Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Tuesday, Thursday plus Saturday & Sunday 

Meanwhile….

I tuned into the Nike Hoop Summit Game featuring Team USA versus Team World on Saturday evening. I wanted to see the number one rated high school prospect AJ Dybantsa in action, he is headed for the University of Utah in the fall. All Star games are not the best source to judge talent however I wanted to check various aspects of his game. The 6 foot 9 Dybantsa had an outstanding game however it was the other guy who really caught my eye, that would be Cameron Boozer, he’s listed as 6 foot 9 and 235 pounds. Boozer and Dybantsa were tied in scoring with 26 points in the 124-114 OT win however the better overall game in my view was registered by Boozer who included 16 rebounds and 6 assists. It should be of note at least three players from Team World will be enrolled at American Universities. Shon Abaev from Israel is headed to the University of Cincinnati, Tounde Yessoufou is off to Baylor and Eric Reibe is a UConn commit.

The playoff position has now been finalized for my Lakers, they will face the Wolves in the first round. I thought I’d take a look at the regular season matches between the two teams. Opening the season against the Wolves on October 22 the Lakers were winners with a 110-103 victory. A December 2 game saw the Wolves prevail 109-80, later that month on December 13 the Wolves won once again, this time it was a 97-87 victory. The final regular season game played on February 27 witnessed the Lakers as winners 111-102. I am unsure about the Wolves however the Lakers have been almost completely revamped, the February game between the two is the only one after the acquisition of Luka Doncic. In closing playoff basketball is unlike regular season play, I would imagine the Lakers might be favored but that means nothing once the ball is first tossed up by officials.

The Spurs Victor Wembanyama held the first news conference providing us a health update. His season was interrupted midway by a deep-vein thrombosis, i.e., a blood clot in his right shoulder. The public was made aware of surgery to correct the condition along with medication. He said, “I’m over this problem” which shut him down. I wasn’t there but I’m sure he was asked questions of a more personal nature; “I’m not going to expand on my medical record” was his response. Wemby stated he’s begun light weightlifting and on-court work in a controlled setting in preparation for his return. Unless there is some unforeseen setback we should prepare ourselves to see the Wemby of old we saw in his year and a half of play in the NBA.    

Patrick Beverley has placed words to my thoughts, based on that fact I’m going to give him credit, his focus was on Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant. I don’t believe you would find anyone who would deny the fact Morant is super talented. Of course that entails a responsibility that it appears he is unable or unwilling to follow. After being fined for his handgun gesture twice he’s adopted another “weapon.” Morant tosses a “hand grenade” toward the opposing team or player, Morant indicates he will continue the routine. Beverley sends out a warning, Morant is treading on dangerous ground and uses Allen Iverson as the example. This had nothing to do with Iverson’s ability however he admitted to Rachel Nichols long after he retired he wishes he’d changed his public perception. Is it a maturity issue for Morant, it is and unfortunately his father is unwilling or unable to give him the guidance needed.

Duke basketball

I happened upon this post after reading Bill Simmons assessment of Cooper Flagg to Zion Williamson. Consider this fact, this is an evaluation of success in college versus the NBA. It seems in earlier times Duke compiled an overabundant number of All-Americans, in recent times with one and done the number has dwindled. Considering the school’s success over the years on the basketball court it would seem there should be a larger contingent of players from Duke in the NBA but there not. Off the top of my head the best of a past era might be Grant Hill. Hill had a 19-year career in the NBA, he’s been enshrined in the Naismith and College Basketball Hall of Fame, that’s it.

Christian Laettner experienced a 13-year NBA career and would be considered successful but not close to his former teammate Hill. We could count Elton Brand as one in the number of Duke players who tasted success in the NBA. Paolo Banchero might eclipse both however in the preliminary stages of an NBA career it’s far too early to make the call. Zion Williamson has all the tools if he could only remain healthy for an extended period of his career, the same might be said for Brandon Ingram who is always on the injured list too. There are a considerable number of Duke players currently in the NBA other than named earlier. They have thrived in the NBA but at no level close to Hill or Laettner. Who knows at some future date someone besides me will extol the talents of Zion, Brandon, Paolo or Cooper and add their names as proof of Duke basketball success in the NBA.

Right place, right time

Oftentimes when an NBA prospect fails a number of issues could have prevailed. The most obvious, despite what might be presumed his skill set will not allow him to play successfully at the NBA level. He is not as talented as we believed…that does occur. This one certainly applies to Deni Avdija, you are probably saying who? If you check the 2020 NBA Draft Avdija was one of the highly rated prospects that year. Mock sites miss the mark but this is what nbadraft.net said at the time. “Avdija is not (Luka) Doncic, though he has some Doncic-like qualities with his feel and versatility.

He’s similarly not a pure shooter, but he understands how to play the pick and roll game and is a high level competitor.” Based on this assessment and several others he was deemed ready for NBA play. The Wizards made him the number 9 pick in 2020 and then poof, he disappeared. I am exaggerating he didn’t really disappear however playing for the Wizards that’s close to being the case. His first three years saw him barely on the court, his 4th year Avdija moved into the starting lineup for the Wizards. In July 2024 he was traded to the Blazers and moved into the starting lineup at power forward. His first year with the Blazers saw his game continue to grow as he adjusted to the league and his new team. He continues to provide us proof of the honors he won while playing in the Israeli League, MVP of that league and 3 times he was an Israeli League Champion.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Tuesday, Thursday plus Saturday & Sunday

The last one

Sunday begins the change I wrote of awhile back, basketball like most professional sports is present year round. Despite that fact news related to the sport moves at a slower pace. Based on that I decided to reduce the number of publications dates of Off the Dribble to Tuesday and Thursday followed by a Saturday and Sunday edition. This schedule might be tweaked a bit based on events such as the NBA Draft Lottery, the June draft plus college recruitment and other stories. Relax, enjoy and it’s hoped on my part you will continue to be a loyal reader. 

This was unexpected

I expected (or at least hoped) the Lakers would beat the Rockets on Friday evening. What captured me at the beginning of the game was the lineup Ime Udoka sent out on the floor. The only regular season starter for the Rockets was Jalen Green and he only played 15 minutes, the final score of the victory (140-109) is misleading because the starting lineup for the Lakers contained all the regulars. The Lakers were seeking to secure the third seed which could have occurred on Friday or their final regular season game on Sunday against the Blazers. Since the Lakers were victorious I expect to see a Laker lineup similar to that of the Rockets on Sunday night. Luka scored 39 points on 68.4% and 55.6% from the three line shooting.

A pause here, I’ve taken advantage of the trade to observe his game more closely than the past. This might have been evident all along but I’m just now seeing it, this is not a criticism by the way. Luka’s offensive game details a slow motion effort in taking the shot, I’m sure opposing teams attempt to “speed him up” but it appears to not work in their favor. As for his defense, it’s exists although in truth he will never be an accomplished defender. As I mentioned in an earlier post the hope is Luka will adapt and be able to play good team defense. As for the others, LeBron had an “average” game scoring but 14 points. He appeared to suffer a groin injury in the third quarter, it didn’t appear serious although his evening was cut short. Austin Reaves continued his career season scoring 23 points on excellent shooting while dishing out 6 assists and 7 rebounds. All this on 60% and 50% from the floor and three line.

