Basketball from a fans perspective

Did it actually occur

There are quite a few Wilt Chamberlain tales floating about, it seems every few weeks I read a story I’d never read previously. Just a few weeks ago the story of him playing as a 17-year-old under an assumed name. This story has been posted previously but it popped up on one of my social media feeds. It was shortly after Chamberlain retired the NBA began tracking blocked shots and steals, based on this history did a portion of the March 18, 1968, events occur? Point totals, rebounds and assists have always been tracked so there is no discrepancy regarding those numbers. While playing for the Sixers against my Lakers Chamberlain scored 53 points, had 32 rebounds and dished out 14 assists.

It was said Chamberlain was reported to have blocked 24 shots while committing 11 steals in the game…did it actually occur? Here entering the story is Harvey Pollack, he died in 2015 at the age of 93, what was his role in this historic event you might ask. This from Wikipedia, “Herbert Harvey Pollack was an American sports statistician, a journalist of sports and entertainment, a publicist, and a long-term director of statistical information for the Philadelphia 76ers. At the time of his death, Pollack was the only person still working for the NBA since its inaugural 1946-47 season.”  It was reported the game in question was played with Pollack on the sidelines tracking the events of the game. Chamberlain passed in 1999 and as mentioned earlier Pollack in 2015, we have no one to say the events in question did or did not occur. I can end this account in this manner, this is another Wilt Chamberlain truth or myth tale.

Field of Dreams

Do you remember the line farmer Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner) kept hearing? This 1989 baseball movie Field of Dreams classic contained the line “If you build it, he will come.” Shoeless Joe Jackson (Ray Liotta) and ghosts of other greats of the game came out of the cornfield to play on the diamond Ray Kinsella built. In this instance I’m not discussing ghosts the talk centers on NBA free agents. The Spurs intend to use the play of Victor Wembanyama to attract talent and build on the play of the tall one. Someone might ask the question, “Why would anybody want to play in small market San Antonio?”

My response is simple the same reason they come to Kansas City to play for the NFL Chiefs. The Chiefs have played in 4 of the last 5 Super Bowls winning 3 of them. Free agents are always attracted to winning teams, as for the Spurs they are not there yet however a series of successful moves plus the health of Wemby places them in an ideal position. I’ve always believed if you are part of a winning team there is no requirement to become a lifelong resident of that area. 6 months at most living there is all that is required of an athlete. As for now we never know what might unfold in the future but consider this fact, it’s brighter in San Antonio and OKC than Denver or the Lakers.

I’m at home

Research for Off the Dribble I am all over the web searching for stuff to share. Several weeks ago I came across a contest sponsored by the San Antonio Spurs, this contest offered the winner an opportunity to attend the upcoming NBA draft. Allow me to provide you a few more details, it consisted of airfare for two persons to New York City, hotel accommodations and tickets to the two-night draft event. I don’t remember if transportation from the hotel to Barclays Center was included.

I’ve never won any contest entered, maybe this would be a change this time so I said to myself ‘why not.’ My contact information was submitted via email to the Spurs and I’m envisioning a trip to New York City and the opportunity to see the NBA draft live. Well the contest didn’t turn out as I hoped, I received a nicely worded letter from the Spurs indicating I was a loser. For similar to most of you I will be viewing the draft from the TV in my Man Cave. I can still imagine the excitement in the building among the athletes, families and those able to attend in person. Oh well, hopefully in 2025 another team will offer a similar contest and the opportunity to attend the draft.

And you thought Wemby was tall

Is there another height debate about to commence? Remember back last summer and into the beginning of the NBA season, we couldn’t determine Victor Wembanyama’s height. Some sources claimed he was 7 foot 5, while others maintained he was 7 foot 3 while a third swore he was 7 foot 4. Although Wemby was a razor thin 210 pounds we concluded his height was likely 7-4. I can see another debate occurring, this time Wemby is not involved it’s an athlete named Olivier Rioux.

Rioux been awarded a basketball scholarship and will begin his freshman year at the University of Florida, as for his individual height and weight they are 7 foot 9 and 290 pounds and he wears a size 20 shoe. That was no typo Rioux has been measured at 7 foot 9, he is the tallest teen in the Guiness Book and set some kind of growth record. Imagine this an athlete who towers over Wemby. Where did this height come from, of course his dad who stands 6 foot 8 and mom is 6 foot 2. Rioux stood over 6 feet tall as an 8-year-old, he was almost 7 feet tall in the sixth grade. Rioux from Montreal Canada spent his high school years at IMG Academy in Florida. Prepare yourself to see this rather large youngster in action in late fall or during the winter.

I intend to withhold judgment on Rioux’s prospects for at least two reasons. The video we see offered as evidence is the youngster matched against opposing high school level competition. His height alone causes him to dominate play, in college he will not face any opposing players his height however the competition will be much better. We are left with the question does Rioux have what it takes to grow his game? That only time will detail that for us. I’d bet money although both grew up on opposite sides of the world both speak French, Wemby from France and Rioux’s parentage being French-Canadian.