Basketball from a fans perspective

We are almost there

Basketball in the same manner as other sports is 24/7 365, despite that statement there is a slow period. Generally after NBA Summer League and NBA free agency everything in the association begins to crawl news wise. As for the college game it reached that stage a few weeks after the NCAA tourney. There is a small amount of news but even at this level there’s not much to report. Words eye View will be reduced from a 7-day publication to a 3 or 4 times a week news source. At this point it will probably be a Sunday-Wednesday-Friday and maybe Saturday supplier. To those of you who are long-time readers of Off the Dribble thank you for your continued commitment. As for newer readers I hope you continue to use this as one of your basketball sources.

Patience

The kept secret in the NBA maybe basketball was JJ Redick would be named head coach. So what occurred, after dancing with Dan Hurley (my choice) the coach said thanks but no thanks. The name JJ Redick came up once again, on Thursday it was announced he would be named head coach. Redick would sign a 4-year contract, all is right in Laker Nation…well that’s not quite correct. If I gave you a number I would bet ½ of Laker Nation is pleased with the hire the other half well you know their view. Redick played for Coach K., one of those coaches I admire.

As for the person I witnessed Redick re-invent himself, he arrived in the NBA with All American credentials. He quickly discovered what worked against for him against North Carolina failed to work against the Knicks, he became a valued sixth man and part time starter for several NBA teams. Redick managed to play successfully for 15 years in the NBA. You just read the positives, allow me to place the negatives before you. 0 coaching experience at any level be it as a head coach or assistant. There is great danger hiring a head coach with no background, as an example Jason Kidd is a good coach now. He wasn’t when he first retired and was immediately hired as a head coach. I read someone said “This can be the second coming of Pat Riley” architect of the Showtime Lakers.

Their backgrounds were certainly somewhat similar however time was spent as an assistant by Riley before he moved over to the first chair. The headline P A T I E N C E, this will be most difficult for Laker fans if Redick gets off to a “Darvin Ham” start. Bottom line, I’m not pleased with the hire…will I turn in my Lakers Nation card? No, cut me I bleed Purple and Goal despite the fact I’ve been disappointed over time with on court production. I intend to adopt a wait and see view, neither cheering with the hire nor hissing at it.

It's on

The 44th Annual Braggin’ Rights game is scheduled for Sunday December 22. For those unfamiliar with the term it’s the basketball game played between Mizzou and Illinois prior to the start of the conference season, it will be played at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis. It’s not just SEC Mizzou versus Big 10 Illinois it’s a game between schools which share a state line border just like Kansas. It seems as though the series has been played forever however it was 1980 when the first game was played. The contract was about to lapse when the school’s agreed to an extension which takes them through 2029. In addition Enterprise Center will remain the site of all games in the future. Mizzou will be anxious to avenge last season’s beat down loss 97-73.

An All American in two sports

A number of athletes have played more than one sport in college, to be named an All American in two sports is quite an accomplishment. After I read trivia on Frank Howard imagine this scenario, you are an All American in baseball and basketball and your professional sports of choice becomes baseball. What might occur in 2024, I could only speculate as for 1958 it was a different time. The late Frank Howard stood 6-foot 7 and weighed between 275-295 pounds, in his junior year at Ohio State he averaged 20.1 points and 15.3 rebounds a game. The following year the Philadelphia Warriors made Howard the 21st pick in the third round of the draft.

The 1958 draft was the year the Minneapolis Lakers chose Elgin Baylor who would become Rookie of the Year. Howard was drafted ahead of Wayne Embry who would have a good NBA playing career and as a GM later. Howard signed with the baseball Dodgers and after a few seasons in the minors would enter the Dodger lineup in 1960 after being recalled from the minors, he would be named NL Rookie of the Year. This is pure speculation on my part, could Howard have played in the NBA of the 1950’s? It certainly was a different time sports wise however left with a choice today an athlete would require a gigantic decision on his part. He must decide which sport do I love and which one do I like. Bo Jackson, Dave DeBusschere and several others played two professional sports at a pro level but were never All Americans. CORRECTION: Jackson was an All American in football.