Basketball from a fans perspective

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A slight bit confusing

A story released regarding Seattle’s NBA prospects is a slight bit confusing. This from ESPN, “Sources said if a team was to return to Seattle, the Thunder would cede the Seattle history back to the Supersonics—just as the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets reclaimed the Charlotte-era history of the New Orleans Pelicans when Charlotte switched from being the Bobcats to the Hornets in 2014.” All that might be well and good but I thought this was already in place, allow a further explanation.

I remember reading at the time there were a number of conditions Thunder ownership had to agree, one of those was the team name. Supersonics or Sonics belonged exclusively to Seattle, unlike moves of the past (Lakers, Warriors) the team would travel but the name wouldn’t accompany the team to Oklahoma City. I might have misunderstood the conditions however I thought that was the intent. In any case the NBA has no current plans for expansion prior to the 2027-28 season, by then all of us including me will have forgotten this bump.

Bits n Pieces of information 

By now you might be aware I don’t obsess over polls…they are interesting depending on the subject. In addition they are often the topic of discussion as we gather at work and other locations. In this instance the subject we are discussing are the Top 100 Players in the NBA. This is provided to us by a panel of 10 CBS Sports media people, I can say the ranking they provided us was quite interesting. This is what I noted, they place The Joker as the top player in the NBA, last season they ranked LeBron James at 12 he’s at 8 for this upcoming season. They ranked Wemby the number 12 player in the NBA going into his second year, is that too high in your view? Consider this fact alone according to the panel Wemby is placed above Kawhi Leonard (18), Paul George (20) and Kyrie Irving (25). Check out the balance of the list on the CBS NBA page if you have an opportunity.

You might have read this report circulating on Ja Morant, it seems the Grizzly combo guard wants out of Memphis. These are my words based on reports “Memphis inhibits my growth in a number of areas.” I have a huge degree of skepticism regarding the story because of the requirements. What can the Lakers possibly offer the Grizzlies…AD and three other members of their starting lineup? In other words they would be forced to break up the team in order to acquire Morant. Don’t misunderstand, despite Morant’s off the court issues I consider him a talented combo guard, he could boost the level of play for whatever team for which he might play. I just happen to believe whatever team Morant might eventually play for it ain’t gonna be my Lakers.

I’m truly going to miss him, Adrian Wojnarowski or Woj is one of the ESPN voices I listen intently. Woj has always been insightful and knowledgeable regarding the NBA and basketball in general. On Wednesday morning came the announcement he will be leaving the network to become GM for the basketball program at St. Bonaventure his alma mater. I don’t know this to be a fact at all institutions of higher education however among his duties at St. Bonaventure will be administering the NIL program for the university. He’d worked at ESPN since 2017, prior to that it was Yahoo Sports and the Record at Bergen County (New Jersey). There is no indication if ESPN intends to replace him or his duties divided between others, I can say this with the sincere form of appreciation…I will miss Woj’s reporting.

You remember the story, the Sixers wanted a new arena. Almost immediately they ran into a roadblock from residents, the area designated for the arena was to be located in the Chinatown portion of Philadelphia. Seeing the turmoil on the other side of the Delaware River Camden NJ made a move. They proposed the Sixers build their arena in Camden, incentives were included in an attempt to lure the Sixers across the river. Well that has now changed, the mayor of Philadelphia called a press conference on Wednesday announcing the Sixers would build their arena in Philadelphia. The announcement was made with few details other than the arena would be built in Center City. What I don’t know, is this proposed area near or adjacent to the Chinatown area of the city? The mayor indicated additional detail on the arena would be provided later. Of course I will attempt to update you as soon as additional news is forthcoming.

In the spotlight

This spring and summer Kansas City and Jackson County have been a news item due to its two sports teams. Royals owner John Sherman desires a downtown baseball stadium, Chiefs owner Clark Hunt has been a little more guarded in his words surrounding the Chiefs and GEHA Arrowhead Stadium. I’m providing a little history based on developments next door in the State of Kansas. Star Bonds were voted in the Kansas legislature to finance a new stadium(s). Prior to the vote a legislator detailed the number of sports teams leaving the State of Missouri over time. Of those teams named the Kings stood out for me because of their struggles here.

The Kings moved to Kansas City from Cincinnati in 1972, they would move to Sacramento in 1985. In between those years citizens were witness to mostly subpar NBA play, there is no other manner to describe it. There were 5 playoff appearances in 13 years and only once did the Kings advance past the first round…can you say it loudly pathetic. Based on the poor play for the most part the team suffered at the gate, the other part which cannot be documented by me is sponsorship money. It was a different NBA back then so that cannot be documented. I guess in an attempt to promote the effort of the Star Bonds this Kansas legislator told the account of his version why sports teams including the Kings departed the State of Missouri and Kansas City.     

Basketball from a fans perspective

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This is the last time

Former NBA player Gilbert Arenas has an opinion on just about everyone who ever played in the NBA. I’ve only watched one or two of his podcasts, most times I read about his outrageous statements on the web. The chief problem for me with Arenas it seems he’s got nothing positive to say regarding any NBA player before 2001. Of course that was the year he began play for the Golden State Warriors. His latest target former Mavs and Pistons forward Mark Aguirre, I didn’t bother with reading the Arenas version for one reason. Almost immediately Aguirre came back at Arenas for what he said.

Once again the “Mouth that Roared” has struck, I wonder what’s caused him to be so negative. Is there some deep seated basis for Arenas to always appear to take the low road regarding former players? Arenas was out of the NBA far sooner than he should have been, I believe this might have occurred based on some of the drama surrounding his career. The NBA and ownership is willing to go only so far. There are others like Arenas who probably left the NBA sooner than expected primarily due to off the court behavior. I hope someone besides me reminds me, as the headline states, this is the last time I will attempt to write anything regarding Gilbert Arenas.

