Basketball from a fans perspective

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Tigers vs Tigers

The Black & Gold Tigers of Mizzou played the Blue Tigers of nearby Lincoln University. The outcome of the game was never in doubt as the Tigers from Columbia beat the Tigers of Jefferson City a Division II program. This exhibition game kicked off the 2024-25 season for coach Dennis Gates and his “new” team. There’s an influx of freshman one site considered this the 5th or 6th best recruited class in the nation. In addition the coaching staff worked the transfer portal extensively acquiring most of the talent desired.

This was accomplished in an attempt to avoid the disaster the team suffered last season. As for this game the final score read 90-45 as the teams faced each other in Mizzou Arena. Transfer Mark Mitchell, holdover Caleb Grill who played only 9 games due to injury led the way to the victory. Although the minutes were limited practically all the high profile freshman managed to play a few minutes in the game. Hopefully, this helps Mizzou prepare to face Penny Hardaway’s Memphis Tigers on November 4 on the road followed by Howard University on November 8.

On the hot seat

I didn’t realize Doc Rivers has experienced few losing seasons as an NBA coach. Once with the Magic, twice with the Celtics, none with the Clippers and none with the Sixers. There is the losing season when he took over as head coach of the Bucks in January 2024. The Bucks earned a playoff berth due to the win-loss record prior to Rivers hire, they finished with 17 wins and 19 losses. The Bucks were then eliminated in the First Round of the playoffs. If you are a Doc Rivers fan you can cease reading at this point and there is a valid reason. I don’t hate Rivers I don’t even dislike him…this I have long believed, he’s overrated as an NBA head coach.

His coaching resume has seen him in charge of several good teams, the problem with the exception of 2008 they come up short. Of course that Celtic team of Garnett, Allen and Pierce was primed to win an NBA championship. What about the other stops, I don’t remember the Magic it was too long ago. The Magic were middle of the road in wins they earned a playoff berth in 3 of the 5 years he was in Orlando. The bottom dropped out in year 5, after getting off to 1-10 start Rivers was fired in 2003. In any event a sports website devoted a story regarding NBA coaches on the hot seat, naturally JJ Redick of the Lakers was mentioned but so was Rivers. I’m not rooting against Rivers to succeed I’d sure like him to prove me wrong about his coaching ability.

A medical issue for Big Men

Paul Mokeski played in the NBA from 1979 till 1991 for several teams, this account is prompted by a statement he made recently regarding Big Men and their health issues. He tied this in with a comment on the Spurs Victor Wembanyama. The 7 foot Mokeski claims (with no medical backup) said Big Men suffer heart related issues at a greater proportion than smaller athletes. Mokeski claims, “The human body is not made to be so tall” mentioning Wilt Chamberlain, Moses Malone and Darryl Dawkins all who died of heart related issues. At the same time Mokeski mentioned that Wemby is doing yoga and stretching something Mokeski claims he never did.

I have no medical background in order to discuss the issue with a degree of knowledge. This I do know, as a person ages, health issues become more prevalent even for the well-conditioned athlete. From what I’ve read over the years Mokeski is correct the names he mentioned plus others I omitted died from heart issues. The key statement is what he said regarding the human body. Genetics control the issue of height, weight and other stuff. The world has witnessed Big Men (7 feet and taller) since the dawn of time. Have they all suffered heart related issues as they aged…that’s an unknown and certainly there is no method to come to a conclusion?

They had their man

Despite the fast start the Lakers continue to search for a Big Man. It’s quite interesting to me because they had him and decided to go in another direction. It was a different front office regime in place at the time. In any event the Lakers (yes those guys) drafted Ivica Zubac in 2013 in the second round with the 32nd pick. That provides you with evidence that the 7 foot 240 pound center was raw, he’d played in Europe but this was the NBA. In any event the Lakers decided to trade Zubac along with Michael Beasley to the Clippers for Mike Muscala.

I’m including Muscala’s name because the Lakers missed this trade. Fast forward to the present its been mentioned over and over, the key Kawhi Leonard would be missing for a time. Someone believed (and wrote) James Harden wouldn’t be enough to keep the Clippers afloat while waiting on Kawhi’s return. The Clippers don’t appear to run plays for Zubac however he’s always available if needed. Zubac filled the box score against the Warriors supporting the 112-104 victory, 23 points and 18 rebounds along with 6 assists. It’s really too bad the Lakers continue to search for a Big Man when they had him all along…they just were unwilling to wait.

This is the before

Walt “Clyde” Frazier is known to scores of fans for his MSG analyst broadcast role over his brilliant Knicks basketball career. Fans of today might be well acquainted with his garish style of dress over his other life. He’s been enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame and voted to the 50th and 75th anniversary NBA team.  This provides evidence to many reading this Frazier is more than clothing and extensive vocabulary describing play on the court. His journey began in Atlanta Georgia and David Tobias Howard HS (now middle school). Frazier was an all-around athlete playing quarterback for the football team and catcher on the baseball team in addition to basketball.

Frazier says he was offered scholarships in football but turned them down, he says “There were no black quarterbacks, so I played basketball.” The time was 1963 and Frazier would accept a scholarship to play basketball at Southern Illinois University. He was named a Division II All American in 1964 and 1965. In 1966 poor grades sidelined him and that’s when a change occurred, he was given the task of tracking teams defense. Seeing how defense was played would become cemented in his mind and his forte once he reached the NBA. The NIT Tournament fails to hold the prominence today it did in 1967. Southern Illinois had moved up to Division I, in addition they won the NIT that year and Frazier was named MVP of the tournament. Later that year the Knicks made Frazier the 5th pick in the first round, as they say the balance of the story is NBA history.

Basketball from a fans perspective

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Who are these guys?

The Lakers took care of business Saturday night beating the Kings 131-127, the game was an old fashion shootout with the Lakers scoring 44 points in the 4th quarter. The Kings matched the Lakers 52.2% with their 51.1 but it was the three (and rebounds) that may have been the chief reason for the win. Remember JJ Redick claiming he wasn’t worried about the Lakers poor shooting from three? He claimed they were taking good shots but just missing. That was not the case against the Kings as the Lakers shot a sizzling 41.2% from three.

