Basketball from a fans perspective

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The coach or the school

When it comes to college recruiting there is always a question, is it the coach or the school. In the instance of UConn it could be both, Dan Hurley and his team are hot commodities these days. Hurley and UConn are coming off back to back NCAA championships so that certainly aids the cause. The latest pledge comes from Jacob Furphy a 6 foot 6 inch wing from Australia if the country and name sound familiar it should.

Jacob’s got an older brother Johnny who played his freshman year at Kansas and is now a rookie on the Pacers. He becomes the 4th commit for UConn for 2025 and now they have the number 2 recruiting class in the nation according to 247Sports. Furphy’s played for the NBA Global Academy and also with the Australian Youth National Team. This from 247Sports, “While he’s not the most physically gifted or athletic, Furphy uses his acumen and skillset to impact the game as a shooter, facilitator, rebounder and initiator on the court.” So it appears the coach is more comfortable at UConn over the Lakers.

“Make it rain”

There have been NBA players in the past and up to the present with the ability to shoot proficiently. It doesn’t matter whether they are starters or reserve players, it’s been said they “make it rain” as shot after shot finds the bottom of the basket. Buddy Hield is one of those players able to rain down shots since his days at the University of Oklahoma. Tuesday night with Steph Curry sidelined due to injury Hield was inserted into the lineup and did what he always does…score buckets. Hield recorded 28 points on 50% shooting from the floor and a sizzling 63.6% from three and 100% from the line.

Hield’s played for a number of NBA teams but in this instance it’s his value as a shooter that’s made him a prized player over his career. During the summer Hield was traded to the Warriors in a six team trade and was expected to perform in the same manner he exhibited on Tuesday. There have been a few players over the NBA’s history with a game similar to Hield. Hield was a starter in this game however generally he comes off the bench and shoots…and shoots…and shoots. Hield is unlikely to gain admittance to the Hall of Fame however anytime a discussion on lights out shooters in the NBA is held, we must include the name Buddy Hield.

He’s in the Hall of Fame

During a discussion at work I told Charley “I bet you didn’t realize the Kansas City Kings had an opportunity to acquire Moses Malone.” Yes, that Moses Malone, the one who led the Sixers to the 1983 NBA championship, that Moses Malone who was later honored by his selection to the Naismith Hall of Fame. Thanks to researching this issue I came across this fact, it was the 1976 ABA-NBA expansion. The best ABA players were placed in a pool and NBA teams had an opportunity to choose the best based on their won-loss record. In that draft the Bulls chose center Artis Gilmore (in the Naismith Hall) with initial pick

Next up the Blazers would chose power forward Maurice Lucas. The Kansas City Kings, with the third pick chose 29-year guard Ron Boone, the Pistons chose Marvin Barnes. Then it occurred, the Blazers at five would select the 21-year old Malone. I have no method to prove my point but believe capital might have been the deciding factor. Although we are talking 1976 dollars the salary demanded by a young Malone was likely much higher than Boone would have commanded. Malone was only two years into his career which later resulted in an NBA championship, NBA Finals MVP and later Hall of Fame selection. I’m conducting revision history with this take, the Kings might have remained in Kansas City if ownership hadn’t been so stingy.

Bits n Pieces of Information

Nicholas Randall is a 6 foot 7 inch 225 pound forward, he hails from St. Louis although he’s at Compass Prep in Chandler Arizona. This Class of 2025 prospect verbally committed to Mizzou on Monday which is quite interesting from this perspective. Mizzou’s former coach Cuonzo Martin grew up in the St. Louis area, one of the basis for his hire was the ability to recruit the St. Louis metro. For unexplained reasons Mizzou has never recruited well in St. Louis, which is ripe with high school talent, maybe a change might be forthcoming with the Randall commitment. 

On Wednesday you might have read “A medical issue for Big Men.” somewhat connected to that account is this Laker Big Man story. The Lakers received positive news on Tuesday, you remember the story regarding Christian Koloko? The 7 foot 1 235 pound Koloko originally drafted and signed by the Raptors has a 7 and ½ inch wingspan, he’s been medically cleared by the NBA to play. Naturally, his conditioning is not up to par so expect to see him in the South Bay lineup getting his game up to speed. My best guess we’ll see Koloko in the Laker lineup sooner rather than later although Jaxson Hayes has provided a degree of depth at the post giving Anthony Davis relief.

Did you know Duke freshman Cooper Flagg has a twin brother, Ace is a 6 foot 7 180 pound guard. Although they share DNA Ace is not on the same basketball and skill level of Cooper. Ace journeyed to Montverde Academy with his brother but is unranked by prospect sites. In addition he didn’t reclassify as his brother so he is a Class of 2025 prospect. Ace has decided to commit to a school and in this instance he will be returning home. Home for the Flaggs is Newport Maine and Ace indicates he intends to enroll at the University of Maine located in Orono less than 50 miles from his front door in Newport.

This is different, once the NBA season began I noticed a change in the box score. Two websites, espn.com/nba and cbssports.com/nba have changed their box score. In both instances their box scores reflect “positionless” basketball. The names are in the box score as they normally would be however there is no position listed for the player. As an example the Kings box score from the Tuesday game against the Jazz, I cannot determine whether De’Aaron Fox played center or shooting guard. On the Jazz side did Jordan Clarkson play the point or shooting guard? I realize players sometimes play more than one position during a game however I don’t like this change.