How clearance to play works

Thanks to ESPN staff writer Dave McMenamin he provided us medical facts most of us were probably unfamiliar with. On Monday I wrote of the Lakers signing 7-1 Christian Koloko and his past medical condition. The account created volumes of letters from NBA fans questioning the medical disorder Koloko suffered and whether he would be able to play in the upcoming season. Although the Lakers have signed him he is not cleared to play yet, according to McMenamin this requirement must be met first. Koloko must be cleared by a “fitness to play panel.” The panel is comprised of “an NBA appointed doctor, a players union appointed doctor and a mutually agreed on third doctor.” I can’t be sure but would guess the procedure is the same whenever a similar medical concern might crop up.

More than Showtime

I wasn’t there, however it’s my belief Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty was 90% inaccurate. The writer or writers took editorial freedom with several incidents that prevailed during the Showtime era. Some of the writing paralleled the actual events while other portions came strictly from the mind of the writers. I read several letters from fans applauding the HBO series, this is certainly the viewers privilege. Probably the most inaccurate portion of the series dealt with Jerry West, they painted such an inaccurate portrait West threatened to sue although he never followed through. In June 2024, The Logo as he was nicknamed passed away at the age of 86.

We read and heard such prolific story’s about West one might believe he was a BIG guard, the truth is he was quite small even for the time period he played. If West were drafted today at 6 foot 3 or 190.5 centimeters, he’d be penciled in as the point guard and not the shooting guard he played. As for his playing weight it was reported West checked in at 175 pounds or 79.3787 kilograms. His accomplishments as a basketball player and executive are far too extensive to list in detail. NBA champion, perennial NBA All-Star, 35th, 50th and 75th NBA anniversary team member, inducted in the College and Naismith Hall of Fame. As this profile on West was being completed the Lakers announce they will honor West in the upcoming season, each Laker jersey will contain a 44 patch on the shoulder portion of each.

The talent evaluator

A YouTube video contained the account of a high school assistant coach, he’s at a prestigious nationally known school. One of the terms he claims is overused is Generational Talent. Who’s fault is this rush to judgement regarding high school and in some instances college talent? If we can point a finger at someone it’s the talent evaluator, doesn’t matter if it’s Bleacher Report, ESPN Top whatever or various mock draft sites. The media then grabs the story and runs with it, we see a 15-year old Emoni Bates in action. An evaluator once claimed, “If the NBA allows high school talent he’s ready to play.” That turned out to not be the case and it wasn’t the fact Bates was impacted by injury.

Bates was High School Gatorade Player of the Year and other stuff, there were other forces at work but I hope you see where I’m going. The jury is still out regarding Bates, hopefully he is rewarded with his dream one day. The latest example of this continuing trend is phenom Cooper Flagg of Duke, he’s done nothing wrong except have several noteworthy games (Team USA scrimmage) and we decide he’s the gold standard. What did he or Bates for that matter do wrong…. absolutely nothing? We’ve got to cease being disappointed when a prospect fails to play at the level “we expect.” I tossed out the term “generational talent” early but it’s my belief they are really few in number. I don’t believe its hype to lay that tag on Victor Wembanyama, LeBron James was a generational talent, there certainly are others but those two names stand out for me.  

Basketball from a fans perspective

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And what medical school did you attend?

The reported signing of Christian Koloko by the Lakers caused quite a stir. Letter after letter questioned his medical status, it wasn’t just 4 or 5 from one website…I stopped counting at 10. My statement is simple, Koloko might not be able to help the Lakers. There might be aspects of his game the coaching staff might uncover which leave him lacking. Despite my statement it appears the vast majority of you are ready to medically disqualify him, considering the fact a blood issue caused him to miss the last 1 and ½ seasons that’s understandable. The question for many of you is simple, what medical school did you attend?

A number of you are ready to write Koloko off despite the fact you are providing an opinion without little if any medical knowledge. If I were you it might be an innovative idea to wait for a trained medical staff to fully evaluate him. In addition some of you attempted to tie his condition in with former Heat forward Chris Bosh. For those who don’t remember a similar medical issue did end his NBA career, however, you fail to consider medical advancements. Surgery is reported to have fully addressed the issue, in addition reports indicate Koloko's been working out in 5 on 5 drills. There is only one conclusion we can draw from this situation. these prospects. Take a crack at not squeezing Koloko’s condition into your limited knowledge of medicine, his case might be totally unlike Bosh.

Team USA-2028

This is a re-visit because of a later read, if you remember I gave you my list of Olympic Team USA for 2028. Evidently one NBA player doesn’t agree with me, he claims the team will lack the grit and leadership of LeBron James, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant. I can understand that might be true, the trio certainly were key to Team USA winning the Gold Medal. There is an area where I lack the ability, the capability to accurately project the future.

Of course I can agree with this player Team USA will be lacking the leadership of those mentioned, is he claiming this will be the basis for the failure to win Gold? He could be correct however I’m not brave enough to make that statement in 2024, I’d like to revisit this issue four years from now. In closing a website I located contained listed several names omitted from my list. Along with the names I listed earlier this added to the Team USA roster was Jalen Brunson, Jalen Suggs, Cooper Flagg, Chet Holmgren. Do you think the team can be competitive with the world? 

It’s likely he’s the only one

I came across his name while conducting research, his was Jo Jo White. It is likely White is the only basketball player from Missouri fans of Kansas basketball love. Allow for an explanation, White was born in St. Louis and attended McKinley HS. In 1965 White decided to journey across Missouri and attend Kansas University. The bio indicates White began play a semester early, in addition to an outstanding collegiate career he played a significant role in the history book of basketball.

The NCAA tournament saw Kansas facing Texas Western (now the University of Texas-El Paso) in 1966. In the first OT White hit a 35-foot shot which would have been the game winner. The game official ruled White was out of bounds when he took the shot thus a second OT. Kansas would lose to Texas Western in the second OT and the El Paso school would go on to a historic event. Texas Western with an all-black starting lineup would face all-white Kentucky, although this was 1966 the majority of major schools in the south had no black players on their rosters. White would go on to earn NCAA Second Team All American twice, he made the all-Big 8 (now Big XII) team three years. In 1969 the Celtics chose him as the 9th player in the first round of that year’s draft. White would become a key to the 1974 and 1976 NBA Championships won by the Celtics.

