MSU stands for Michigan State University, see what I’m talking about? How about next door, its written as KU for Kansas when the school is actually the University of Kansas.

We could refer to it as UK however folks in Kentucky might become upset hearing it used in that manner. They have always believed the abbreviation belongs to them. There are plenty of others I only wanted to provide you with just a few. By the way I continued to see UMBC on the scoreboard and thought, “Where the heck is that school located?” An investigation on my part I discovered it is the University of Maryland Baltimore County. Without an investigation if we read the score for BU could it be Baylor University or Buffalo University? Finally I’m closing with this jewel, University of Southern California is often abbreviated SC. If I’m checking a box score is it a Southern Cal game or a South Carolina final, SC can stand for South Carolina too.

It was different then

By now you are aware that Jontay Porter of the Raptors has received a lifetime NBA ban for betting on games. As far as we can determine after an investigation it was established Porter was proven to be guilty. That was the standard for today, the standard in 1961 was quite different. There was a college basketball scandal, there were players found guilty of point shaving, Connie Hawkins was not one of them. The issue of betting culminated during Hawkins freshman year at the University of Iowa.

He couldn’t have affected an Iowa game for one reason, at that time he was ineligible to play varsity all schools had freshman teams. Athletes were ineligible to play until they reached their sophomore year. Hawkins maintained his innocence but it made no difference, he was expelled from school. In addition he was never arrested nor charged with a crime, his only involvement was his brother borrowed $2,000 from the chief suspect but repaid the loan prior to the point shaving scandal becoming news. Hawkins was never allowed counsel and when his 1964 class was drafted he was passed over. He would go undrafted the following season and in 1966 the NBA issued a permanent ban prohibiting him for life from play in the league.

Fast forward to 1968, due to legal action by his attorney the NBA would later relent and pay him $1,300,000 (about $10,000,000 in 2024) settlement. The Suns won a coin toss and Hawkins would begin play in the NBA as a 27-year-old rookie. For complete details of the story and his life read “Foul; The Connie Hawkins Story” written by David Wolf is still in print. As I tried to point out without knowing all the details I’m sure Jontay Porter had far more legal counsel available over that of Connie Hawkins in 1961.

Who are the others

Victor Wembanyama was named 2024 NBA Rookie of the Year, that is well-known by now. It was reported he received all 99 votes making him the unanimous choice despite competition from Thunder rookie Chet Holmgren and Hornets rookie Brandon Miller. There were others receiving the honor similar to Wemby, they received all the votes. The following are the names and the year they won beginning with the oldest:

Ralph Sampson-1984

David Robinson-1990

Blake Griffin-2011

Dame Lillard-2013

Karl-Anthony Towns-2016

Victor Wembanyama-2024