Meanwhile…

There are times I must overlook stuff done by the NBA and this is one of them, don’t misunderstand it frustrates me however there’s nothing I can do. Here’s an example, last week’s Laker game against the Thunder Luka was ejected based on what the official believed Luka said. Despite protests by Luka and a host of teammates he left the game. Although the Thunder are tough competition the game was tied in the 4th quarter when the ejection occurred. The Lakers went on to lose what some believe was a winnable game. A day or so later the NBA offices announced one of the technical fouls would be rescinded however my question is simple. Is that portion of the game going to be replayed, that turns out to not be the case? So instead of the left side (win) the game remains on the right side (loss) of the ledger. It sure would be great if the NBA genuinely fixed these errors rather than simply announce them.  

The transfer portal closes April 22, it was shortened to 30 days in 2025. The question now becomes is it more important to acquire “McDonald All-Americans” or portal transfers? In my opinion both could make or break a college team and I will provide you two examples. I’m not picking on the guy but Kansas expected more from Wisconsin transfer AJ Storrs than what they received, he’s decided to transfer once again. On the other hand adding high school talent doesn’t guarantee success either, example Rutgers. They had freshman NBA lottery picks in their lineup for the 2024-25 season in Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey, although both probably raised their draft stock Rutgers finished the season with 15 wins and 17 losses. I guess in both instances prospects “can be like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get.”

I hope the other day when I first mentioned this story there was no confusion on your part. I reported the visa issue for Duke's Khaman Maluach, in my view this story involves more than just basketball. I don’t know this to be the case however my belief is there are probably college students from South Sudan who are not athletes also caught up in the visa fiasco. My question for Secretary of State Rubio, why is it necessary to punish Maluach and others for decisions made by the Government of South Sudan? Now if this appears as though the blog has become politicized that is not the case. I wanted to place before you an issue which is facing one basketball player and students who probably have no athletic pursuits.

John Brisker

Prior to you reading this account I must bring this to your attention. Much as I desire this blog to be about the current state of basketball players and stories of the past are always popping up in my feed, that is the case here. John Brisker could only be described as a character, one who was serious to the point of dangerous behavior. See the ABA-NBA of the 1970’s was nothing close to what you see today. On court fights would often occur and generally if it were a (ABA) Pittsburgh Pipers/Condors game or one featuring the Sonics Brisker could often be found in the middle. He played his college ball at Toledo and later his teammate with the ABA Condors said, “He developed a reputation as one of the most volatile players in basketball.

This from Wikipedia; “He was an excellent player, but say something wrong to the guy and you had this feeling he would reach into his bag, take out a gun and shoot you. He was ejected so often for fighting that he was nicknamed "the heavyweight champion of the ABA." Once he was ejected from a game in the first two minutes for throwing an elbow at an opposing player.” Where Brisker is today, he’s been declared dead although the State Department doubts this occurred. Brisker traveled to Uganda where he became a “friend” of the dictator Idi Amin. Once the revolution took place and Amin was forced to flee communications with Brisker were cut off, this would be 1978. He was declared dead by King County Washington to settle his estate in 1985. The State Department claims they are unable to verify Brisker had traveled to Uganda. Some of his Sonic teammates believe he was killed fighting as a mercenary or with Ugandan government officials. If Brisker is alive he would be 78 years of age.

Basketball from a fans perspective

The Final Poll

Mizzou began the 2024-25 season unranked, that certainly was not shocking coming off an 0-18 season. Despite an improvement finishing 22-12 in the regular season they were unranked in the final poll. The 67-57 loss to Drake in the tournament seal their fate, going into the tournament they were the number 23 team in the nation. Mizzou’s finish is far different from Kansas, the Jayhawks were ranked the number one team in the nation at the beginning of the season. Early on they had quality wins over North Carolina, Michigan State and Duke to name a few. Beginning play in January they were up and down the balance of the season but finished 21-12.

The final poll saw Kansas unranked for the first time in “I don’t know when.” I tried to research the issue because Top 25 polls are somewhat sketchy from the past. This cannot be confirmed however it appears it might be the 1949-50 season the last instance of a Kansas team finishing the basketball season unranked. What does the future hold for these once archrivals? Both programs have hit the recruiting trail hoping to continue their winning ways. What is most interesting there are several schools that would love to have the record of Kansas, as for Mizzou most are excited about the future as well.   

He was the reason

Why Mike Malone was fired as head coach of the Nuggets was the talk of the NBA. We only have bits and pieces of information but some media sources claim Russell Westbrook was part of the basis. It’s being reported GM Calvin Booth wanted Malone to develop one of the youthful guards on the roster. Malone objected and continued to play Westbrook over the objections of Booth, of course we know the eventual outcome. There is a question for you to ponder connected here, Westbrook is 36 years old now and will turn 37 soon after the 2025-26 season begins. He is approaching the end of his NBA career and that’s where I am posing my question. Is Westbrook worthy of being enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame? Early in his NBA career, particularly with the Thunder he was a walking triple-double every time he walk onto the court.

Those days have long since departed maybe due to changing teams. Westbrook was traded from the Thunder in 2019. Since then he’s worn jerseys of the Rockets, Wizards, Lakers, Clippers and now Nuggets. If you ask about his play he is Mr. Hustle…I don’t believe anyone could ever accuse him of lack of effort. The only downside to his career is shooting from three, opposing teams actually back off when they see him on the line almost daring him to shoot. Check this out, any shooting under 35% is considered average or below average. He shot 35.6% in the 2022-23 season with the Clippers his best effort in his 17-year NBA career. One more bit of information LeBron James leads the NBA in turnovers per game, despite me providing you this information Westbrook has a higher percentage per game (3.91) playing 326 less games than LeBron. You be the judge here, is Westbrook Naismith Hall of Fame worthy? In my opinion I would say no however I am a party of one.

Anthony Davis vs Luka Doncic

I wasn’t pleased when Anthony Davis was traded, he was a major contributor to their 2020 NBA Championship and a quality player. I ignored the nasty nicknames hung on him such as “street clothes” due to a variety of injuries, when healthy he was among the best scoring, rebounding and defending the paint. Despite the fact I hated to see him go for all he could do Luka Doncic was a very welcome addition. Luka is preparation for the post-LeBron Lakers and the timing of the trade is at an ideal point. There are negatives regarding Luka and probably the most obvious, he’s not a great defender.

I will repeat again what Magic Johnson once said, “I wasn’t a good defender but I tried to play good team defense.” I believe that’s all that can be asked of Luka, he’s not all of sudden going to change at 26 years old and become a great defender. One more area that is whispered behind the scenes is his conditioning. Once again this is an area Luka must take up with Luka, there is no one in place to prepare you for the rigors of playing in the NBA except you. I’m looking past this year into the future, if and when LeBron leaves they will have a Big Two-Luka and Reaves. Management needs to begin preparation now for a Laker future minus LeBron.

It’s that time

Schools can begin to sign high school prospects for the fall. Rick Pitino expressed a belief that these signings might not be as important as they once were. The coach didn’t go into detail but hinted the transfer portal has eclipsed adding high school talent to a prospective school. It’s the belief of fans and many in the media that the transfer portal is more valuable because you have a player familiar with play at the collegiate level. I’m sure that is true however as with one and done generally that player is gone after one or two seasons at most.