White played until 1979 for the Celtics but finished his last two years with the Warriors and Kansas City Kings. In addition to his NBA Championships he also won Gold in the 1967 Pan American Games and in the 1968 Olympics. In 2015 White was enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame. White died as a result of dementia brought on by pneumonia in 2018, he was two months past his 71st birthday. Jo Jo White a name from the past and surely the only Missouri guy Kansas fans love the memory.

It's an urban game

The title refers to the game of basketball and the fact many consider it a city game. I’m quite sure several will disagree with that hypothesis, we could look back in history and Larry Bird (French Lick, Indiana). In addition to Bird we could today point toward Cooper Flagg (Newport, Maine). Flagg’s college game is yet to be evaluated, most likely he’s the most talented high school player in the nation. Bird and Flagg and others over time acquired their basketball skills in small towns and rural portions of America. It might be a population thing, my belief it’s a space issue. Consider the fact the space required to play basketball is quite insignificant compared to other team sports.

Football, baseball and soccer require a great deal of space that is not required for basketball. In urban portions of the nation you might see a milk carton or a basketball goal attached to a utility pole in an inner city neighborhood. Lacking a park or gym enterprising youngsters can be seen holding up their game to allow vehicle traffic to pass. Next we turn to basketball courts in parks and the playground of schools, these can sometimes be filled with scores of participants. These games are often not full court so a different team could be playing directly opposite of the other. No argument the game is played in rural areas and small town America but its blossomed in urban portions of this nation. Keep in mind this is just an opinion and certainly cannot be taken as fact more an observation.   

Basketball from a fans perspective

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I just read the headline

Things to do while waiting on basketball to begin play again, at the top of the list is wasteful stuff like this. Basketball Network on Saturday morning decided to look at Spurs David Robinson, Tim Duncan and Victor Wembanyama. The idea was for the reader to decide which one to start, which to bench and which to cut in their rookie NBA season. I place this before you with my opening comment this makes little sense on any level. At this point we believe Wemby has a bright future ahead in the NBA.

We don’t know that to be a fact for Wemby based on a single but outstanding rookie season. Do you realize all three were number one picks in the NBA draft? Robinson was made the first pick in the 1987 NBA draft as was Tim Duncan in 1997, Wemby was number one last season. Considering the fact all were number one draft picks why bench or even dare cut one of them. Realizing each had to adjust to NBA play the supposition fails to register with me and I’m really unsure why I am wasting your time and mine writing about it. One more fact to consider, Robinson and Duncan are in the Naismith Hall of Fame. Of course that was far from anyone’s thoughts in 1987 and 1997.

The NBA’s latest owner

Some of you might remember the story I wrote regarding Junior Bridgeman several months back. This former Bucks player with a 10-year NBA career has parlayed his salary and has become an outstanding entrepreneur. He once owned more than 450 restaurants around the nation, in addition he owned a Coca-Cola distributorship. I have no intent to boggle your mind with numbers let’s just say he is likely somewhat financially secure.

Bridgeman retired in 1987 and as you are aware NBA salaries were nowhere close to what exists currently. How financially secure is Bridgeman at present you might ask, sound enough to afford to purchase 10% of the team he once played for. I decided to research the value of the Bucks, according to Forbes the Bucks are valued at $2.3 billion. It’s clear Bridgman an outstanding NBA player has leveraged his NBA earnings far beyond what might have been once imagined by even him. We often read so many accounts of athletes who retire from the sport and are insolvent despite all the money earned while they were active players.

He’s how tall

Awhile back I introduced to many of you Oliver Rioux, this French-Canadian youngster is now enrolled at the University of Florida. I have doubts now he sees much action in his freshman year, this limited play might be due to the adjustment from high school to the college game and his height. The chief issue is his skill set, standing 7 foot 9 inches (yes that’s what you just read) his conditioning and the need to absorb multiple facets of the game. Video of him in action fails to convey much after all in high school he was so much taller than the opposition.  

As for the height issue imagine this, Rioux’s height caused him to stand “head and shoulders” above all his classmates. In the 3rd grade Rioux stood an amazing 6 foot 1, he was 7 feet tall while in the 7th grade. This growth pattern has continued throughout his teen years, at the time Rioux signed his letter of intent for Florida he stood 7 foot 6. He’s grown an additional 3 inches since last year. Both parents are well above average height however nowhere near the height of their son. Unless you work in the medical field you might have forgotten the pituitary gland located at the base of our brain is responsible for among other body functions growth, what occurs in the future, will Rioux continue to grow?

Imagine this he’s a mere 3 inches short of 8 feet, can you envision a player of that height as you are driving toward the basket? If and that’s a might large IF he ever plays in the NBA he will officially be the tallest player in the leagues history. Rioux will eclipse the height of George Muresan who played for the Bullets and Nets (1993-2000) and Manute Bol (1985-1994) drafted by the Bullets he was also a member of the Warriors, Sixers and Heat. Muresan and Bol stood 7 feet 7 inches in height, Yao Ming was behind them at 7 feet 6 inches.

A Laker center?

Much later you will read an account of the Lakers attempt to acquire a post player. 98% of the article remains valid because this latest effort might not resolve the issue. As you might be aware the Lakers Anthony Davis wants to return to the power forward position, he’s played the center position skillfully I might say but it’s not his favorite. The Lakers might have solved his dilemma, they have reached an agreement with former Raptors second round draft pick Christian Koloko. Koloko’s not played in nearly two years due to a blood clot issue which is reported to have been rectified. As this is written he is waiting on the NBA to clear him to return.