As a card-carrying member of Laker Nation I’m asking the question most of you are asking…who are these guys? Can they continue to play at this level throughout the season, only time will tell. LeBron led the way with his umpteenth triple-double (32 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists), AD was right behind him in points with 31. This was AD’s third consecutive game with 30+ points. Reaves chipped in with 6 assist while Russell totaled 5. There are no Bronny headlines as most are aware he is on his way to the G-League after their road trip. This planned move will allow Bronny adequate playing time and adjustment to play at this level. He is far too raw to be tossed into the cauldron of fire of the NBA.

Take my money…please!

The battle regarding ownership of the Wolves continues, owner Glen Taylor has taken his team off the market. The Wolves had been placed on the market and an agreement was supposed to have been arranged between Taylor, A-Rod and Lore. Later Taylor claimed the partners had voided the sale due to non-payment of a portion due. The parties have been fighting for several months now, the latest report. The partners claim they have $904 million in the bank which they are prepared to pay Taylor although he claims he doesn’t want it.

How will this impasse be resolved, that is unclear at this point however I did uncover a piece of information I was unaware. At least 23 of the 30 Board of Governors must vote in favor of the sale for it to become official. The assumption is Taylor would receive the funds promised to him as a condition of the sale. We are only privy to a portion of the series of occurrences but this is really a strange one. This is in the realm of “how the heck did this occur?” It’s a case of (A-Rod & Lore) saying “take my money please,” the other guy (Taylor) is saying “thanks but I don’t want it. You didn’t fulfill our original agreement.” I will continue to follow this bizarre effort to purchase the Wolves and keep you apprised.

Bits n Pieces of Information

This is a question rather than bits n pieces of information sharing, on the other hand maybe some of you already have the answer, I don’t. Celtic fans please tell me how come the correct pronunciation phonetically is “Keltic” yet the name of Boston’s NBA team is pronounced “Sel-tick.” This is a question inquiring minds want to know why.  

I was checking the Lakers roster for a members stats, there it was. Christian Koloko 7 foot and 230 pounds, an ESPN headline proclaimed he wouldn’t play in the Friday game against the Suns. We read Koloko had to be medically cleared but that was weeks ago now. Him not playing is not going to make a difference whether the team is able to compete effectively but why is it taking so long to clear him. I read a trio of doctors are required to say yes or no. A doctor representing the Lakers, the NBA and Players Association must clear him to play. 

Kansas City…home of the nation’s sports architects

Recently you read of the decision by Oklahoma City interests to hire Mancia architects of Kansas City design the replacement arena for the Paycom Center present home of the Thunder. Mancia is just one of quite a number sports architect firms headquartered in my hometown of Kansas City. I must advise you this is actually an update to a similar post made last year but much more extensive.

The investigation which follows surprised even me although I was aware of a portion. I didn’t realize it before beginning this I would discover more than half (17) of the 30 NBA franchises arenas were designed outright or co-designed by Kansas City based firms. In addition there are others not connected to an NBA franchise which were conceived here, they are the T-Mobile Arena Las Vegas, T-Mobile Center Kansas City, Mizzou Arena Columbia Missouri and possibly others not listed, below is the list:

State Farm-Atlanta

Capital One-Washington D.C.

TD Garden-Boston

Ball Arena-Denver

United Center-Chicago

Fiserv Forum-Milwaukee

Gainbridge Fieldhouse-Indianapolis

Little Caesars-Detroit

Toyota Center-Houston

Kia Center-Orlando

Frost Bank-San Antonio

Chase Center-San Francisco

FedEx Forum-Memphis

Footprint Arena-Phoenix

Spectrum Center-Charlotte

Moda Center-Portland

Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse-Cleveland

Basketball from a fans perspective

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Not how you start, it’s how you end

Former SportsCenter anchor Dan Patrick would use the term “En Fuego” describing a hot shooting individual. The term could be said of the Suns on Friday night at Crypto.com Arena. It seemed every shot Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and company took found its way to the bottom of the basket. On the other hand my Lakers had good opportunities but were missing shots or turned the ball over. The Lakers were down 38-23 at the end of the first quarter, they managed to erase a portion of the deficit, the Suns led at the half 61-52. As the headline reads it’s not how you start, it’s how you end. Hopefully in the future this pattern of slow Laker starts will not be repeated.

For the game the Suns shot a sizzling 51.2% and 45.9% from three, as for the Lakers it was a 53.3% and 51.9% which got them back in the ballgame. JJ Redick’s offense moves AD into the leading role and once again he came to the forefront. 35 points and 8 rebounds along with 2 blocked shots, he was assisted by Austin Reaves and his 26 points and 8 assists. That other guy…LeBron James scored 21 points and he tied the assist total of Reaves with 8. The final score read Lakers 123 Suns 116, my memory is fuzzy, I cannot remember the last time a Laker team began the season 2-0. This fast start by AD in his first two games exceeds a number of greats who played for Laker teams of the past. In closing there appears to be a change, LeBron is okay with the team’s offense not coming through him. It is time to develop others on this Laker squad for the future.

“The future so bright…..”

Come on you know the rest of the title don’t you, of course you do? Okay a little help here, the 1980 pop tune by Timbuk 3, it goes “The Future’s bright I gotta wear shades.” Johnathan Kuminga of the Warriors could also be singing that tune or at least he should be if he can carry a tune. After being drafted by the Warriors with the first pick in the first round of the 2021 draft his first two seasons were spent in a reserve role. He was infused into the lineup at a point last season and demonstrated to coach Kerr that’s where he belonged. As for his background he was born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kuminga first took up the game in his homeland.

In 2016 he journeyed to the U.S. to begin play first at Huntington Prep in West Virginia. Later it was two other high schools before he made the decision to sign with NBA G-League Team Elite. December 18 Kuminga made his regular season debut and it’s been good news for the Warriors. Kuminga had a breakout year based on the numbers he exhibited. The 6 foot 7 225 pound Kuminga plays both forward positions and well. Across the board all the numbers registered are good, the only area in my view requiring work is shooting free throws, it’s not terrible but 74% could be raised 3-5 points. All in all Warriors management is grinning from ear to ear with the prospect of developing Kuminga as they prepare for a post-Steph Warriors team.