A coach is then left with searching the portal for replacements which may or may not work out. In this exercise I cannot provide you proof but bear with me a moment anyway. Dennis Gates and staff recruited the number 14 class in the nation according to On3.com. These potentially talented freshman played few minutes during the 2024-25 season, will they be ready in the fall for rugged SEC play? I have no idea but hope they will be. I remain convinced a school cannot sustain its basketball program completely depending on portal players, high school talent must be integrated into the mix at some stage of development.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Tuesday, Thursday plus Saturday & Sunday 

This was unexpected

I anticipated that Luka Doncic would be warmly welcomed upon his return to Dallas; however, the reception was far more enthusiastic than I had expected. The cheers at the end of the game were so overwhelming that, if I had been listening on the radio, I might have been uncertain about which team had won. It became evident that Luka was quite emotional when a video tribute was presented. The television broadcast clearly showed tears in his eyes, as reminiscing about his joyful years with the Mavericks proved to be overwhelming for him. It is likely that he envisioned Dallas as his home for the entirety of his NBA career. Throughout the evening, amid Luka's impressive performance of scoring 45 points, the crowd repeatedly chanted “Fire Nico,” referring to Nico Harrison, the president and general manager of the Mavericks.

Despite the emotional undertones of the game, the Mavericks, with a roster returning to full health, contested the Lakers fiercely until the end. Anthony Davis had a relatively average performance, scoring 13 points and securing 11 rebounds. Naji Marshall and P.J. Washington contributed significantly to keeping the game competitive. LeBron James, who did not score much in the first three quarters, came alive in the fourth quarter, finishing with 27 points and 7 rebounds. Regarding Luka, his performance was not merely about taking shots; he achieved a shooting percentage of 57.1% from the floor and 70% from three-point range. The only potential negative aspect was his 66.7% free throw shooting, but this can be overlooked considering his overall performance. The final score was Lakers 112, Mavericks 97. The Lakers now return home to face the always challenging Rockets tonight and will close out their 2024-25 NBA season on Sunday against the Blazers. 

1964

The metro population of Kansas City is about 1.6 million folks, of course in 19’64 it was a great deal smaller. Despite that fact the best high school basketball player ever was the late Warren Jabali. Back then he was known as Warren Armstrong, while enrolled at Kansas City’s Central High School he was a member of the All City, All-District and All-State team. He stood 6 foot 2 and a rock-solid 205 pounds, his leaping ability was beyond compare. Many witnessed his play while others are acquainted with him by reputation.

This is difficult to imagine today however all four years at Wichita State he was in double figures in rebounding except for one year. He averaged 8.6 rebounds a game his junior year at Wichita State, understand these numbers as a freshman. Keep in mind that in the middle 1960’s freshman were ineligible for varsity play. In 14 games for the freshman team Armstrong shot 48% from the floor (no three line back then), 17.6 rebounds and 29.1 points a game. In the 1968 NBA Draft he was selected 44th in the 4th round of that year’s draft. The Knicks had drafted Walt Frazier two years previously so it’s my contention without offering you any proof he chose the American Basketball Association over the Knicks. Playing for the Oakland Oaks Warren Jabali was named Rookie of the Year and was 7th in voting for the league’s Most Valuable Player.

Injury would curtail his basketball career after 7 years of play, the question remains could Jabali have played in the NBA? Since his passing I have no method to prove my statement, from what I read there is no doubt in my mind. One other story unverified is Red Holtzman then Knicks coach didn’t want Jabali on the Knicks. Over time a small number of NBA players have come into the league from the Kansas City Metro. Despite the passage of time there has been no other basketball player of his stature produced to date.

Meanwhile….

He might be drafted but be unable to play, ESPN indicates at least 6 Dukee’s will be drafted in the June 2025 draft. Naturally, Cooper Flagg is at the top of the list however one of his teammates might not be able to play and it has nothing to do with his potential. ESPN indicates Khaman Maluach might be the 7th pick in the draft but that’s the easy part. As reported the other day all visa’s from South Sudan citizens have been voided by the U.S. State Department. The issue has nothing to do with Maluach, it’s the business of his home country. Citizens of South Sudan have not been processed and returned in the swift manner the State Department believes should have occurred, based on this fact visa’s off all South Sudan visitors have been voided, I will follow this story as it continues to unfold.

He’s wrong but just doesn’t realize it, it’s Shaquille O’Neal I speak of. I love me some ol skool Shaq but this statement was a little off base, allow me to explain. As you might be aware while not denying the talent he’s no fan of Victor Wembanyama or Chet Holmgren, they are too skinny in his view. Shaq claims he would bully them around the basket so much it would take away their game. I have no doubt that would occur however the Big Aristotle is forgetting one maybe two points. Wemby and Holmgren can stand at the 3-point line sinking basket after basket and Shaq could do nothing about it. If he did attempt to contest the shot they would out quick him on drives to the basket for dunks, don’t be so quick to decide you have an advantage Mr. O’Neal.

Despite the length of time Charles Barkley has been associated with the NBA he still doesn’t get it. He’s complaining about ESPN going “overboard” covering the Lakers and the Warriors. He claims they have ignored the Cavs and Thunder in their praise of the others. No argument from me the Cavs and Thunder have excellent records this season but here is the problem, neither is the Lakers nor Steph Curry. The Lakers are an NBA institution even during their down years, I believe 16 NBA Championships might demand that plus they play in Los Angeles. As for the Warriors they have Steph Curry one of the best lights out shooter in the leagues history. They might win this year but with one (1) championship for the Cavs and zero for the Thunder the pitcher becomes a little clearer. Sorry Charley you missed on this one in my view, wanna try for another?  

It’s always easy to spend money belonging to others…it’s just a fact of life. Second, this rant is aimed at the media’s Bill Simmons. Before I delve into his comment allow me to state Simmons has long made it known he’s a Celtic fan. Based on the history between the Lakers and Celtics I’m unsure I’d take anything he said about the Lakers in a serious tone. Recently he wrote an account about the “Worst deadline trade.”  He then mentions the trade the Lakers would have acquired Hornets center Mark Williams. I wasn’t familiar with Williams however the Lakers had just acquired Luka Doncic, Williams was supposed to be a lob threat. The trade was later rescinded due to concerns from Laker management about the health of Williams. Let’s just say Bill Simmons is certainly entitled to his own opinion.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Maybe yes…maybe no

Mizzou center Josh Gray has entered the transfer portal, the only question can he? Sounds like a ridiculous question, however, allow an explanation. Gray played his freshman year at LSU, he then transferred to South Carolina playing another three years. This past season his second as a senior would have been granted due to athletes receiving an extra year of Covid eligibility. In all likelihood Gray has no eligibility remaining or does he? I have written it seems for the past two days regarding the complex nature of the transfer portal.

Someone and I have no idea who that might be is desperately required to step in and administer the transfer portal. Each season we’ve seen an ever increasing number of players in the portal and this year is just the beginning. Unless there are strict guidelines in place the numbers will continue to grow and grow. Not only the numbers but I believe if there are rules and regulations in place we’ll have no future Josh Gray’s. Some of you reading this might be surprised this portal issue is being raised by yours truly since it’s a Mizzou guy. I had no issues with Gray last season and even now but 6 years of eligibility is far too much unless an injury is involved.