Before you members of Laker Nation become too excited there is no guarantee he plays for the varsity, he might end up with the South Bay Lakers. A little background on Koloko, he’s originally from Cameroon on the African continent although one of the two high schools he attended was Sierra Canyon the same school as Bronny James. The 7-1 230 pound Koloko played three years at Arizona before he declared for the draft. In 2022 the Raptors made him the 33rd pick in the second round. It appears the Lakers are looking at his defense rather than a limited offensive game. He’s got a 7 foot 5 inch wingspan and appears to thrive on the defensive end, he is a lob threat but that might be the extent of his offensive effort currently. There you have it, the Lakers may or may not have resolved the question of a starting center to replace AD.

Basketball from a fans perspective

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Bits n Pieces of information 

Just kidding folks, we realize expansion is on the minds of NBA owners. Recently the Board of Governors met although commissioner Silver indicated expansion was not a topic of discussion. Of course NBA fans are curious to know if and when Seattle and Las Vegas will be added as the 31st and 32nd teams in the league. A question was asked by a member of the media if Climate Pledge Arena was up to NBA specifications, some might remember this is the refurbished Key Arena. I’m not sure about the interior portions of the arena however the website indicates it now seats 18,300 for basketball up from the 17,072 of Key Arena.

I’ve covered Hubie Brown previously, his name popped up again on one of my social media sites. Brown could have retired years ago after all he’s 90 years old, he’s got to be a great-grandfather maybe a great-great grandfather. He’s been associated with the NBA for 50 years in some capacity. Brown’s longtime association with basketball and his contribution has seen him enshrined in the Naismith and College Basketball Hall of Fame. You now he must love the game, he continues working when he could have retired ages ago. Hubie Brown former point guard, coach at several stops and broadcaster. He’s a name you should be familiar with from basketball’s rich history.

Although the game has changed the prospect of adding a quality Big Man to your program continues to be intriguing to a considerable number of college basketball coaches. Based on that fact Eric Reibe from Potomac Maryland would appear to be one of those budding talents, the 4-star prospect stands 7 feet tall and weighs 230 pounds. There are a number of offers pending for this Class of 2025 prospect, Kansas, UConn, North Carolina and Creighton are just a few of the more than 34 bids for his services. This certainly is no hint of future success on the basketball court just a name you should become familiar with.  

What he said

Over and over I’ve admitted Shaquille O’Neal was a favorite of mine. If you thought it was because of his tenure with the Lakers its more, it goes back to the days I first saw him play at LSU. This continued on with him being drafted by the Magic, I followed and rooted for him at that same time I was cheering for the Lakers. Once Jerry West managed to secure him in free agency I was overjoyed. Fast forward to the present day, the Big Aristotle provided us his assessment of the Spurs Victor Wembanyama. This is a little different in one aspect, prior to his arrival Shaq questioned Wemby’s potential. All that’s disappeared now, Shaq acknowledges the budding talent of the 7 foot 5 Wemby but does question one aspect.

As a post player who played down low Shaq questions whether the youngster can dominate the NBA as Shaq did. Despite Wemby’s height and his increased weight of 220 pounds I would ask the question. In today’s NBA is it really necessary for Wemby to dominate the game in the post? It’s my belief given time and development of his game the youngster could be just as dominate but in a different manner. One thing for sure Shaq is forgetting, the game’s changed whether he likes it or not. There is no longer a requirement for post play of the past. I don’t have the answer my intent is to provide you the view of Shaq and to determine your thoughts but pose the question, is Shaq correct in his view? As a fan I just happen to disagree with the view of Shaq regarding this issue.

“The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated"

Our headline is one coined by writer Mark Twain an American writer, humorist, and essayist. His quote could easily fit the Pac-12 Conference in recent weeks. We thought the conference was on its death bed, everyone was escaping leaving Oregon State and Washington State the lone remaining members. This league was definitely on life support, “the patient was expected to die anytime” only it didn’t occur. On Thursday came word, the league had used an automated external defibrillator or electronic panels to “shock” the conference and revive it.

This is what occurred, San Diego State, Boise State, Fresno State and Colorado State have been invited to become members of the Pac-12, this move is to be complete by the 2026 season. If you didn’t make the count there are only six teams, two more teams must be added to be recognized as a conference. The door is probably closed on Stanford, Oregon, UCLA and USC to return to the Pac-12. Will the two additions to the conference be geographical additions, could it be New Mexico, New Mexico State or Grand Canyon as an example? I will advise you of the two additions as soon as they are announced.

The rise of

Last season we saw Shai-Gilgeous Alexander rise to the top of an elite NBA talent. I hesitate to call him the best combo guard in the NBA however he certainly might be close to the best. His rise might have been indirectly responsible for the lesser play we saw of Josh Giddey, he took a back seat in the Thunder offense. You remember Giddy don’t you, big guard (6-8) from Australia, in 2022 the Thunder may have believed they had uncovered a diamond in the rough. On June 21 Giddey was traded to the Bulls for Alex Caruso so what exactly occurred?

I’m not exactly sure, if we look at his numbers they certainly were not terrible however this next portion is pure speculation for me. The factors, the rise of Gilgeous Alexander, the two in the same backcourt appeared to not work successfully. Gilgeous Alexander moved ahead of Giddey with his prolific shooting and the other things. Lastly, the elephant in the room, Giddey’s possible relationship with an underage girl. He was under a microscope by the NBA for weeks, that must have impacted his play to a degree. He was finally cleared but in a manner similar to Kobe Bryant the episode was held over his head by a number of fans.

Basketball from a fans perspective

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It’s rare for me

I have attempted to keep my crying and moaning to a minimum regarding the Lakers. I’ve been critical of head coaches but I believe even that’s been rare. As for members of the roster that’s rarely occurred until now. My concern is aimed at forward Christian Wood, after his play with the Mavs my anticipation was the Lakers have obtained a good one. Needless to say I was disappointed in the 6 foot 8 Wood’s play season long. I decided to wait to determine what will occur in his second year with the team and then BAM. He missed the last two months of the season having surgery on his left knee, an arthroscopic procedure was performed in March.