Heart over Height 

NBA teams have finalized their season opening rosters, in the case of one Grizzlies player it becomes Heart over Height. The player I speak of in this instance is Yuki Kawamura, he was signed to an Exhibit 10 contract. In case you might be unfamiliar I found this from Yahoo Sports, “An Exhibit 10 contract is a one-year, minimum salary agreement that isn’t guaranteed. It can also include an optional bonus of up to $75,000.”   

A little further background for you on Kawamura, he’s a 5 foot 8 160 pound point guard. He’s played professionally for four years in Japan and is now trying to earn a roster position in the NBA. Due to his strong play during the recent exhibition season the Grizzlies decided in favor of Kawamura and signed him to a two-way contract, a two-way contract guarantees he cannot be poached by other teams. He will likely spend some time with the G-League affiliate but could play up to 50 regular season games for the Grizzlies. When he appears on the parent team’s roster Kawamura at 5 feet 8 inches will become the shortest player in the NBA.

Bits n Pieces of information

You remember the Pac-12 don’t you…the conference once thought dead. It turns out the Pac-12 was actually on life support as moves were made to schools to replace the departed. What you are about to read is speculation only, not a single team has decided to cast its fate with the new Pac-12. The University of Memphis was mentioned however they turned the Pac-12 down, don’t go to sleep here the Tigers might change their minds at some point in the not too distant future. Also mentioned as possible additions are Tulane along with the University of South Florida and there is a possibility Texas State might be added. Naturally, any move of this type a school must be satisfied with “what’s in this for me?”

I remain convinced there are basketball programs that recruit on their own. Sure the coach is important but the name of the school ranks slightly beneath that of the coach. This is certainly no predictor of talent nor if these two are headed for Duke. Some reading this might remember former NBA veteran Theo Ratliff, he’s the father of twin sons. Adonis (6-10, 190 pounds) and Darius (6-11, 205 pounds) are seniors at Archbishop Stepinac in White Plains NY. For those unfamiliar with the name White Plains is described as an inner suburb of New York City. Most interesting for me, the twins just might wind up at different schools.

I am curious now that we have teams playing in separate buildings, for years the Clippers complained about scheduling. Of course this was caused by the Lakers and Clippers sharing Crypto.com Arena. Could the arrangement of the schedule be based on first come first serve? Briefly stated it’s my understanding that the Lakers were first to sign a lease agreement and then the NHL Kings. The Clippers signed a lease for Staples as the arena was known but this was months after the others. That is likely the basis for instances when the Clippers played an afternoon game and the Lakers the nightcap. The Clippers are playing in their own arena (Intuit Dome) would the NBA schedule the teams to play at or near the same time?      

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday

A change

This morning begins a new chapter…a Saturday edition of Off the Dribble. With the advent of basketball beginning again there is additional news and notes to cover and it becomes difficult publishing 4 days. A Saturday edition should allow coverage, thus Tuesday and Thursday’s will be the only non-publishing dates. Hopefully this new schedule will meet with your approval and enjoyment. Once again I wish to thank you for continuing to read this blog morning, afternoon or evening. 

Bits n Pieces of information

Las Vegas in the NBA continues to be a topic of conversation. One more person has been added to the mix wanting to become owner of the franchise once expansion talks becomes serious. Shaq has been mentioned so has LeBron James and now there is one more name. The majority owner of the baseball Red Sox John Henry and Fenway Park Sports group are shifting their efforts from purchasing the Celtics to vying for the NBA Las Vegas expansion team. As for the partnership according to what I read LeBron would be part of the Henry group, this is developing news so don’t expect any immediate movement.

This is no precursor of future success, Laker rookie Dalton Knecht displayed a bit of his potential against the Suns in the last exhibition game. In an OT victory Knecht came off the bench scoring 35 points, seven rebounds along with two steals and two blocked shots. He was 10 for 18 from the floor including 8 of 13 from three, Knecht accomplished this in but 32 minutes. The Knicks have Spike Lee, as for the Lakers its Snoop Dogg. Guess what, Snoop is sold on JJ Redick and this version of the Lakers…we shall wait and see what eventually develops.

Duke might not be number one in the Top 25 pre-season poll however they are in recruiting talent. If you check most recruiting sites all place the Duke Blue Devils in the top slot, will Shelton Henderson be added to the list? Henderson is a 6 foot 6 210 pound forward, he’s rated a 5-star prospect on recruiting sites which should be no surprise. The youngster hails from Bellaire Texas a city located in the Houston metroplex. Committed earlier to Duke is Nikolas Khamenia a 6 foot 8 forward from Studio City California and the Boozer twins sons of former Duke player Carlos. As I always claim these prospects and others is no barometer of future success on the basketball court just information sharing.

ESPN NBA scribe Shams Charania was the first I heard report the news, the Lakers will send Bronny James to the G-League after their 5-game road trip. In this instance we are discussing a depth issue over ability or talent, we could debate this till the cows come home but Bronny has a number of veterans in front of him on the depth chart. He should head for the G-League, gain his bearings and come back ready to compete against NBA talent.

A deal’s been consummated

I was aware an architectural firm would soon be selected for the new arena in Oklahoma City replacing Paycom. The mayor’s office announced that Manica Architects has been chosen to design the arena. Some might have forgotten this bit of information however this is a reminder for all. The Kansas City (MO) metro is home to a number of sports architect groups. In this instance Manica Architects have been selected to design the new Oklahoma City basketball arena.

The site occupied by the former Cox Convention Center will be demolished next year and the arena will be constructed on the property presently owned by the City of Oklahoma City. The arena will be completed in time for the 2028-29 NBA season. Manica has a distinguished history having designed a number of basketball arenas and football stadiums across the nation. As an example we could look at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas and Nissan Stadium under construction in Nashville to name just a few.

Basketball from a fans perspective

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NBA history was made

With about 4 minutes remaining in the 2nd quarter NBA history was made opening night. The Wolves were visiting the Lakers at Crypto.com arena. LeBron James and Bronny James checked into the game at the same time, the first father-son combo to appear in an NBA game. As for the game itself, Laker Nation whether in the arena or part of the television audience witnessed a much different team from last season.