The coach

I didn’t want JJ Redick as head coach, shall I list why? Okay, he had no past coaching experience and he had no past coaching experience, that’s not a typo just the fact that was my chief issue with him. When word came the Lakers had reached out to UConn’s Dan Hurley I said, “Go get him.” Hurley turned the Lakers down much to my disappointment, reluctantly I was forced to accept Redick as head coach. The season began and the Lakers won the first three games of the season, from that point on the Lakers were a plus .500 team. Their play was not particularly exciting however they continued to win more games than they lost. A series of trades brought wing defensive specialist Dorian Finney-Smith and defender Jerrad Vanderbilt another wing returned off the injured list.

Anthony Davis went down with an injury and then the explosion. AD was traded to the Mavs in exchanged for number 77 Luka Doncic. Players must play however there is another factor to consider, roster members must buy into the program of the coach. The Lakers will earn a playoff berth the only question as this is written in what position. Despite injuries they are light years better than at the beginning of the season, subtraction and addition to the roster are the chief reason there is one more. They have brought into the plan JJ Redick’s presented to them. I said this once before, Redick is not Pat Riley but the similarities cannot be overlooked. Riley then Laker radio analyst moved from that role to an assistant coach to head coach, the rest of that story is Laker history.

Euro players in the 2025 NBA

First, the disclaimer, this list is compiled in March, the draft is not held until June 25 as most of you are aware. There are issues to cover, in the past a player might be drafted and decide to remain at home. They might head for the NBA at a later date or in some instances not at all. There are several Euro players are on the roster of American colleges, their names are not included in this list of top talent. With that out of the way let’s check a few of the names, our research source will be nbadraft.net:

Nolan Traore 6-4 185 pound point guard-Saint Quentin France

Noa Essengue 6-10 200 pound small forward-Ratiopharm Ulm France

Noah Penda 6-6 shooting guard-LeMans-France

Ben Saraf 6-6 200 pound point guard-Hapol Hemek Hefer-Israel

Michael Ruzic 6-10 225 pound shooting guard- Joventut Badalona-Croatia

Did you notice the trend, of the top five prospects three are from France home of Victor Wembanyama. Pardon me for not being fully informed, it appears basketball is trending in the nation. 

Think about this  

Several of the NBA’s all-time greats have emerged from colleges and universities that produce relatively few basketball talents. For this analysis, I have excluded players who entered the league from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), as their numbers have significantly decreased in recent years. At the top of the list would be the University of Massachusetts (UMass), which produced Dr. J, the only NBA player from this institution to be inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame. Similarly, Seattle University boasts Elgin Baylor, another Hall of Famer. Artis Gilmore, known for his prowess in the paint for several ABA/NBA teams, attended Jacksonville University in Florida. A glue to many of the Celtic teams of the Bird era was Robert Parrish.

Chief as Parrish was nicknamed attended Centenary College in Shreveport Louisiana, he’s enshrined in the Naismith and College Basketball Hall of Fame. Scotty Pippen, known for his crucial role in the Chicago Bulls' success in the 1990’s, hails from Central Arkansas in Conway, and he too is a Naismith inductee. Rik Smits, who played for the Indiana Pacers until his retirement in 2000, began his career at Marist College in upstate New York. To address the matter of more recent players, Damian Lillard, currently with the Bucks attended Weber State University in Ogden, Utah. CJ McCollum, now with the Pelicans, entered the league from Lehigh in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Notably, Stephen Curry, widely regarded as the NBA’s best distance shooter, played his college basketball at Davidson College in Davidson, North Carolina. This serves as a brief overview, not because I have exhausted the list of names, but due to space limitations.

Tanking

Several years ago I don’t remember the year without checking. There was talk of NBA teams losing games sort of on purpose. The idea behind it teams would sit their star or best players for a number games increasing the possibility of losing. Naturally, the NBA wasn’t overjoyed with the idea it’s teams were losing games with the intent of positioning themselves for the draft lottery. At that point, the investigative arm of the NBA began a closer look at a number of teams. Needless to say tanking or losing on purpose continues to this day. How about this for evidence, the Jazz were fined $100,000 after Lauri Markkanen sat out several games the league believes he could have played. As for the record as this is written the Jazz are clearly in a rebuild mode with a 15 win season which ties them with the Wizards. Both are hoping to have the opportunity to draft Cooper Flagg however there is a further issue here. Having the worst record is not guarantee a team will receive the number one pick, the lottery is weighted in the following manner.

The team with the worst regular-season record has the highest chance of winning the lottery and getting the top pick.

The lottery uses a system of ping pong balls and a machine to randomly determine the order of the first four picks.

After the first four picks are determined, the remaining lottery teams (picks 5-14) are assigned in reverse order of their regular-season records.

AI overview

Basketball from a fans perspective

I resent this

My arrogance is showing through, I shared this with my wife the morning after the game. My wife sat down with me and viewed the Florida-Houston championship game and this was my statement to her. I’ve grown tired of ESPN types who talk football especially the NFL 8 months of the year. All the month of March and into this morning they dissect a basketball game with eyes most of the time focused on football. Okay now that my rant is out of the way let’s check out a few details of the game. The Florida Gators should be congratulated, they played a terrible game in the first half but ultimately won 65-63. Shooting for both teams was a paltry 38% at the half with saw the Houston Cougars hold a 31-28 lead.

The second half would see a different game as Houston built what amounted to a 12-point lead. All game long especially the first half Houston was much quicker to the ball racing to the boards for sometimes second and third shots at the basket. I’m unsure of the rebound total in the first half the game, at the end Florida outrebounded Houston by one (40-39). The shooting improved slightly for Florida ending the game at 39.6% while Houston was at 34.8% and a poor 24% from three. Despite the lead built by Houston they were unable to sustain it due to poor shooting and improved play by Florida's defensive effort. I’m unsure if it was the defense or poor shooting, unfortunately this game was not a thing of beauty. Florida won the championship but in my opinion this was an ugly ugly game. Check back with me later on this observation, I could change my mind.

There is no method to prove this

Julius ‘Dr. J.’ Erving has been retired since the 1986-87 season. Despite the decades that have passed since he and other players competed, this team continues to be a topic of conversation for NBA fans regarding their unfulfilled potential. Dr. J. was 26 years old when he began playing for the Sixers; he had started his professional career at the age of 21 with the ABA Virginia Squires. The team boasted an abundance of talent. In addition to Dr. J., who would later be enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame, his teammate, the late George McGinnis, also received that honor.

Other notable players included Kobe Bryant’s father, the late Joe ‘Jellybean’ Bryant, World B. Free, and the late Darryl Dawkins, known as 'Chocolate Thunder.' The Sixers possessed a strong roster of reserve players they could deploy at any time. During the regular season, they won 50 games and were favored to win the 1977 NBA Championship. In the Finals that year, they faced Bill Walton’s Blazers, a team many believed was inferior to the Sixers. However, the Blazers, led by Walton along with Maurice Lucas and Lionel Hollins, overcame the odds and defeated the Sixers 4 games to 2. In 1983 the Sixers, with several lineup changes, would redeem themselves and be crowned NBA Champions.