We were all ready to go when The Lakers reported in early September Wood would require arthroscopic surgery on that same knee. First the good news, the surgery was reported to be successful, here’s the unwelcome news. Wood will miss training camp and the exhibition season, it’s being reported he might miss the first few weeks of the regular season. I have no idea of his medical history, maybe the surgery has been pending for a time. Who’s responsible for waiting till late August for surgery therefore missing training camp who’s responsible, the Laker medical staff or Wood? Lets just say at this point I’m disappointed, this would have been ideal for him with Jarred Vanderbilt also reported to be missing time. We have no idea now but he could have moved into the role held by his teammate.

This conversation occurred

I’m unsure how this began, I was discussing NBA basketball with my wife (a rare occasion). I said “I heard and read a number of complaints about Yao Ming. There were many who claim he didn’t play long enough in the NBA to deserve hall of fame recognition.” I went on to say, “Many thought the arrival of Yao Ming would open the door for additional talent from China.” It didn’t occur, there were a few players from China since Yao but not one managed to remain or star in the NBA. So what occurred, while conducting research I came across the name Hansen Yang. It was believed Yang would enter his name in the 2024 NBA draft, that didn’t occur so we must look toward 2025.

Yang is a 7 foot 1 250 pound power forward/center who plays for Qingdao in the Chinese CBA. He’s drawn a great deal of interest although similar to most prospects there are areas of his game requiring improvement. Currently reports indicate Yang might be a better defender at this point in time, will he submit his name for the 2025 NBA draft, only time will tell. *“Defensively, he lacks lateral quickness and overall mobility, which limits his ability to hedge ball-screens, switch and defend out in space. Yang is forced to play drop coverage, where he can be quite effective due to the flashes he has shown as a paint defender. The next step for Yang as he continues to mature and get older is to improve his overall athleticism. He’s not very quick, currently lacks ideal strength, is not a vertical athlete and his lackluster mobility isn’t ideal.” The statement, “mobility isn’t ideal” bothers me however it’s not a game changer.

*SI.com Mar 10, 2024

From High School to the NBA

I cannot provide the date nor time, several years back there was talk of high school players in the NBA. You might remember the last player to accomplish the feat successfully was LeBron James in 2003. That came to an end in 2006 and since then the NBA has seen the One and Done rule. It’s not actually a rule but the fact a player must be age 18 and one year after their high school class graduates. The latter portion of the rule has not been monitored closely in my view. In any event these changes have occurred which says the NBA will never draft a high school player again. The NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement says so without me providing you details.

The advent of youth play particularly in Australia, a small number have utilized the Land Down Under as a steppingstone to the NBA. The last issue is the opportunity to play at home, Overtime Elite founded in 2021 took high school talent paid them…and groomed them for the NBA. The number of players from OTE is not overwhelming however the league has only been in operation a short amount of time. I’m unsure if this is a true reason however I’ll toss it out there anyway…NIL. Name, Image and Likeness has allowed a number (not every athlete) a significant income. These days if the athlete’s diet consist of Ramen Noodles it’s because he enjoys them not the fact he’s run out of money. There are a few athletes who might have been able to make the leap from high school to the NBA but why is it necessary these days?

Family first

Gregg Popovich’s always appears cold as ice, despite the gruff appearance that is not the case. Recently I heard two story’s which Pop won’t appreciate but they will be told anyway. The first involves Robert Horry at the time he was a member of the Spurs. His daughter was hospitalized and he was preparing to play in the evening’s game. His coach told him Go to the hospital and stay there until she is released. His daughter did recover and returned home, Horry returns, once again he is preparing to play.

Pop told him to go home until his daughter is well. He indicated years later he lost his daughter but he would never forget what Pop had done for him. Stephen Jackson share his Pop story, he said his wife had suffered a miscarriage and he was also preparing to play. The coach told him to take time and when you get your head together then come back. Those are but two former Spurs players who speak of Pop with a great deal of respect. Rest assured those two were not special, I have no method to prove my statement. I believe Gregg Popovich has attempted to be coach and father figure to all his players over the years.

I don’t know this to be a fact

Recently you read about Hansen Yang who may or may not decide to make himself available for the 2025 NBA draft. This prospective power forward hails from China but wait there is more. Since the retirement of Yao Ming it’s my belief the NBA hoped to see another Asian player in the league. If its not Yang making the grade the name we might hear is Keisei Tominaga who is from Japan. Although Tominaga grew up and developed his game in his native Japan he traveled to the U.S. to enhance his play.

The first stop was Ranger, a community college located in Ranger Texas about 125 road miles west of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metro. Tominaga played at Ranger College for two seasons prior to attending the University of Nebraska, he went undrafted in the 2024 NBA draft. This past July Tominaga signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the NBA Pacers. His reported shooting prowess has a tag hung on him that places loads of pressure on him. He’s been nicknamed the “Japanese Steph Curry” which for me certainly places a bullseye on the 6 foot 2 178 pound guard. For now it appears play in the G-League for now but keep an eye on him. For some strange reason, any discussion on Asian players we overlook Rui Hachimura now with the Lakers.

The look ahead     

I took a glance at the calendar and it indicates there is just a brief time (Oct 4) NBA exhibition play begins. The NBA regular season begins Tuesday Octobert 22, the defending champion Celtics will serve as host to the Knicks in the early game. The late night game for the Midwest and East Coast Time Zones will feature the Lakers facing the Wolves at Crypto.com arena. There might be college exhibition games scheduled prior to Monday November 4 however that is the date teams begin non-conference play. There are 65 games scheduled on that date from the east to the west coast. Memphis will serve as host to my Mizzou Tigers while HBCU Howard University will play Kansas in Allen Fieldhouse. 

