Basketball from a fans perspective

It was a cerebral game

After I witnessed Alabama totally destroy BYU on Thursday 113-88 I didn’t know what to expect facing Duke. Mark Sears was en Fuego in the game sinking 10 3-point baskets. Cooper Flagg had to play his best game against Duke but he didn’t, Bama’s defense on him plus missing shots he scored but 10 points in the first half of the game. I think they might have believed “We gonna out athletic (if there is such a word) you Duke.” Well it didn’t turn out that way as Duke was a winner 85-65, they had a height advantage over Alabama but it was more than that. We witnessed a cerebral game played by Duke over a more athletic Alabama team. Although Flagg’s shot was off (16 pts, 6-16 shooting) he managed to pull down 9 rebounds and dish out 3 assists.

His teammates stepped up big time in leading to the victory over the Crimson Tide. Khaman Maluach scored 14 points and 9 rebounds plus 2 blocked shots, he was an intimidating factor around the basket, there is no method to determine how many Alabama misses occurred because shots were altered. Kon Knueppel led the way scoring 21 points and defending well, the same could be said regarding Tyrese Proctor with 17 points. It seemed to me every sub from Jon Scheyer’s team came into the game fully aware of their area of responsibility. As for Sears of Alabama, it was 6 points on 2-12 from the floor and 1-5 from three. It seemed whenever Alabama would make a run at reducing the lead Duke would score on the other end. Whoever winds up playing Duke should prepare themselves, they are not going to out athletic (that word again) Duke. Sometimes this game must be played cerebrally which teams are sometimes unable to accomplish.

There are bumps in the road

This is the time of the season NBA teams should be playing their best basketball. Unfortunately, that is not the case for the Lakers. By this time of the season every NBA team is dealing with injuries of some sort and the Lakers are no exception. One of the issues I believe we might fail to see, just returning to the lineup fails to say a player is NBA ready. If that appears to be an excuse those of you wishing to make it such that’s okay.

After the heartbreaking loss to the Bulls on a half-court shot the Lakers were able to beat the Grizzlies on Saturday night. This would be the first game for the Grizzlies since head coach Taylor Jenkins was fired. The Lakers got off to a fast start and were able to sustain it for a period of the game. The final score read Lakers 134 Grizzlies 127, as usual the trio of LeBron, Luka and Reaves led the way. It was 25 points 6 rebounds and 8 assists for LeBron, as for Luka he scored 29 points and 9 assists. The leader was guard Austin Reaves with his 31 points 7 rebounds and 8 assists. Have the Lakers returned to the winning formula from a few weeks back, that is certainly yet to be determined. Interesting the Bulls appear to have the Lakers number but have failed to do the same with the balance of the NBA.

Meanwhile….

There have been more than a few really bad basketball movies, the absolute worst is the 1985 comedy Teen Wolf. How about the best all time, recently one was profiled here Hoosiers with Gene Hackman. Also I must include White Men Can’t Jump with Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson. I liked Samuel L. Jackson as Coach Carter, also in my list is Blue Chips starring Nick Nolte with Shaq, Penny and others. Glory Road for the story it told of the 1966 Texas Western team, it starred Josh Lucas. Hurricane Season with Forrest Whittaker. I’ve seen several documentary’s but they were not included for this reason. Each of the movies listed contained real life basketball players or the on court scenes were outstanding nothing like those of an earlier era.  

Is there a requirement for an NBA face, we’ve discussed this issue in the past. With the pending retirement of LeBron James and Steph Curry someone needs to step forward to become the face of the NBA. The issue apparently is reluctance by players such as Ant Man to take on that role. My question for you, can’t the NBA survive without having someone be its so called leader? In Michael Jordan’s day the media was there but nothing like today, in addition we toss in the social media part of the equation and it might become overwhelming for some. I have an opinion, you might not agree with it but that’s okay. There is 0 requirement in my view for any player to become the face of the NBA, the league can survive without one.  

Ethan Taylor is near the end of his junior year at Shawnee Mission NW High School in the Kansas City suburb of Shawnee. He’s been awarded 4-stars by Rivals and is number 28 in the Class of 2026. On3 also awards 4-stars and a number 55 ranking while 247Sports has 4-stars and number 66 on their list. Taylor is a post player who stands 7 foot 1 and 245 pounds. Among the number of schools with scholarship offers are Missouri State, Purdue, Tennessee, Kansas, Oklahoma and University of MO-Kansas City and Mizzou.