Job security…I don’t think so

Late Tuesday afternoon I was shocked to made aware that the Nuggets had fired head coach Mike Malone alone with GM Calvin Booth. Malone becomes the second playoff bound coach to lose his job, just recently the Grizzlies fired Taylor Jenkins. So in the coaching fraternity, especially in the NBA, there is no thing as job security. I could point to my Lakers as an example, Frank Vogel won a championship in 2020, by 2022 he was unemployed. Cavs coach Tyronn Lue won the championship in 2016, less than two years later he was out of a job.

Next stop Milwaukee and Mike Budenholzer, who led the Bucks in 2021 to their first championship since 1971, Budenholzer was fired after the team lost its playoff match in the first round. crowned NBA Champions. There are other winning coaches but those named come to mind first. The point I am attempting to make goes back to an old adage, I first heard it applied in baseball but it actually reflects any professional sports team. “Managers (coaches) are hired to be fired,” it becomes you knew the job was dangerous when you took it yet you did. I am sure Malone, Booth and Jenkins will find employment elsewhere in the NBA but you realize there is no safety net.

Arena updates

The development project involving the Spurs is proceeding, evidently previous concerns appear to be resolved. Friday April 4th, the City of San Antonio, Bexar County, and the Spurs signed a memorandum of understanding. This agreement encompasses more than just a downtown arena for the Spurs; it also includes provisions for upgrades to the Alamodome, construction of a bridge across I-37, as well as remodel of a convention center plus a hotel and shopping facilities. The overall price tag of this extensive project has not been determined, as individual components will have their own price.

The new arena, referred to by yours truly as "The House of Wemby," will replace Frost Bank Center, the current home of the Spurs. The estimated cost for the arena alone ranges between $1.2 billion and $1.5 billion, details regarding the financing of the arena have yet to be disclosed. With this news all three planned arenas have now moved forward toward development. Not a shovel full of dirt has been turned over yet however the Sixers have an agreement in place with the city on an arena, however it will be in a different site than originally planned. The undertaking in Oklahoma City is the most advanced to date. This from AI, “Design is underway and construction will start in 2026, with completion scheduled for 2028.” As additional information is provided I will attempt to update you will the latest developments.

In all fairness

That’s the way it begins, the person says, “In all fairness” (or similar words) they begin to critique the individual or subject matter offering extremely critical remarks. That is the case for Seth Greenberg, he’s been a college head coach and the last few years Greenberg’s been an analyst for ESPN. What he stated recently caught me and others off guard. He said, “I doubt Cooper Flagg’s ability to come through in the clutch.” Interesting that he failed to mention what could have been the game winning shot he took against Houston.

Instead Greenberg returned to early season losses to Kansas and Kentucky, he detailed Flagg turnovers which led to victories over Duke. Now consider this fact Greenberg knows more basketball in his pinkie than I do in my entire body. Despite the coaches knowledge over me I don’t agree with his assessment. The other day I mentioned the famous Michael Jordan quote that contained the number of game winning shots he missed. Perhaps I am the one wrong and in the NBA we’ll discover Greenberg was correct in his assessment. For now we must wait for the fall of 2025 to discover the full Cooper Flagg effect, who has the precise view Greenberg or me.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Say what

Laker guard Austin Reaves is having a career year, despite that fact his name continues to circulate in NBA circles. He is not being discussed for his play rather it’s a barrage of trade rumors, it seems almost daily Reaves name and several other Lakers are listed in a proposed trade. This is my problem, I don’t want him swapped unless it’s for a superstar type player.

I realize these are simply rumors however several of the names mentioned certainly have not fit the criteria I believe is significant. Allow me to provide you at least two names I’ve read who are okay under certain conditions. Two of the names included are Zach LaVine and Giannis Antetokounmpo, which certainly appeal to me with some exceptions. In the NBA, the salaries must be a condition of a trade, in order to acquire Antetokounmpo one writer had the Lakers trading Reaves along with Jaxon Hayes, Rui Hachimura plus Dorian-Finney Smith. As it stands currently they would trade three starters plus a valuable reserve for Antetokounmpo…that’s far too much for me.

Of course I’m not Rod Pelinka so I certainly have no ability to void such a trade. Unless a move was made ahead of time the Lakers would lose their center a position Antetokounmpo talented as he is does not play. Reaves is no superstar however for someone who was undrafted he’s proven quite a talent. In closing someone wrote “He benefits from playing with LeBron and now Luka.” My response is why not, should a player not attempt to avail themselves of the talent surrounding them.   

Retirement

This narrative focuses on two noteworthy players, although others are mentioned in similar circumstances. Junior Bridgeman, who recently passed away, was an exceptional NBA player during his career. Bridgeman may have been an even more accomplished businessman. Playing from 1975 to 1987, he spent most of his career with the Bucks but also had stints with the Clippers before returning to the Bucks to conclude his career. During his playing days, NBA salaries were significantly lower than they are today; it has been noted that Bridgeman earned about $3 million during his career but never more than $300,000 in any single season.

Nevertheless, through successful business ventures, Bridgeman at the time of his death had parlayed his NBA earnings into $1.4 billion became a billionaire, he even acquired 10% of the Bucks, the team he was a member. Carlos Boozer, another former NBA player, spent most of his career with the Utah Jazz after playing at Duke. Similar to Bridgeman, Boozer wisely invested his earnings, amassing a net worth of approximately $60 million. Other prominent athletes, such as Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal, LeBron James, and Michael Jordan, have also made investments securing their financial future beyond their playing careers. While LeBron remains an exception by continuing his career, it is important to note that most athletes retire by the age of 35 or 36. This leaves a considerable amount of life to live, particularly if provisions for post-playing days have not been made.

Politics

There is a line drawn in the sand and through the headline for a specific reason. Throughout the years of publication of Words eye view now re-titled Off the Dribble I have attempted to refrain from covering politics 99% of the time. This is the 1% because the politics have moved into the basketball world. I am unsure of the timing why this issue was raised Saturday evening while Duke was battling Houston but here goes. Secretary of State Marco Rubio sent out a tweet indicating visas of Sudanese would be immediately revoked.

There would be no future visas issued for those individuals from South Sudan until deportees are accepted. You are asking the question, “How is basketball impacted by a US government action?” Duke has a potential NBA lottery pick on its team 7 foot 2 250 pound Khaman Maluach. It doesn’t matter if he remains in school or heads for the NBA as a resident of South Sudan he’s got visa issues. The NBA Suns have 7 foot 3 220 pound Bol Bol on their roster, he too is from South Sudan and would also be in danger of being deported. I singled out these two however I’m quite sure there are others on college rosters or in the NBA from South Sudan. How is this move going to impact Maluach, Bol and others in the future only Rubio can answer.

Steve Ballmer

I saw highlights of a Clippers game the other evening from the Intuit Dome, I thought to myself this is how it’s handled. Two teams belong in their own arenas, the Lakers and Clippers sharing Crypto.com all these years was likely inconvenient for all parties. It was reported that the Clippers ranked behind the Lakers, NHL Kings and other events held in the arena at the time they planned their schedule. Consider this fact, at the time the Nets moved into the city I never read anything indicating a shared agreement with MSG and the Knicks. It was probably never approached in that manner because Nets owners at the time wanted their own building. 