The broadcaster

Who are the top broadcasters in the NBA, between ABC/ESPN/TNT do you have a favorite? For these purposes I’m excluding color analyst only the play by play broadcasters. Radio is vastly different, that broadcaster must be quite descriptive since he becomes the “eyes” of the listener. Television is a different matter, we can see the game there is a visual picture. There is no requirement for the broadcaster to be quite as descriptive except in one instance. The late Chick Hearn Laker broadcaster simulcast games on radio and television.

Being on radio and television at the same time forced Hearn to broadcast games differently from most. What occurred, those watching Laker games on television were given a plus description of the game. I mentioned Hearn but the names below are national broadcasters. I will mention the name of Bob Costas, he’s no longer broadcasting the NBA but when he did it was outstanding. At the top of my list is Kevin Harlin TNT broadcaster, the father-son Eagle combo, Ian the father and Noah the son. Mike Breen is one of the best although at one time I had a degree of difficulty with him. We close this with the names of Ryan Ruocco and Matt Devlin. It’s being reported that once NBA broadcasts move to NBC Mike Tirico will take on responsibility for NBA broadcast. 

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

Bits n Pieces of information

They need a Mars Blackmon character or something, allow me to explain further. The name Mars Blackmon might fail to register with a substantial portion reading this, the character was portrayed by Spike Lee in dozens of Air Jordan commercials back in the day. Of course His Airness Michael Jordan was featured in the commercials but it was Mars Blackmon who was just as much the focal point of the commercials maybe more than MJ. Recently I saw the first New Balance commercial featuring Cooper Flagg, in my opinion it was bland rather than entertaining. Listen folks, I have no expertise in this area but long believed commercials should do two things. They should Sell the product and Entertain, the New Balance ads do neither. Don’t take my word alone, check out YouTube and decide for yourself.

The talk of adding UConn to the Big XII conference has stalled, don’t misunderstand what I am communicating I’m not saying the Connecticut school will never join the Big XII. There are a bunch of moving parts one being a television contract. As I attempted to point out previously the Big East is more than UConn but it is a key, could Fox cancel its contract should UConn leave? That question and others cannot be answered by me. I have but one question why does commissioner Brett Yormark continue to add teams? There are now 16 teams in this expanded conference, I’ve read the basketball schedule this upcoming season will see some teams play one another only once. Of course in the past teams have played a home and home schedule. Of course everything is money generated so I guess that’s the answer.

I don’t remember the name perhaps you may, his name Dink Pate and he’s from Dallas Texas. Pate was a 5-star prospect at the time he graduated high school. Although he could have chosen colleges Alabama or Arkansas he decided in favor of G-League Team Elite in 2023. He just turned 18 last March making him the youngest American player in professional team sports. Pate had a pedestrian first year as a pro but was probably looking forward to year two. Of course by now you are aware G-League Team Elite closed shop so he attempted to enter his name in the 2024 NBA draft but was turned down. Based on that fact Pate had to find a team and he did, he’s headed to Mexico having signed a contract with the Mexico City Capitanes of the G-League.

I’ve often wondered

Both football and basketball require talent and skill to play the sport at an exceptional level. There is a difference in this manner, I received this insight from a former high school and college football player. Jerome informed me of his observation. “You cannot expect an 18-year old football tackle to play in the NFL yet an 18-year old basketball player could come into the NBA and dominate.” There are host of basketball players who while not dominating the game certainly held their own against 29 and 30 year old veteran pro players.

Who are they, this is speculation on my part because neither Wilt Chamberlain nor Abdul Jabbar were able to play as teens in the NBA although I believe they could have. We certainly could name LeBron James as a day one player, also add the name of Moses Malone to our list. If we fast forward to present day we could see the names of Luka Doncic and Victor Wembanyama added to a list. Both of them were 19-years old when they arrived in the NBA and despite their age were able to compete immediately. Attempting this from memory I’m quite sure I’ve omitted one or more players who could be on this list. This really provides us little evidence of Jerome’s belief but I’ve detailed for you a number of youthful NBA players.     

Which sport…chose one or maybe not

I saw video of Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes playing basketball. Although he moved as smoothly on the basketball court as he does the football field its clear he made the correct choice. At 6 foot 2 and 225 pounds he is a “tweener”, too short to play small forward probably not tall enough even for a big shooting guard too. How about another player and sport, that would be the Yankees Aaron Judge. Judge played three sports in high school, pitcher and first baseman, wide receiver for the football team. In basketball he played center and once averaged 18.2 points, the difference between Mahomes and Judge is size.

Judge stands 6 foot 7 and 282 pounds, despite his size Judge chose baseball over the other two. He might have been a dynamite power forward if he’d chosen basketball. How about LeBron James, a 6 foot 9 inch 250 pound wide receiver in high school if he’d continued he would have become a tight end in the NFL. Two NFL tight ends one in the NFL Hall of Fame are up next. Tony Gonzalez played for the Chiefs and Falcons but he also played on Cal’s basketball and football team, at 6 foot 4 and 255 pounds he was too “small” for the NBA. Antonio Gates story is quite different in one aspect. He wanted to play football and basketball at Michigan State, that would not occur Nick Saban didn’t want him playing basketball so Gates decided on Kent State. He played both sports but he also was 6-4 and 255, the NBA was out of the question, he would spend his NFL career all with the Chargers. Danny Ainge now an executive for the Jazz played baseball before beginning his NBA career with the Celtics. Of course the athlete many refer to as the GOAT Michael Jordan at one time retired from the Bulls played minor league baseball for a time and then returned to the NBA.

One of the names that even predates Jordan is Gene Conley whose major league career was quite different. Rather than choose one sport over the other how about playing both at the same time? Conley was a reserve player for the Celtics while pitching for the Red Sox, other than Bo Jackson (who never played basketball) Conley was one of the few to accomplish this deed. At an earlier period actor Chuck Conners played for the Celtics and the baseball Cubs. This look should certainly not be considered complete, I located at least 10 additional names that could have been included in this account.