With weeks remaining in the NBA season several teams have been eliminated from playoff contention. Quiet, I heard that, you claim some were eliminated on the date the 2024-25 NBA season began. In any event teams no longer in contention for a playoff berth are the Pelicans, Jazz, Wizards and Hornets. There are other teams who are likely to be eliminated as well. With that at least we have the beginnings of the NBA Lottery with those teams just named, others will likely be added over the next two weeks. We can begin the speculation who wins the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Meanwhile….

LaVar Ball may not have originated this but I first heard him say it, “Stay in your lane.” I’ve always interpreted that to say do what you do best, don’t try to move into someone else’s territory. From reading this blog in the past you are aware I have disagreed with comments made by former NBA players Gilbert Arenas and Charles Barkley. Despite my difference with them they do have one thing in common…they played in the NBA the highest level of basketball there is. Do I care what former NBA player Paul Pierce has to say about the NFL, or better yet Shannon Sharpe and his commentary of the NBA. Both played at a high skill level as professionals however neither was in the NFL or NBA. They likely played the sport as youth but …. they and others need to “Stay in your lane.”

Nike clearly is the winner in what might be considered round one in the battle for the hearts and minds of sneakerheads and others. As most of you are aware Cooper Flagg signed a shoe and apparel deal with New Balance last spring. While that’s all good for the Duke guy while at school he must sport Nike shoes and apparel. After Flagg's Thursday 30 point 6 rebound 7 assist and 3 block shot game this is what occurred. The marketing department at Nike sent out a tweet with Flagg’s image and this statement: "Powered by the Swoosh." That’s certainly one technique to capture a shoe and apparel audience.

This news came by way of French sports website Le’Equipe, the .com publication indicated Wemby has undergone surgery for the deep vein thrombosis discovered in his right shoulder in the middle of the NBA season. At the time he was initially diagnosed it was reported he would began taking a blood thinner to reduce the possibility of a clot forming. The earlier diagnosis was all the public was made aware, of course those trained in the medical field might be acquainted with surgery being utilized to resolve the thrombosis. The report indicated Wemby might be prepared to play for the French national team by late summer.

This is a true story

Sometimes your memory returns to another time, that’s what occurred for me after reading an email from a friend. Shopping with my wife once we met a friend of hers and introducing me this is exactly what she said. “This is my husband ___________, he watches every single basketball game on television.” I smiled at her friend but thought a moment, “Why would she introduce me in that manner?” There’s been a great deal of basketball the NBA variety and March Madness over the last past week.

I’ve watched a considerable number of games which sometimes have included double-header college games along with double-header NBA games. A friend sent me an email which simply read: “To much basketball,” well maybe for him but not for me. I just confessed to watching numbers of basketball games this past week, despite what you just read this fact stands alone. I am no machine, I’m incapable of watching every single basketball game on television. I did have a significant issue on at least two occasions this season, Laker games were broadcast near the same time as Mizzou basketball.

NBA Europe

Several of you reading the news might have a clearer understanding than me and that’s okay. I believed something must be said and here is a brief introduction for some. It appears the NBA and FIBA are going into business together in order to form an “NBA Europe.” The late David Stern as commissioner promoted the NBA footprint world-wide, I am unsure if this was the manner he envisioned. This is the construction path, a league of European teams backed by the NBA and FIBA would begin play at a future date. There would be no Lakers playing a team from Paris or the Spurs matched against an opponent in Berlin, my understanding is.

We are in the formation stage of this “marriage” so major portions have certainly not been finalized. On the surface I like it my only concern will this 16-team league drive the existing Euro League teams out of business. That question cannot be answered at the present time, there are far too many moving parts to decide at this stage until it’s a done deal. As I indicated earlier my chief concern is the number of Euro teams at present, if this league gets off the ground how would they be impacted? A friend mentioned the league could be more successful than NFL Europe because basketball is a more familiar game. His observation might be correct, basketball has been played extensively in Europe over NFL football which required an introduction to the game.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Cooper (American) Flagg  

As for the headline above, I stole that from Jay Williams ESPN basketball analyst. Bama guard Mark Sears had an outstanding game in his team’s 113-88 victory over BYU. The 6-1 guard put on a scoring binge for the ages with 34 points and of that number 10 were three point baskets. In the Duke-Arizona game Caleb Love also presented the audience with a dazzling shooting display scoring 35 points for the Wildcats. Unlike Sears there would be no victory for Love as his team lost to Duke 100-93.