The energy level for the game was high for the greater majority. They missed a large number of three’s however Redick appeared to be unconcerned about the issue. The Lakers could shoot three’s they just didn’t shoot a substantial number last season compared to other NBA teams. Under JJ Redick all that changes now as he wants to place emphasis on that aspect of the game. It’s worth mentioning that 2024 Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert had issues. Matched against Anthony Davis much of the game he could only “watch” as AD alone was a major contributor to the 110-103 Laker victory. 36 points, 16 rebounds along with 4 assists and 2 blocked shots was the effort made by the Laker center. I was reminded back to the spring of 2024, AD thought he should have been given consideration for Defensive Player of the Year. If he continues to play in a similar manner throughout the season it just might occur.

As for the father-son combo Bronny only played 3 minutes as they set a record. In addition to the James family the baseball father son combo of Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr. was in attendance for this historic event. Kenny ‘The Jet’ Smith made an interesting statement which I will paraphrase. “I got to see Bronny James when he was at Sierra Canyon (HS), he was a McDonald’s All American. Let’s say he doesn’t have the health issue at Southern Cal we might be looking at him differently than today.”

Our neighbors

Our northern neighbor Canada has produced a substantial number of NBA talent over time, as for our southern border not so much. In Mexico soccer (football) remains the most popular sport although basketball has made inroads. According to information I uncovered the popularity of the sport has increased, it’s now the number three most popular sport in Mexico. It’s my belief internationally at least fans have gravitated to the NBA seeing a fellow countryman playing the game at a high skill level. By comparison, the number of Mexican NBA players has been quite minor compared to Canada.

There might be just one player to change that and he’s already on the stage, his name is Karim Lopez. You might remember Lopez was covered in the past but to update others a little detail. He’s a 6 foot 8 195 pound shooting guard/small forward, he’s played in Spain until recently. This upcoming season Lopez will begin play for the New Zealand Breakers in the NBL and he’s looking toward the 2026 NBA draft. I took a glance at two mock sites, one indicates Lopez will be a lottery pick while the other implies he would lie one or two picks beyond the lottery. You might ask why I am point towards the 2026 draft rather than 2025, this appears to be the choice of Lopez.

The” new” Palace is open

Prior to Little Caesar Arena opening the Pistons played their games at The Palace of Auburn Hills for years. This arena opened in 1988 and remained the home for Pistons basketball until 2017. The Palace closed and has since been demolished however it’s been replaced, i.e., the name at least. Wednesday night saw the Clippers play their first game in The House that Ballmer built. Clipper owner Steve Ballmer has long desired to remove his team from the shadow of playing in the Lakers building.

The arena is not really owned by the Lakers but it seemed that was the case, the Clippers were lined up behind the Lakers and Kings in the pecking order. In any event the palatial Intuit Dome opened to a roaring number of spectators Wednesday. Words fail to provide the grandeur of this state of the art arena, check out video on YouTube which will provide you the look. Oh, by the way they did play a basketball game, the Clippers played host to the Suns. The inaugural game in the Intuit Dome turned out to be a loser for the home team in OT 116-113.

He's playing at home

Karl-Anthony Towns was born in Edison New Jersey, he grew up in Piscataway and we could say he’s a New York City metro guy. KAT developed his game at St. Joseph HS in Metuchen, New Jersey. From there it was the University of Kentucky where he played for coach Cal for one year. He declared for the NBA draft and was made the first pick in the first round of the 2015 June draft by the Wolves, in 2016 he was named NBA Rookie of the Year.

Since then over the course of a brief career the 28-year old KAT has provide us proof of his talent. Sure he’s suffered injuries during his career but when healthy and on the court the 7 foot 250 pound athlete has proven to be an outstanding talent over and over again. October 2024 the Wolves traded KAT to the Knicks, someone looking at the trade might believe the Wolves might have given up on him…far from it. KAT might be the key piece allowing the Knicks to escape the east and play for an NBA championship, that is the hope for Knick fans especially Spike Lee.

Basketball from a fans perspective

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Do you remember

A few weeks ago the mayor of Philadelphia called a press conference. Mayor Sherelle Parker announced the Sixers new arena would not be constructed in New Jersey although she didn’t mention the opposition bid. Mayor Parker indicated there was an agreement made between her and the Sixers, therefore the $1.5 billion 76Place arena would be constructed in the city. The mayor further indicated the agreement would be presented to the city council the following week.

So we had a done deal however it quickly unraveled, a representative of merchants in the Chinatown portion of the city came forth and indicated they would contest the decision. Now a second (or is it third) group have surfaced with the intent to fight this effort. A group of Philadelphia clergymen have come forward expressing their concerns regarding the project. Legislation plans are to be presented for action later this month is the latest word. The timeline we presume of the Sixers indicates the new arena should be ready by the start of the 2031-32 NBA season, stay tuned for further developments on this ever changing story.

Who are they

Anthony Davis is one of my favorite Laker players, he’s got skill but there is a glitch. More than once in the past AD has expressed the fact he doesn’t like playing center although he stands 6 foot 10 and 253 pounds. As this is written it appears he will man the post again in the 2024-25 season but what about the future? Could the Lakers choose one or more of the following, I decided to take a look at the projected top Big Men who could appear in the 2025 NBA draft. Most names are probably unfamiliar to us but here goes anyway.

Thanks to nbadraftroom.com these names are considered the top Big Men prospects for 2025. At the top of the list is Rocco Zikarsky, this Australian youngster is 18-years old and plays for the Brisbane Bullets. Zikarsky stands 7 foot 3 and 227 pounds, he played first at the NBA Global Academy in Canberra Australia. If Zikarsky is drafted don’t expect him to arrive and take over but he is a talent. Next up is a name covered previously Khaman Maluach, he’s a freshman at Duke. Maluach stands 7 foot 2 and 235 pounds, he’s from South Sudan and arrives at Duke from the NBA Academy in Africa. 

Up next is Zvonimir Ivisic a 7 foot 3 220 pound center, he hails from Croatia…his talent will be on display at Arkansas this upcoming season. At Kansas will be Flory Bidunga from the Congo, Bidunga is 6 foot 10 and 220 pounds. Bidunga will also be moved slowly adjusting to basketball at the collegiate level. Last on the list of Top 5 post players is Patrick Ngongba II who will also play for Duke. He’s 6 foot 11 and 235 pounds, Ngongba is from Fairfax Virginia. Perhaps one are more of these prospects will have a breakout season and head for the NBA. In addition there might be someone else like Hansen Yang 7-1 Big Man from China or Ryan Kalkbrenner also 7-1 who plays at Creighton.

Dinosaur?