Back to Los Angeles the shared arrangement was the choice of former Clipper owner Donald Sterling. The Clippers had played in a number of sites throughout the Los Angeles Metro. Once Crypto.com (then Staples Center) was under construction a decision was made to move downtown. At the time Doc Rivers was coaching the Clippers the most egregious detail was building maintenance covering the Laker retired jerseys at the coaches request. I applaud owner Steve Ballmer for having the vision and the financial clout to have a landmark arena constructed in Inglewood. When I first mentioned this to an acquaintance several years ago he said; “There’s no place in Los Angeles to build an arena” boy was he wrong.

The portal and more….

I am unsure of the number last year, this recently completed college season has seen 1,729 players announce their intention to transfer to another school. In some instances rosters of teams have been literally gutted with transfers. “Okay Houston, we’ve had a problem here” were the words uttered by Apollo 13 astronaut Jack Swigert. We do have a problem however it has nothing to do with Houston or landing on the moon, it’s more an earthbound issue with college basketball.

Do you realize in the transfer portal there are several teams that have lost more than half of their rosters? Losing players to graduation or eligibility issues is commonplace, losing your roster because of transfers is a far different matter. Who is prepared to address this issue? Is the NCAA organized enough to issue guidelines on how the transfer portal should work? It seems it was implemented without much guidance regarding how it was to be put into practice. This list is compiled from 247Sports.com, I decided to stop with the top 8 schools who apparently have lost players to the portal, check the schools and number of players each lost:

Virginia-11

Miami-10

Iowa-10

Maryland-9

UCF-8

South Carolina-8

Florida State-8

Indiana-7

Basketball from a fans perspective

The decision

Today through next Sunday, Off the Dribble will continue publishing according to the regular schedule. Starting next Monday, the new publication dates will be Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. Please note that this schedule is subject to change, so keep an eye open for updates. Thank you for continuing to follow this blog, if you enjoy it I’d appreciate you pointing it out to friends and acquaintances. As a help to your friends the link is included for you to send them:  

https://larry-laker.blogspot.com/

No requirement

I will not elaborate on either game as both were witnessed by a world-wide television audience. In addition there were more than 68,000 fans and media gathered inside San Antonio’s Alamodome. The Florida Gators and Houston Cougars can indeed be dubbed "The Comeback Kings" based on their performances. Both teams exhibited remarkable resilience, exemplifying the phrase, "They snatched victory from the jaws of defeat." Predicting the winner of tonight's championship battle is difficult based on what occurred Saturday afternoon and evening. Prior to the actual game tonight, we should anticipate an exciting and well-executed NCAA Championship finale. I do however have one complaint, I am reading critical remarks regarding Cooper Flagg missing “the shot.”

The box score for Flagg read in 36 minutes of action he shot 42% from the floor and 75% from three for a total of 27 points. From the free-throw line it was 100%, in addition Flagg pulled down 7 rebounds had 4 rebounds and 3 block shots along with 2 steals and only 1 turnover. If that appears a defense for Flagg that would indeed be the case, despite his All-American status his missed shot at the end was not the reason Duke failed to advance. I thought about how bad Flagg must have felt missing what could have been a game winner. I was reminded of this Michael Jordan quote: “I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times, I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over again in my life, and that is why I succeed.”

Laker victory

Games on NBA TV are blacked out in the Kansas City market, I did not see this game. What you are about to read is strictly the box score. The final read Lakers 126 Thunder 99 a shocker to me and I am sure fans of both teams. The Lakers shot a blazing 54.8% from the floor and an equal 55% from the three line. The smaller Laker lineup outrebounded the Thunder 43 to 34, what else occurred? SGA played his usual steady game for the Thunder but it appeared it must have been the Lakers 5 against SGA alone. LeBron had a “pedestrian” 19 point game but dished out 7 assists to teammates.

Luka led in scoring 30 points along with 6 assists and 7 rebounds followed by Austin Reaves 20 points. The bench contributed to the blowout victory with Dorian Finney-Smith’s 14 points and Gabe Vincents 12. From checking the box score it seems the Thunder appeared to be outplayed in this game from start to finish. As the season closes out the Lakers play the Thunder again on Tuesday followed by Luka’s return to Dallas on Wednesday and Friday will see cauldron them return home to face the Houston Rockets. These are tough games as the Lakers attempt to hang onto the 3rd slot in the Western Conference playoff race. They are certainly preparation for the caldron the Lakers will soon face. 

Meanwhile…

For the 4th time in the 64 year history the Associated Press Player of the Year has named a freshman, the honor goes to Cooper Flagg of Duke. He received 41 of the 641 votes cast, Johni Broome of Auburn finished second in the voting. We should enjoy the 6 foot 9 205 pound Flagg while he’s at Duke, I have a feeling he will not be a student very much longer. The shook for me is he decides to remain in school deferring the $$$ and the opportunity to play in the NBA now. What do you think, do you agree with me he’s on a path to shake Adam Silver’s hand June 26. The draft this year will be a two night event but for our purposes its only the one date of our focus.

I hope no one believes the transfer portal is perfect, it needs some refinement. Check out the moves of AJ Storrs, he is experienced a season below expectations which places him on the move once again. The 202-23 season saw him playing for St. John’s, the following season it would be Wisconsin. Of course I just mentioned he is leaving Kansas for a yet to be determined location. This follows a pattern of 4 high schools in 4 years for Storrs, who’s prepared to address this issue, the NCAA is partially responsible for the portal. 

On Friday Maryland center Derik Queen declared for the June NBA Draft, this was not surprising. Although I’ve only seen highlights of him in action the 6 foot 10 246 pound center’s name has been listed all season long on the three mock draft sites I generally utilize. Queen is listed as the number 12 pick on nbadraft.net, on tankathon.com it’s 10 and nbadraftroom.com places Queen in 9th place. These mock sites are certainly no guarantee of anyone’s draft position but as you can gather in all likelihood he will likely be a lottery choice. One more thing, Queen continues the trend of one and done athletes at the top of the NBA Draft each season.

I wanted to briefly revisit the B.J. Armstrong statement detailed in yesterday’s Off the Dribble. The former NBA claimed, “Half the teams in the NBA are tanking,” I question it once again, there are 30 franchises in the Association. According to Armstrong 15 of them are losing games on purpose. 1. Provide us proof of your statement and 2. What is the benefit for teams failing to earn a lottery position in losing. As with anyone he’s entitled to his own opinion but to make such an inflammatory statement and not back it up with any proof…well.

Basketball from a fans perspective

What is wrong with him (and others)?

Former NBA player B.J. Armstrong is the latest player that has fallen out of bed and bumped his head. This from NBA on ClutchPoints, “The league has changed. Half of the teams are tanking. So let me know…should I be impressed or should I…I respect what the Thunder have done, I respect the players. However, here’s the era where it is what it is.” I could buy the argument there are some teams unnamed who are tanking, half the league is a strong statement. Hey B.J., if that’s the case what is the purpose for them to play (other than being paid). I will entertain your take if you provide me one iota of proof of your statement.

Best NBA prospect ever?

I was only able to read the headline of the Washington Post story, as I am not a subscriber, so I must speculate on what they have written. In any event, the two writers claim that Cooper Flagg is the best NBA prospect that Duke has ever produced. I could only read the headline to the Washington Post story, I’m not a subscriber so I’ve got to guess what they may have written. In any event two writers profess Cooper Flagg is the best NBA prospect Duke’s ever produced. While I acknowledge his potential, determining if he is truly the best ever will require thorough research. Although I would place myself in the group that sees his potential the best ever will take some research on my part. To begin this quest to uncover Duke’s greatest NBA prospect, I recall Grant Hill, who played at Duke from 1990-1994 and is enshrined in both the Naismith and College Basketball Hall of Fame. 