The decision

It was clear this member of Laker Nation was displeased with the JJ Redick hire. My preference was the guy who turned down the job UConn’s Dan Hurley, if not him former player/broadcaster Mark Jackson. I give Steve Kerr all the credit in the world for Warriors success however a portion of the roster was assembled and played for Jackson. That’s another story, no need of continuing to repeat it…what about Redick? I read and hear negative accounts regarding his perceived lack of experience and possible success on the basketball court. There is no requirement on my part to root against the guy before the first jump ball.

There will be adjustments made by Redick based on his lack of coaching experience. This is the portion I do like, it appears he’s assembled a capable coaching staff and a veteran one. Nate McMillan and Scott Brooks have served as head coaches, Greg St. Jean and Bob Beyer have been long-time NBA assistant coaches and that’s only a portion of the staff. A head coach is the final decider however it’s imperative a coach listens to the advice of his staff as a key to on court success. Unless there is an apparent problem at the beginning my intention is to allow Redick time to implement his program. This was my plan initially with the departed Darvin Ham. Since 1960 the team’s first season in Los Angeles and not counting interim coaches the Lakers have hired only 23 head coaches. I’d bet money there are several NBA teams with more hires in less time.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

Haters be hating…why?

Hakeem Olajuwon was forced once again to defend the back to back championships of his Rocket teams. The Houston Rockets won in 1993-94 and repeated in 1994-95, I didn’t read the account but it’s probably similar to some of the others I’ve read. The championships were won at the time Jordan retired and was playing baseball, of course he would un-retire but that’s another story. This one you’ve been hearing since 2020, the NBA championship won by the Lakers shouldn’t count. If you remember back to the time the covid pandemic was ravaging the world and this country. The NBA’s solution the playoff games would be played at one site with no one but the players and coaching staff in attendance.

I’m unsure why some folks just love to rain on your parade, if you say “30th street runs east-west they will claim it’s a north-south street.” I can offer you no explanation as to why this thought process exists, this has been my experience. There have been teams in all professional sports I personally disliked, I can acknowledge the fact they won without disparaging their accomplishment. The Nuggets have beaten my Lakers two seasons in a row, one year they even went on to win the NBA championship. I’m disappointed because they beat my favorite team but I cannot pretend the accomplishment was not legitimate. Bottom line, people get over it that team you love to hate won, doesn’t matter if you are fond f that fact or not they are winners.   

He’s been quiet until now

It’s been so long a time I almost forgot his name, he’s a father and promoter. LaVar Ball has surfaced once again to let us know he’s still around. Upset with the Lakers he’s attempting to secure roster positions for his three sons. Recently he allowed the world (and Steve Ballmer) he wanted Lonzo, LiAngelo and LaMelo to unite as teammates on Ballmer’s Clippers. There’s a little thing called a contract and ability that might prevent his desires from ever coming to fruition.

Lonzo played a total of 35 games in the 2021-22 season however injuries have sidelined him since then, he is reported to be ready to play for the Bulls in the 2024-25 season. After several training camp tryouts LiAngelo has never been able to secure a spot on an NBA roster, the question remains is he a genuine NBA prospect. The youngest brother LaMelo I believe might be the most talented of all the siblings. He’s signed a 5-year contract, the Clippers must make a trade if they hoped to secure his services. I’m always “Never say never,” all three Ball brothers could wind up with the Clippers. I have serious doubts it will ever occur this is just a father’s wishful thinking or his attempt remain relevant.

Timing

There is an old adage that says, “Timing is everything,” I am not going to attempt to dissect the statement, I’m only here to report on this story. Coach Penny Hardaway at Memphis fired 4 coaches, the act in itself is not that big a deal. Assistant coaches leave programs all the time, this one is a timing issue. Generally speaking coaches are replaced at the end of the season, with school in session and the college season less than two months away this is certainly different. There are unconfirmed reports indicating Memphis basketball is in serious trouble with NCAA violations.

Several websites are reporting facts behind the termination, until there are more particulars available I intend to reserve further commentary. In addition anytime the NCAA is involved in an investigation in recent years I have questions. Remember the Kansas fiasco, supposedly Kansas basketball committed 5 egregious violations of the most serious nature. The end result after a 2 ½ year or so investigation was a simple slap on the wrist by the NCAA. On the surface it would appear the coach and the university might be facing problems connected to the departed coaches however can we really be sure? Over the next few weeks we should be able to better determine evidence of specific events.    

38,387

The number above represents the accumulated points scored by Kareem Abdul Jabbar. The point total established by Wilt Chamberlain was broken by him on April 5, 1984. The scoring record stood for 38 years until LeBron James exceeded the Abdul Jabbar number February 7, 2023. The skyhook did not represent the entire point total however certainly the vast majority of Abdul Jabbar’s points were scored in that manner. How did this almost impossible shot come into his inventory, my research uncovered an interesting fact.

I’m sure standing nearly 7 feet 2 inches in height this next statement will astound you. Questioned on the shot he said, “It was the only shot I could shoot that didn’t get smashed back in my face,” Abdul-Jabbar said. “So I learned to rely on it (skyhook) early, and it was always something that I could get off, even in traffic.” This reminds me of another shooter who developed an unorthodox shot to avoid the block, that would be Jamaal Wilkes. The Wilkes shot was attempted with the ball on top of his head toward the rear, he said a similar thing to Abdul Jabbar…to avoid an opponent’s attempt to block his shot. Back to Abdul Jabbar, this is no effort to mislead those who never saw him play, every skyhook didn’t result in a basket. Opponents would often attempt to push him off the block due to his 230 pound (104.326 kg) weight.

For those who might not have read an earlier account or may be unfamiliar with how the skyhook became part of our lexicon allow a brief explanation. At the time Abdul Jabbar played for the Bucks broadcaster Eddie Doucette had a different angle. Unlike today the broadcasters for the team sat in the upper portion of the arena. Doucette said, “When he (Abdul Jabbar) took the shot it appeared to come out of the sky.” There you have it…the story of perhaps the only field goal effort rarely blocked, missed yes, blocked hardly.