You remember them don’t you…that group of “experts” who made the claim? They said “Zach Edey’s game is a throwback to the early days of basketball, no one plays like that now. Why in the world did the Grizzlies draft him at 9?” The Lakers drafted Dalton Knecht with the 17th pick, my hope was Edey wouldn’t be chosen extremely high therefore the Lakers would have an opportunity to draft him. The guy who returned to school last year because he wasn’t ready apparently is now. Keep in mind the season is just now starting although Edey’s exhibited some rather strong play to date in the exhibition season.

Currently his post-up numbers are higher than The Joker and Embiid, they will go down once the season begins but at this pace his game is NBA ready. One additional area is his hook shot, standing 7 feet 4 and 305 pounds he's almost immovable to dislodge him once he’s established position. Before you go running off searching for his rookie card these final words. I have no intention of misleading you, given time it’s my belief Edey will become a force in the NBA. Is he Kareem, Shaq or Hakeem in the post…nope but he will continue to refine his game. The NBA should wake up and take notice of this budding talent I did from his junior year at Purdue on.

The future

I shared my thoughts regarding the Clippers with a friend and I am now sharing them with you. I told him as much as I hate to admit it the last few years the Clippers playoff outlook was much brighter than my Lakers. As for the future of the Clippers (barring free agent signings or dynamite draft picks) the future is not so bright. There is 33-year old Kawhi Leonard with a history of injury…some have kept him out of the lineup for major portions of the season. The majority of this was written prior to the news Leonard would be sidelined at least through the early portion of the season. Behind him is 35-year old James Harden who remains a talent too but certainly no longer the 2018 NBA MVP James Harden.

After losing veterans Paul George in free agency and trading Russell Westbrook who remains. If I check ESPN’s depth chart they place Terrance Mann in the starting lineup at shooting guard along with Derrick Jones Jr. at the small forward. Both players are serviceable NBA veterans however neither is likely to frighten an opposing team. The balance of the team plus reserve players don’t strike fear in the heart of anyone. If I am in the shoes of Lawrence Frank I am preparing for the 2024-25 season with an eye on pending free agents for 2026 and beyond. Despite what might appear a doom & gloom report the Clippers could shock me and everyone else. They could earn a playoff berth as for championship aspirations that is highly unlikely for the foreseeable future. With that said they should enjoy their first season playing in the Intuit Dome.  

Basketball from a fans perspective

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I realize

A friend of mine indicated that she didn’t have time for the NBA, she said it’s still NFL season. Wait she stated until after the Super Bowl. That’s okay everyone is not like me…my focus is on the NBA and college basketball. I follow the NFL Chiefs and baseball Royals but nowhere close to passion I have for basketball. That’s okay my friend, I certainly don’t expect you to live your life as I do. 

Tomorrow night it will begin for real…the NBA kicks off its season, in another two weeks or so colleges will begin play.I adjust my television schedule based on what night it is or who is playing. As an example a Tuesday evening broadcast will cause me to DVR any programming scheduled that evening. The scenario plays throughout the week and it gets more complicated once colleges begin play. There have been evenings I’ve watched a 6:00 p.m. Central Time college game and an 8:00 or p.m. NBA game. Once again I don’t expect anyone to have the fervor I have for basketball at all levels. For my friend, it’s okay if it’s the NFL for you until after the Super Bowl.

Breakout game

The headline might be a slight exaggeration on my part, Bronny James did have his best game as a Laker. Sure the game was played against mostly subs for the Warriors and it was the last exhibition game prior to Wednesday. Since this was a game played in California Pacific time versus my Midwest sleepy time I have only the box score as a guide. Bronny’s shooting was good, 17 points however only 41.2% from the floor and 20% from three. In 35 minutes of action Bronny managed to pull down 4 rebounds along with 3 steals while shooting 100% from the line. 

This might be a glimpse at the ultimate future for Bronny but I would be shocked if these numbers will be duplicated once the regular season begins. He remains a budding talent although I continue to reserve my view on his ultimate level. In other father-son news Shaquille O’ Neal’s son Shareef has been signed by the Kings and will play for their Stockton G-League affiliate. Shareef also suffered a heart issue which unlike Bronny required surgery. The young O’Neal is a 6 foot 10 220 pound power forward/center, earlier he played for G-League Team Ignite.

Winning Culture

The headline simply implies a person or team is condition to succeed, the degree of success can vary. If we utilize sports as a barometer I could say the NFL Kansas City Chiefs at least under coach Andy Reid have a winning culture. The Chiefs have won two Super Bowls in a row and are on the road to a third. As for the Royals that’s been a different story, they finished the 2024 season with a winning record the first in 9 years. Because this is a basketball blog we move in that direction, the Celtics broke their tie with the Lakers winning championship number 18 this past June. Although it was 2020 for the Lakers they too place a priority on a winning culture. Do you realize between these two teams they are winners of nearly half the championships in NBA history?

What makes for a winning tradition, probably several things but chief among them is an expectation of success at the highest level. One might state all NBA teams desire winners but there are few capable of continued success. Although the Spurs have fallen on tough times recently the franchise was one under Gregg Popovich which established winning as a key. More recently the Warriors have been the barometer we look toward as having established a winning culture. Can a team be successful without winning a championship for me the answer is yes. I look at it in this manner, every season you are aware injures aside that particular team will finish above .500. They don’t have losing records, losing fails to exist in their environment. There are probably areas omitted by me but those mentioned are key to establishing a Winning Culture for a professional sports team.

Bits n Pieces of information

What If you were asked to name the college and universities with the most NBA talent, which one’s are included on your list? You just checked out the preseason polls and discovered Kansas was the number one team in the nation on all pre-season Top 25 polls. If you named the Jayhawks you would be incorrect, not from me but those who cover the college game for ESPN. They named the Top 10 college/universities for the 2024-25 season, guess again, the Jayhawks ain’t one of the schools. If that’s not the case just who are they? As a reminder this is not my list, here goes:

Duke

UNC

UConn

Alabama

Arizona

Arkansas

Illinois

Baylor

BYU

Rutgers

The surprises for me besides Kansas missing from their list, the report indicating the BYU and Rutgers roster contained a sizable number of NBA prospects.