Where do I begin this pursuit to uncover the best Duke NBA prospect ever? I reflected on a recent account of Grant Hill, he played at Duke from 1990-1994 and is enshrined in the Naismith and College Basketball Hall of Fame. Hill was selected third overall in the first round of the 1994 draft. Another notable player, Christian Laettner, played from 1988-1992 and was the sole collegiate athlete on the 1992 Dream Team. Laettner was also the third overall pick in the first round of the 1992 draft. Elton Brand played at Duke from 1997-1999, entered the NBA as the first overall pick in the first round of the 1999 draft. More recently, Zion Williamson, after playing his freshman season, was made the top pick in the 2019 draft. With these examples in mind, one might question whether the excitement surrounding Flagg is justified, or if it is influenced by today’s social media presence. This is unlike Hill, Laettner, and Brand, who played in an era with minimal social media impact, different metrics may have been used to gauge their potential.

I was curious

Although the game was at home I was curious how the Warriors would adapt to a back to back. They had beaten my Lakers on Thursday night in Los Angeles and they would face the Nuggets in this one. In the first quarter the Nuggets were “cooking,” they raced out to a 12-point lead…Warrior tired legs from the prior night? Well that lead didn’t last, the half-time score found the Warriors in front 66-60, you are asking what occurred? Interesting in that the Nuggets outshot the Warriors from the floor 54.1% to 48.9% and they outrebounded the Warriors by a slight margin.

For the second night in a row the Warriors managed an impressive 42.1% from the three line which contributed to the win. Who is Brandin Podziemski, he followed his impressive shooting against the Lakers with 26 against the Nuggets. Jimmy Butler rebounded from his less than stellar game the prior night with 19 points. As per usual Steph Curry led the Warriors with 36 points on 54% shooting. The Joker led the Nuggets with 33 points, 12 rebounds and 9 assists, Michael Porter Jr. contributed 23 points. Besides these names plus Braun and Gordon the Nuggets received little help from their reserves. Despite the fact the Warriors had heavy legs they managed to prevail in the end, final score 118 Nuggets 104.

World Basketball Association

Basketball was invented by James A. Naismith, a Canadian who was living and teaching in the United States. It is regarded as an original invention, unlike many sports that are derivatives of others. The National Basketball Association (NBA) has retained its title despite the increasing inclusion of international players. This growth in global participation can be largely attributed to initiatives led by David Stern, who promoted basketball worldwide during his tenure as commissioner.

The international expansion of basketball occurred through various direct and indirect methods. American players who did not enter the NBA often played in Europe, along with former NBA veterans. Additionally, NBA players visited Europe and China to conduct workshops. The growth of FIBA and basketball’s inclusion in Olympic events also contributed to its global presence. NBA teams have played exhibition and regular-season games in Europe, Mexico, and China, facilitating the creation of NBA Africa and NBA China. The National Basketball League in Australia has also grown significantly. These developments explain why top NBA draft picks for two consecutive seasons have come from France.

Meanwhile….

Ja Morant has once again faced disciplinary action, receiving fines from the NBA for conduct twice this week for making finger-gun gestures. Despite his exceptional talent on the court, issues seem to frequently arise around him. Fans are puzzled by his recent behavior, which suggests an adoption of a "gangsta" attitude. It is crucial for Morant to amend his demeanor, as failure to do so could jeopardize his position in the NBA. The league may be compelled to take further action if these issues persist, which would be unfortunate given his potential and contribution to the sport.

Who won last night's games between Auburn or Florida? And what about Houston versus Duke? Auburn and Houston have never won an NCAA Championship, whereas Duke and Florida have. Duke's most recent victory was in 2015, when they defeated Wisconsin under Coach K's leadership. Florida secured back-to-back championships in 2006 and 2007 under Billy Donovan who is now the head coach of the Chicago Bulls. The four teams are evenly matched, making the outcome unpredictable. To compete for the championship on Monday, each team must secure a win tonight.

Basketball from a fans perspective

A decision

As I indicated earlier the college basketball season will end on Monday April 7. There will be a lesser number of college news stories to report, based on that fact Off the Dribble will began publishing three days a week. I am undecided on which day of the week, however, as we arrive closer to the date the schedule will be published. As always I thank you for being a loyal reader of this blog, I hope you will continue to be a reader of this effort to provide you basketball content from a fan’s perspective. 

They forgot

Luka Doncic blamed himself for the Warriors' 123-116 win over the Lakers, but it was a team effort. The Lakers struggled to catch up throughout the game. Their shooting was consistent except from beyond the three-point line, where the Warriors excelled, leading to the final score disparity. Steph Curry delivered his usual performance with 37 points, and Brandin Podziemski, with his 28 points, also increased the possibility of a Warrior victory.   the decisive I was a tiny bit surprised, Jimmy Butler did not meet expectations I expected on Thursday, scoring only 11 points.

Jonathan Kuminga contributed from the Warriors' bench with 18 points and 9 rebounds. Rui compensated for Luka’s scoring, adding 24 points, and both LeBron (33 points) and Reaves (31 points) contributed to the Lakers' total. The Lakers’ reserves were largely ineffective due to the Warriors' defensive efforts. Despite my personal preference for the home team to win it didn’t occur, the Warriors demonstrated their superiority on Thursday evening. Another area that stood out for me the reserves, the visitors were clearly better. Since I am a “glass half-full guy versus one who sees a half empty glass this would be my response. You can do all you can as an individual, there comes a time there are others who must step up and resume normal.

Poor Kansas 

Wow, how the mighty have fallen! Friday morning news with this notice, there are only 3 scholarship players remaining at Kansas. 6 players announced their intention to enter the transfer portal, now some could return however for the first time Bill Self and Kansas fans must face this reality. The college basketball landscape has changed, as mentioned yesterday they must improvise, adapt and overcome. Some reading this will believe I am hatin’ on Kansas basketball that is not the case.

It’s my belief that several fans of Jayhawk Nation have failed to adapt to what might be the new normal for the program. I continue to write over and over the college basketball landscape has changed but I see little proof most believe that fact. As for who believes this to be the case, Bill Self plus his staff. Who refuses to believe and remains in the past is Jayhawk Nation, the team from Lawrence Kansas can no longer dominate the Big XII as they once did. Not only has NIL and the transfer portal come into existence so have new competitive conference schools. The league is now Houston (winners of the last two conference championships), Arizona and others who are quite noteworthy.

This is a problem…really

Cooper Flagg was lamenting the fact he’s forced to wear Nike because of Duke’s affiliation with the company, he’s got a shoe and apparel contract with New Balance. Well it might be a problem for Flagg but at an earlier time a comparable situation occurred and this involved Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley. Nike was a fledgling company in 1984 nothing close to the monolithic conglomerate they have since become, Converse was Bugatti priced back then.

