Basketball from a fans perspective

Published daily except Tuesdays & Thursdays

Kansas aura

For a number of years the Big XII Conference has been KU basketball plus the others. KU ruled the conference, on occasion a Baylor would rise to the top and challenge Kansas for conference supremacy. More recently the word for the conference became change, as was pointed out new coaches, conference additions along with NIL the transfer portal and slowly the basketball landscape transformed, but it would not be in favor of KU. After being pronounced the number one team in the nation by the Coaches and A/P early this season we’ve seen a slide. This season KU could look to quality wins over North Carolina, Michigan State and Duke, that was the upside.

The downside losses to Creighton, Mizzou and on Tuesday West Virginia 62-61, all three of these losses occurred against unranked teams. The loss yesterday came at revered Allen Fieldhouse the building KU rarely loses. The next few words will upset those close to the program as alumni or fans. It’s my belief Bill Self remains a good coach probably at the top currently of any list. I believe in the eyes of media members and coaches KU is living in their minds based on past glory. How do you explain within a week of the loss to Mizzou they began a slow rise in the polls. This rise occurred after KU registered victories over North Carolina State and Brown University. KU will continue to play highly competitive basketball, I imagine they will not rule the upgraded Big XII as they once did in the past.

I’m guilty too

Why do we equate an athletes success or lack thereof with a championship? I’m including myself in the account allow an explanation, on social media this popped up. Bills QB Josh Allen has 76 wins in his first 7 years more than Russell Wilson or Patrick Mahomes. My first thought “Mahomes has 3 Super Bowl Championships while Allen has none.” After making the statement I thought a moment, unless an athlete competes individually how can we compare one’s career when they play a team sport? Allen cannot play defense he’s the QB, football, basketball and baseball plus soccer are team sports.

If an athlete is responsible for a part and he or she plays at their maximum why do we disparage the lack of a ring? I could begin with Charles Barkley, the Round Mound of Rebound has been enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame. He’s got plenty of accolades however he’s never won an NBA Championship. Chris Paul is near the end of his brilliant NBA career, the man nicknamed The Point God is likely to retire with no ring. There is Patrick Ewing, Reggie Miller, Karl Malone and a host of outstanding NBA players who lack a championship. A championship is the culmination of a brilliant career however it should not be the single symbol of a successful NBA career or how we evaluate an athletes ability.

Do we really care what he says?

Former NBA player and current podcaster Gilbert Arenas has decided again to provide us his insight into the ability of an athlete. Let’s begin by stating Arenas believes Duke’s Cooper Flagg is no longer the top pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Arenas claims Flagg is more a complimentary player over one who might be deemed the top pick. The problem for me and others we lack expertise in this area, the question I might ask Arenas is simple, what is a complementary player?    

Why can’t a top draft pick be a complementary player if he able to aid his team to secure a better record. I looked at the 2020 and 2021 NBA Draft, Anthony Edwards and Cade Cunningham were the top choices. Edwards and Cunningham have adapted their game and have shown improved play since their rookie year. It’s my belief the term Arenas uses is certainly understandable however I’m unsure if it’s one containing validity. This is not me alone, the three mock draft sites I extensively use have not relegated Flagg to the number two position. The calendar has turned to January and there’s been no movement, what do you think?

A KenPom report

Recently I reported on the Big XII teams based on KenPom numbers. It is now time to check out what I believe is the best college basketball program in the nation…SEC basketball. I’d mentioned this previously, once upon a time it was Kentucky and everybody else in the conference. It was established Kentucky would finish in first place, the remaining members would seek second or third. Don’t misunderstand, nowhere was this written that’s just the way it was at one time.

It wasn’t the fact other members didn’t compete they just couldn’t play consistently at the same level of Kentucky. I cannot point out a specific date but some years back SEC teams became concerned with the one team dominating the conference. Athletic directors began to hire young and upcoming coaches. In other instances they signed coaches from other conferences who compiled successful resumes, with that said we move on, the number behind the school is the KenPom rating, let’s check the programs out below:

Auburn 1

Tennessee 3

Florida 7

Alabama 9

Texas A&M 12