Chris Paul’s NBA career is winding down at age 39, I have maintained for a number of years he might be the last pure point guard in the NBA. Guys nowadays are masquerading as point guards but are really combo guards SGA as an example. Shai-Gilgeous Alexander who will receive MVP votes this upcoming season is a point guard, we have Steph Curry along with James Harden. The Nuggets now have Russell Westbrook on their roster…I hope you see where I’m going with this post. Back to Paul, he says there are a couple of directions he’d like to go after retirement. One is possibly coaching and the other is ownership, he too would like to become an NBA owner one day.

Some of you have stated the only reason Bronny James is in the NBA is due to his dad being LeBron. That might well be correct however this familia relationship is not the first instance only the latest. As an example these are the words of former NBA player Chandler Parsons from NBA on Clutch Points. “Because a player is gonna feel some way about the coach. ‘Uh, he snubbed me. You subbed me out too early.’ Three minutes to go, and he looks down the bench and picks Austin to go in instead of me. I’m gonna feel a little slighted by that. I can’t help but think that’s favoritism.” That was Parsons speaking of coach Doc Rivers and guard Austin Rivers with the Clippers. Did this occur, I’m sure it did at some point while father and son were with the Clippers although I certainly cannot validate it.

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This is shocking

The University of Virginia begins a search for a new head basketball coach. This search will be conducted in earnest at the conclusion of the 2024-25 season. For reasons unclear longtime coach Tony Bennett tendered his resignation. Bennett is not the first coach nor will he be the last to leave his job, he is one of few who leaves with a question mark for the why. This is written three weeks prior to the start of the basketball season.

Consider this fact, there are freshmen at Virginia who committed on the basis of the head coach and now Bennett’s gone. He certainly didn’t have a job in jeopardy issue, Bennett is a winning coach, his Cavalier teams have won over 300 games since his arrival including the 2019 NCAA championship. If the coach resigned due to illness that certainly would be understandable however that doesn’t appear to be the case. We must await further information to determine the why, we are not privy to this information at the time of this writing.

Nobody was paying attention

Now that I’ve got your attention the headline above is only partially correct…allow a further explanation. Chet Holmgren of the Thunder was overshadowed by the play of Wemby. Despite the fact ALL the attention was placed on the French youngster Holmgren quietly had a good rookie season. He scored nearly 17 points a game while pulling down 8 rebounds, he shot 53% from the floor and was 37% from the three line. The numbers he established while good were overshadowed by Wemby who sucked all the oxygen out of the room when discussing NBA rookies. The Thunder were a particularly good team in fact they earned playoff success, led by Shai-Gilgeous Alexander they provided us proof they are an ascending NBA team.

Holmgren arriving on the stage was vital but his role was somewhat diminished by the Thunder being a solid team when he arrived. That was not the case in San Antonio, the Spurs were bad at the time Wemby arrived and aided them into an improved record. That would not be the case for Holmgren, he simply became a player the Thunder simply “plugged” into the power forward position. His stature reminds us of Wemby in a manner of speaking, Holmgren is 7 foot 1 and a wafer thin 207 pounds. There was no way for Holmgren to win NBA Rookie of the Year with the leagues focus on Wemby. Despite my last statement it’s my belief the Thunder have a solid player for now and into the future barring major injury with Chet Holmgren in the lineup.

How long do you recruit

I read a story recently which surprised me, it turns out 7 foot Peyton Marshall had committed to Auburn. According to what I read he became the first prospect Mizzou’s Dennis Gates looked at although the newly hired Gates was aware of Auburn but continued to recruit Marshall. Fast forward in this story and we discover Marshall would decommit and later but verbally commit to Mizzou August 2023. As for this freshman he is a legitimate 7 footer and he is reported to weigh nearly 300 pounds,

I certainly make no claims of expertise here but him losing 20-30 pounds he could still dominate the paint. I’d mentioned this previously I am really curious to see how much he plays and his adjustment to the collegiate game. I’ve got to believe 7 foot 260 pound Josh Gray a grad transfer from South Carolina will play most of the time in the post for the Tigers. As for Marshall his learning curve will be the decider. As a Mizzou fan I’m pumped, one of the key problems last season was ineffective rebounding and between Gray and Marshall that should be corrected. The end result could see Marshall occupying the post position in his sophomore season provided he is not discouraged playing behind Gray this season.

I wonder

My research history of the NBA caused me to stumble on to this bit of information. I didn’t realize the Nets history is somewhat aligned with that of the Knicks, in addition there was a beneficiary between the two that proved extraordinarily successful for their competition…the Sixers. We must travel back to the time the NBA expanded and took in those ABA teams the NBA desired. Among those teams were the New York Nets and their MVP Julius Erving, Roy Boe owner of the Nets also owned the NHL Islanders. In 1976 Boe was forced to pay the NBA a $3.2 million entry fee ($16 million in today’s dollars) and another $4.8 million to the Knicks ($22 million today) in the form of an “indemnification fee” i.e., compensation for harm or loss.

As you can see paying out that amount of money in addition to running the Islanders there was no way Boe could afford to pay Julius Erving an MVP salary. The history indicates Boe attempted to trade Irving to the Knicks but they refused, waiting anxiously were the Sixers in Philly. They were well pleased absorbing the Erving contract and as they say the balance of the story is NBA history. A curiosity on my part that the Nets at the time were playing in New York (Long Island) that was the basis for indemnification. The Nets moved to New Jersey (New York Metro) where they spent 35 years before relocating to Brooklyn in 2012, should we guess the original indemnification remained viable from 1976. Rest assured the Knicks have been given plenty of grief passing on Dr. J., 35th, 50th and 75th NBA Anniversary Team member.

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“It wasn’t just plumbers and carpenters”

Just in case the headline might be a little confusing allow an explanation. Several weeks-months ago current Laker coach JJ Redick was discussing the NBA of the ‘50’s and ‘60’s during his podcast. He claimed the league was full of plumbers and carpenters…of course we know that to not be true. It was his point to denigrate NBA players of the era mentioned. You’ve read several accounts of Wilt Chamberlain and his 100 point single game record, I’ve mentioned there are plenty of conspiracy theorists claiming it never occurred.