There is basketball too

Anytime there is a discussion of Canadian sports our minds focus on hockey. Hockey, more specifically the National Hockey League, then it becomes football Canadian style. Football in Canada is played on a wider and much larger field than what we are accustomed to in the NFL. From there we’d probably move onto the NBA and the Toronto Raptors but wait there is more. Are you familiar with the Canadian Elite Basketball League…I wasn’t? This startup pro basketball league had a 2017 birth and began play in 2019. Presently the league consists of 10 teams spread throughout 6 provinces of the nation, at the present there are 5 teams in the Western Conference and 5 in the Eastern.

Eastern Conference

Brampton Honey Badgers                      Brampton, Ontario

Montreal Alliance                                    Montreal, Quebec

Niagara River Lions                                St. Catherines, Ontario

Ottawa Blackjacks                                  Ottawa, Ontario

Scarborough Shooting Stars                  Scarborough, Ontario (Toronto)

Western Conference

Calgary Surge                                       Calgary, Alberta

Edmonton Stingers                                Edmonton, Alberta

Saskatchewan Rattlers                          Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Vancouver Bandits                                 Langley, British Columbia

Winnipeg Sea Bears                              Winnipeg, Manitoba      

There is a mix of players with a contingent from American colleges, Canadian and international players. The CEBL mandates 70% of a team’s roster must be Canadian.

The CEBL has a number of television partners:

TSN/TSN+

Fox Sports (Australia)

TapGo (Philippines)

SingTel (Singapore)

Astro (Malaysia)

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

Remember when….

In years past an All American basketball team was comprised of seniors a collection of juniors and sophomores. Some years we might uncover a freshman such as Lew Alcindor, Anthony Davis or Carmelo Anthony. That scenario no longer exists, truth is most of us are unsure of who earns a spot on an All American team. The names listed below are the All Americans for 2024. Don’t worry I wasn’t familiar with several names on either team. 

FIRST TEAM

RJ Davis SG North Carolina, senior

Zach Edey C Purdue, senior

Dalton Knecht SF Tennessee, graduate

Tristen Newton PG UConn, graduate

Jamal Shead PG Houston, senior

SECOND TEAM

Hunter Dickinson C, Kansas, senior*

Kyle Filipowski PF/C Duke, sophomore

DaRon Holmes III PF Dayton, junior

Tyler Kolek PG Marquette, senior

Mark Sears PG Alabama, senior 

*additional eligibility, Dickinson has returned to Kansas for the 2025-26.

Take note, the first team is three all seniors and two (2) graduate assistants. The second team contains one junior and one sophomore. What’s missing from this All American list…freshman? That’s not to say first year players are missing every season it just so happens that was the case for the 2023-24 college season. The landscape’s changed those freshman believe talented enough are off to the NBA after but one year.

Bring it on

The last quarter of the 20th Century NFL football has clearly been the leader in the hearts and minds of most Americans. Despite that fact the league finds itself following the NBA in one area…Christmas Day. December 25 Christmas Day and through the evening have long been the exclusive domain of the NBA. That existed until last season, this past year the NFL scheduled games on Christmas December 25 which fell on a Monday, the NFL generally plays games on Monday so it wasn’t that unusual. Once Christmas was over and the television numbers were compiled they were outstanding for the NFL. Fact is the NFL surpassed the NBA games, that was not unusual. 

It was believed the Christmas Day NFL games were an anomaly and strictly based on the calendar. With the holiday falling on a Wednesday we’d not see a repeat of 2023, that’s what was thought to occur. The NFL decided to repeat what most believed they wouldn’t schedule. The NFL has games scheduled Christmas Day I seriously doubt if the NBA has an issue with the competition. The true NBA fan will be tuned in, he or she might watch the NFL game if its more enticing than the NBA game. We shall wait and see what develops from these “sports wars,” meanwhile below is the schedule for games:

Spurs at Knicks

Wolves at Mavs

Sixers at Celtics

Lakers at Warriors

Nuggets at Suns    

The best

Who is the best college basketball player might depend on who is holding the discussion. In this instance its college basketball coaches according to CBS Sports. The coaches rank them in this order, Cooper Flagg (36%), Mark Sears (22%) and Hunter Dickinson (16%). It remains interesting Flagg is rated the best college basketball player and is yet to register a single minute on the court for Duke. Up next is Sears who played outstanding basketball at Alabama. Looking at his numbers this point guard scored at a 21.5 point clip, he shot .508 from the floor and .436 from the 3-line along with 4 assists a game.

Finally there is Hunter Dickinson at Kansas. Dickinson is a 7 foot 1 260 pound post player who averaged nearly 18 points along with 10.9 rebounds a game this past season. Dickinson is a three point threat, his Achilles heel however is his free throw shooting. This is what I find most interesting, despite the fact these three are highly rated by college coaches for the NBA that is a different matter. Flagg is the only name that can be found on two mock draft sites. Don’t become confused by my statement, I’m not saying Sears and Dickinson are not NBA prospects. As this is written in middle August their names are excluded from these mock draft sites.

A change

Michael Jordan sold his majority share in the Hornets, he still retains a minority share of the team. Dwayne Wade owns a portion of the Jazz while the Hawks have Grant Hill as an owner. Once upon a time Magic Johnson owned a piece of the Lakers but sold it to acquire a stake in the baseball Dodgers. All of us are aware LeBron James has long made his intentions known, he wants to own an NBA team as well. Hopefully, this list is complete however there might be a new pending owner.

Sharpshooter deluxe Steph Curry announced the fact he wants to become an NBA owner. Curry’s announcement caught us off guard, unlike LeBron who’s long voiced an opinion Curry made no previous indication this was his intended future. I have no idea of his wealth however taking a partner or multiple partners I don’t see why not. The question might be which team, that is likely an important consideration. With a planned Las Vegas, Seattle and possibly Mexico City expansion franchise it would appear the field is wide open. On the other hand it could be an existing franchise, just recently the Celtics were placed on the market.