Sidebar here, Nike purchased Converse in 2003, the two competitors are now one company. As for Michael Jordan while playing at North Carolina wore Converse shoes and apparel. However that was not the main problem that would occur much later in MJ’s career. The 1984 Olympic Dream Team’s supplier for shoes and apparel was Reebok, MJ and Charles Barkley who were Nike sponsored covered their jersey’s in order to not reveal the logo of a competitor, I’m unsure how they handled their shoe issue. This suggestion for Flagg is really a non-issue, he’s got at most two games to wear Nike, just ignore the swoosh on the shoe and apparel he wears, if he decides to head for the heads NBA in the fall that will become a non-issue.

Lakers mock draft

This is written in the belief this outcome could occur, on the other hand the Lakers might trade for a post player or gain one through free agency. Of course we are discussing a veteran, if that doesn’t transpire then we must look toward the draft and who would that be? Before beginning this exercise allow me to state the pick must be a second round because the Lakers have no first round pick. Who are these potential post players:

Dawson Garcia 6 foot 11 234 Minnesota

Maxime Raynaud 7 foot 1 245 Stanford

Tomislav Ivisic 7 foot 1 255 Illinois

Daniel Wolf 7 feet 250 Michigan

Ryan Kalkbrenner 7 foot 1 270 Creighton

Khaman Maluach 7 foot 2 250 Duke

Hansen Yang 7 foot 1 249 China   

The last name on the list Yang is a long shot, he might be considered a work in progress although it’s reported his footwork is good. There are 6 names listed here, now comes the disclaimer. There is a distinct possibility one or more of the names listed might be drafted ahead of the Lakers pick. In addition as usual, none of those named are seniors, they might declare for the draft change their mind and return to school, that is also a possibility. The issue for me I don’t wish to see another Ivica Zubac either passed over in the draft or chosen and later traded.

Basketball from a fans perspective

A bit of trivia

There is another NBA record that will likely remain with just these two players. In the history of the NBA (1946) only two players in the league history have been Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player in the same season. The first name might be more familiar than the other but they are Wilt Chamberlain with the Philadelphia Warriors and Wes Unseld of the Baltimore Bullets, interesting in that both were centers. Chamberlain was first to accomplish the feat gaining the honor in 1960, years later in 1969 Unseld was able to gain the honor as well: No block shot totals exist for the pair, the NBA did not begin to track them until the 1973-74 season. 

Chamberlain 37.6 points, 27.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists

Unseld 13.8 points, 18.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists

What happened was

The American Basketball Association was born in 1967 with 11 teams throughout the nation. Of course you are aware expansion by the NBA in 1976 took in the 4 most profitable teams. The Pacers, Spurs, Nets and Nuggets moved into the older league while other teams were dissolved. What happened was…what if there had been no ABA because the “other” league was still operating. The American Basketball League began play in 1961 consisted of 8 teams with the Kansas City Steers being one of the leagues franchises. The ABL was quite innovated with its approach to the game, it was this league and not the ABA that first utilized a 3-point basket. In addition instead of a 24-second clock the ABL utilized a 30-second clock, they had an 18-foot wide free throw lane while the NBA was at 12 feet. Later the NBA would also widen its lane to 16 feet. How did the ABL come into existence you ask?

In the early days of the NBA they couldn’t draw fans so the Harlem Globetrotters would often play first and then the NBA game. This arrangement worked successfully for both however this is where it becomes messy. The late Abe Saperstein owner of the Trotters believed there was a deal in place. Saperstein was promised an NBA franchise in Los Angeles, of course that would not be as Bob Short then owner of the Lakers was allowed to move his team from Minneapolis to Los Angeles. Saperstein believing he’d was betrayed began his own league to compete with the NBA. ABL ownership was under financed which forced the league to cease operations after one full season and ½ of the following. The Kansas City Steers lost the first championship series to the Cleveland Pipers 3 games to 2. The 1962-63 season, which closed in December saw the Steers crowned ABL Champions. Once the league went out of business a number of coaches and players found their way to NBA jobs. This is the brief history of the even briefer American Basketball League.

Meanwhile….

This quote comes from the 1986 movie Heartbreak Ridge with Clint Eastwood in the lead role. Gunnery Sergeant Thomas Highway (Eastwood) informed his recon team when he first took over, “We’re paid to improvise, overcome, adapt.” That’s should be adopted by college basketball coaches today, this is not your father’s Big XII Conference. What is interesting to me the greatest number of complaints regarding the portal and Name, Imagine & Likeness have come from coaches who’s teams for a variety of reasons failed to succeed. A coach recruits that portal player believing he fits the coaches system, it’s soon determined that is not the case. It’s the same case, recruiting a high school youngster and later discovering he can’t fit your system. The college basketball landscape has changed, coaches must improvise, overcome and adapt.

He's got a vivacious wardrobe, allow an explanation. There are several generations of Knicks fans who primarily recognize Walt 'Clyde' Frazier for his distinctive suits and his role as a commentator on the MSG Network. Known by the nickname Clyde, he was instrumental in the Knicks’ two NBA Championship victories. He has been inducted into both the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the College Basketball Hall of Fame, highlighting his exceptional college and NBA career with the Knicks. Following his retirement, Clyde transitioned seamlessly into a role as a color analyst for the Knicks, where he has become a fixture alongside play-by-play announcer Mike Breen. Regarding his attire, it is best described as unique and unparalleled, with a sense of style that is exclusively his own.

The battle is now officially over, Marc Lore and his business partner Alex Rodriguez are assuming ownership of the Wolves and WNBA Lynx. The sale of these franchises had been held up like forever by Glen Taylor owner, he claimed Lore and Rodriguez had failed to make a payment which the partners denied. Back and forth they went in court until an arbitrator was appointed to settle the dispute. The arbitrator sided with Lore and Rodriguez in February and Taylor is no longer challenging the sale. It is also being reported the two business partners added others to the ownership group. So maybe the longest running sale for an NBA franchise in history has finally concluded.

Dylan Harper of Rutgers has declared for the June draft which is not a true surprise. It had been rumored since the beginning of the college season he was likely to be a one and done freshman. The 6 foot 6 inch 215 pound Harper was a McDonald’s All American prior to his single season at Rutgers. As for the NBA Draft depending on which site was utilized Harper was projected as high as the number 2 pick and as low as the number 4. Harper is one of the son’s of former NBA player Ron Harper who played for the Cavs, Bulls and Lakers.

Have you noticed

This occurs with many team sports, there are several that struggle to achieve success. The challenge could be related to the roster, the management, or ownership. It is important to note that maintaining a top position in team sports is extremely difficult. Because this is a basketball blog that will be our focus here, specially the NBA. The follow history will detail a few teams who consistently faced challenges. Our study begins with the Washington Wizards, they ended the 2017-18 season with 43 wins and 39 losses. Since then, have experienced seven consecutive losing seasons. They are not alone in their futility, we have the Sacrament Kings to explore.

They have shown improvement as this is written they are hovering around .500, for two consecutive seasons the Kings had winning records even earning a playoff berth last season. Prior to that they were beyond a doubt the worst team in the NBA, from the 2006-07 season until 2023-24, they experienced 16 consecutive losing seasons. The last team we’ll look at is the Detroit Pistons, they are currently improving however from the 2008-09 season onward, they only had two winning seasons (2015-16 and 2018-19). It is evident that three key elements are necessary for success on the basketball court: a talented roster, a good coach, and a cooperative front office working towards creating a winning team.