Despite the fact I cannot prove anything my research produced these interesting facts. There were a number of outstanding opposing centers matched early in Chamberlain’s career in the middle and toward the end. Who are they you might ask, below is the list and understand this fact. Each of the names is enshrined in the College and Naismith Hall of Fame with the exception of Clyde Lovellette. Lovellette is in the Naismith Hall only. Once again a number of the names might be unfamiliar to you plus there is no video evidence offered on their play. Despite that fact the hope is you won’t be lulled into believing Chamberlain had no major opposition, despite this fact he managed to dominate. By the way there were several very good post players of the time matched against Chamberlain, not mentioned in this account. 

Walt Bellamy

Kareem Abdul Jabbar

Bob Lanier

Willis Reed

Nate Thurmond

Bill Russell

Wes Unseld

Clyde Lovellette

Who moves?

When (not if) the NBA expands it will become a 32-team league. At the present there are 15 teams in the Western Conference and 15 in the Eastern. Who moves since Seattle and Las Vegas are both located in the western portion of the United States and will be added to the Western Conference. I have no idea what the NBA will utilize to determine who moves, I believe geography will impact the decision. I used the Mississippi River as the decider. The river flows past Tennessee (Grizzlies), Louisiana (Pelicans) and Minnesota (Wolves), see the dilemma? 

If I use latitude-longitude as a barometer the Twin Cities home of the Wolves lies further west than the other two cities. Based on my unscientific research I would suggest the Pelicans and Grizzlies would be the two prime candidates to move to the Eastern Conference while the Wolves would remain a Western Conference team. A portion of this conundrum was created by expansion, the Grizzlies began play in Vancouver Canada. Naturally, they played in the Western Conference, once the franchise was sold the new owners moved the team to Memphis however they remained in the west.

Bits n Pieces of information

The other day I mentioned the twin brothers of Carlos Boozer gave their verbal commitment to Duke. Everyone including me figured it was Dad’s influenced that cause Cameron and Cayden to affirm they would be headed to Duke, reports indicate it was more than family influence. Their decision was influenced by someone who will not be at Duke by the time they arrive next fall. Cooper Flagg the top NBA draft pick on all 2025 mock draft sites was reported to have been one of the voices the twins heard. As I indicated that’s interesting since Flagg will likely be history after June 2025. 

He recently celebrated his 54th birthday on October 12, Charlie Ward is the only NBA player who owns a Heisman Trophy. Ward played basketball while at Florida State but excelled as a quarterback despite his slight frame (6 foot 2, 190 pounds). Ward won the Heisman in 1993, despite this fact he was told it would be the Canadian Football League because no NFL team was willing to take a chance on him. There might have been a degree of racism as well, at that time the only black quarterback in the NFL was Doug Williams. In any event Ward spent the vast majority of his 11-year NBA career as a member of the Knicks.

Is Kawhi Leonard’s NBA career over, that question is on the mind of many NBA fans based on Thursday’s news. The Clippers announced he will be shut down for the immediate future, there is swelling in his surgically repaired knee. This is the latest event in what might be considered a trying spring and summer and into the fall. He missed the last portion of the season, later it would be Team USA. He was a member then he was sent home prior to the Olympic team being completed. Contractually Leonard has time on his side, whether he has the ability to play at a high skill level is another story. Stay tuned for additional updates on him and the Clippers.

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Next 7 years

The Spurs have been really bad over the last few years, this despite veteran coach Pop is still at the helm. Last season the prospects for improvement began with the 2023 draft where they added Victor Wembanyama to their ranks. In addition Jeremy Sochan and Devin Vassel, although young played well at times for the Spurs. This upcoming season should be even better, veterans Chris Paul plus Harrison Barnes along with UConn rookie Stephon Castle have become Spurs.

The Spurs won but 22 games last season and that record should improve in the upcoming season…how much of course depends on a number of factors. The key to improved play by the Spurs is the health of Paul who’s past injuries have impacted teams he’s played for. The next question, what about the future, the Spurs have always built successful teams through the draft and it’s unlikely that changes. Guess what, over the next 7 years the Spurs own all their draft choices. Coach Pop will be gone however his replacement should be successful in at least one area, the ability to add talent through the draft. In addition the hopeful success on the basketball court will be an enticement for free agents to journey to San Antonio.

The headline read, “The Spurs haven’t won a playoff series in five years, the front office doesn’t want them to become like Cowboy fans.” No booing and hissing at me fans of the NFL Cowboys I didn’t write it I’m only reporting it. It’s clear using the draft plus free agency the Spurs intend to make some noise in the 2024-25 NBA season. The promise is there, now it’s up to the Spurs to fulfill the potential of improved play. Finally 75-year old Gregg Popovich and the coaching he presents to these mostly youthful Spurs.

The question

I was pleased with the additions coach Dennis Gates made over the winter and spring. Mizzou had one of the best recruiting classes in its history…at the same time the transfer portal brought in talent from other college teams. That’s the upside, what about the potential problems it might create? I look at this as it relates to the crop of incoming freshman, transfers not as much. The key is minutes on the court, that hot shot freshman believes he’s ready to play because he “smoked” the high school competition he faced.

Time on the court or PT as Dick Vitale might say is critical to the mindset of that freshman. Forced to sit on the bench and wait his turn can be a concern. The Mizzou roster for 2024-25 contains 7 freshman which is a good and at the same time an unpleasant situation, it’s probably the hope of the coaching staff many can become building blocks for the future. The key as I see it Mizzou has a number of portal transfers who are probably listed ahead of the incoming class on the depth chart. I ask the question once again, can these freshman be willing to wait their turn to play.

Naismith Hall

Over the weekend two former Lakers were enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame. Michael Cooper so vital a contributor to the Showtime Lakers and Jerry West. I remember once reading Larry Bird claimed the skinny 6 foot 7 170 pound Cooper played the toughest defense in the NBA on him. Although his specialty was defense, unlike some defensive specialists he could score when called on. It’s said he could guard 4 positions on the floor.

What can I say about the late Jerry West, The Logo was enshrined for the 3rd time something no other individual has accomplished to date. Earlier West was enshrined as a player and executive, this time it was for his contribution to the NBA. This is not a sugary report, he left the Lakers and worked for the Grizzlies and Clippers before his death this past June. It’s been reported despite his long association with the Lakers he was upset with the organization at a point. Despite this issue son Jonnie made no mention of it during his introductory speech before the Naismith gathering. Congratulations are due all those who were honored by their hall of fame enshrinement.

NBA Rookie of the Year

Who becomes 2025 NBA Rookie of the Year, at this point it’s really unclear who that might be. Despite being drafted number one in 2024 the Hawks Zaccharie Risacher is not the favorite to win the honor nor is the second pick Alex Sarr. Most oddsmakers are going with the Grizzlies Zach Edey which is a story by itself. Listed right behind Edey is Rockets guard Reed Shepperd who is the subject of this account, Shepperd was the number three pick in the 2024 draft.

Interesting isn’t it, Edey who was told to “go home” last season he wasn’t ready for the NB and Shepperd a point/shooting guard with a good pedigree although he was not highly touted in high school. His dad and mom both played basketball at Kentucky so it wasn’t exactly shocking when he headed for Lexington last fall. Just because you might be drafted at the top of the draft is certainly no guarantee of future success in the NBA. It will be interesting to see how the season turns out for Edey and Shepperd and other 2024 draft choices.  

He joins a cast

Earlier this week I wrote of Lou Williams and his view of a questionable NBA record. Williams former NBA player doesn't believe Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points in a March 1962 game. No film/video evidence exists therefore in his mind there are questions whether it actually occurred. It’s not only the NBA that we might question all sports records. Former Yankee great Joe DiMaggio holds MLB's hit record, DiMaggio hit in 56 consecutive games. Little if any film is available...did it occur? In the NFL Alvin Kamara scored 6 TD's in a 2020 game, he joined two others Gayle Sayers (1965) and Dub Jones. Jones playing for the Cleveland Browns established the record in 1951, I ask the question again did Jones actually score 6 TD’s in a single game, there is likely no film to confirm whether it occurred.

As I see it there are literally thousands of records in all sports that might be called into question if we align ourselves with many of the opinions of today. I’m not being more critical of Williams than other present day or former NBA players. We must place Sixer guard Paul George in the group of disbelievers too, there is a conspiracy by the NBA to force us to believe the game occurred. It’s really unnecessary for me to provide you proof that the Chamberlain game happened, whether you believe it or you don’t it’s that simple. The vast majority of noteworthy sports events are likely set prior to the time video evidence was available, even film verification is limited. Once upon a time mankind believed the earth was flat, and a vast number of people refused to believe in the curvature of the earth. Is Lou Williams a flat-earth believer?

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Just the latest

Former NBA player Lou Williams is retired now, he will turn 37 years old the 27th of October. It was March 27, 1962, exactly 62 years ago, that was the night Wilt Chamberlain set the NBA single game scoring record. In a game against the Knicks played in Hershey Pennsylvania it occurred. Before a total of 4,000 plus Warrior fans Chamberlain would score 100 points in the game, on the other hand maybe he didn’t. Williams becomes the latest of this generation to question whether the event occurred, to compound this issue further no filmed evidence exists.

NBA games were televised in that day although the Chamberlain game was only available on radio. I can’t offer any proof the event occurred but believe it did. No video evidence film or tape exists however it’s the fact some tend to doubt it occurred. Williams wants someone to prove the scoring record was established in the March 1962 game. Nowadays there is not a single professional sports game that lacks proof it occurred. In closing I’m going to add this, several years ago archival radio tape of the last few minutes of the 4th quarter of this game was located. Of course in the day of AI someone listening to this will decide the audio has been manipulated, check it out and see what you think:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Agchvbxd8A

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_QjAPwlauA

Braves in the NBA

Some of you are aware the Clippers were born to the NBA on the other coast. The Braves in New York State were an expansion team who began play in 1970, the team lasted until 1978 and moved to San Diego and would become the Clippers. Despite Buffalo losing their team in a short space of time their record allowed them to draft a trio of players who could have provided them a winning record. In 1972 the Braves would draft Bob McAdoo with the 2nd pick in the first round. McAdoo moved into the NBA without missing a beat and was named 1973 rookie of the year. The following season Ernie DiGregorio was made the third pick in that year’s draft, he would be named 1974 rookie of the year.

He led the NBA in assists his rookie year, despite this glowing start a severe knee injury would see him play only 5 seasons in a Braves jersey. 1976 the Braves chose Adrian Dantley with pick number 6 in the first round, he too would be named rookie of the year in 1977. Other than the injured DiGregorio what about McAdoo and Dantley? Both would be enshrined in the College and Naismith Hall of Fame. McAdoo would also be named a member of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary team. This is no attempt at revisionist history, there were issues far beyond talent that witnessed Buffalo losing its NBA team. The point…for a brief period the Braves appeared to have a monopoly drafting talent it just didn’t aid them to wins on the court.

What’s a 2-way contract

As this is written Christian Koloko’s been signed to a two-way contract by the Lakers, they also have at least one other player signed in the same manner. What exactly is this type of agreement between team and player, I am pleased you asked the question? The following are not my words rather they are AI generated.

*An NBA two-way contract allows a player to split time between an NBA team and its G-League affiliate.

*This contract is intended for players who are still developing and don’t want to play professional basketball outside the NBA.”

*There are restrictions such as: Players must have fewer than four years’ experience

*Players can play in up to 50 NBA regular season games, and are ineligible for the NBA postseason.

*A two-way contract can be converted to a regular contract during the season

*Two-way player salaries do not count against the salary cap

These are but few key provisions, there are others involving two-way contracts, my hope was to provide key provisions of these type of contracts. Over the last several years this method has been utilized by an increasing number of NBA teams as they attempt to groom talent or fill a vital roster need. 

In other parts of the nation

The arena in Philly, 76 Place at Market East appears to be in a holding pattern as this is written, in other parts of the nation progress is ever so slowly moving. Let’s check arena development in Oklahoma City for the Thunder first. The planned opening date was to be June 2030, the timeline has been moved up to have the team play the 2028-2029 season in the arena. The location of the arena is the area occupied by the Myriad/Cox Center/Prairie Surf studio which will be demolished.

This spot is a short distance from the Bricktown entertainment district of the city. The architect is yet to be selected although Populous Architects headquartered in my hometown of Kansas City is reported to be in the lead. The report indicates a firm is likely to be chosen prior to the 2024-2025 season which says depending on my publishing schedule could be announced earlier. In this day $1 billion is not an astronomical amount based on the cost of new arenas over the last few years. This represents the latest information I could uncover regarding the replacement for Paycom Arena.