As for Flagg he succeeded in scoring a smaller number of points than either Sears or Love (30 points). Despite this fact his game in all aspects was quite cerebral in my view. We saw an 18-year old who should be a high school senior prove why he is the best freshman college player in the nation. In addition to his scoring Flagg contributed 6 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 blocked shots, he also shot 90% from the free-throw line to help seal Duke’s victory. Although there were other winners (Texas Tech & Florida) the players and games profiled are the only ones I saw. Duke will now face Alabama on Saturday evening, I’m unsure if we can expect another shootout similar to the one on Thursday. By now some of you reading this are saying to yourself “He’s gone over the top again, this time it’s Flagg,”

I don’t mind in the least bit if you believe that to be the case. Some of you might be reflecting back to my early observation of Victor Wembanyama, this time it’s a slight bit different. I believed (and still do) Wemby is a generational talent, Flagg is not that however he appears to have all the tools for a successful NBA career. I’ll repeat another statement I made, he’s not going to WOW anyone with his skill set he will just do the things that will lead to success for his team on the basketball court.

Meanwhile

Hopefully this is a Good-win for the Lakers, Jordan Goodwin reserve guard had his contract converted. He’s been operating on a two-way contract however he wouldn’t have been eligible for playoff basketball. It’s clear JJ Redick feels comfortable enough to have Cam Reddish waved in order to sign Goodwin to a regular season contract. Goodwin came on board in the middle of February and in that time has impressed the coach and his staff. In fact during the rash of injuries suffered by the Lakers it was Goodwin who was inserted into the lineup over rookie Dalton Knecht. Although Knecht is surly a better shooter it was the defensive effort which got the notice by the coaching staff.

We talk all the time about the fact HBCU schools no longer produce NBA talent as they once did. We can add junior colleges to the list as well, they have also suffered. They continue to produce quality basketball talent but with the portal transfer fewer and fewer are finding their way to major schools across the nation. The de-emphasis on junior college talent will only continue over the next few years. There are no more Bob McAdoo’s, Tiny Archibald, Jimmy Butler or Dennis Rodman’s exhibiting their talent on junior colleges campuses.     

The lottery pick nobody knows…that’s not quite correct. If you cruise mock draft sites like I do you are familiar with the name Egor Demin. He’s a freshman at BYU but is likely to hear his name announced by the NBA commissioner in June, he’s that good. One mock site indicates he will be a lottery pick while another places him at 15 just outside. The third indicates Demin will be a top 20 pick so as you can see its likely there will be no requirement to stay up late in order to hear the announcement. Demin is 19-years of age and is from Moscow Russia, he’s a 6 foot 9 200 pound shooting guard.

Trivia

I’ve mentioned this previously, I sometimes come across interesting tidbits of information accidently. This is one of those cases, it involves the 1946 Rochester Royals. Later the Royals moved to Cincinnati retaining the name and from there it was Kansas City and a name change to the Kings. Now this is the trivia portion, that edition of the Royals was an NBL team and later moved into the NBA. One of the roster members was Red Holtzman who later as a coach would lead the Knicks to championship glory in 1970 and 1973.

Also on the roster was his teammate Otto Graham, he only played that one year with the Royals. Graham would later become quarterback of the Browns, in 1965 he was enshrined in the National Football League Hall of Fame in Canton Ohio. The player credited with the first recorded instance of breaking a backboard also played for the baseball Dodgers and Cubs but it wasn’t baseball, football or basketball where he became better known. Chuck Conners headed for Hollywood and honed his acting skills in movies and television, his most famous role was the lead in the television series set in the Old West, The Rifleman. So there you have the brief history of the more famous members of the 1946 Royals.

I can’t see that far ahead

Victor Wembanyama is a 7 foot 4 wing who happens to play center, I had to get that statement out front before delving into the body of this discussion. We have continued to hear former NBA players critique Wemby’s game, most of the comments revolve around where he plays over his ability. These grizzly veterans have said over and over “He needs to develop an inside game.” I am not going to argue he shouldn’t however with his height and the fact he shoots nearly 36% from three he’s adapting his game to today’s NBA. If for example Wemby was shooting any lower I’d say he should develop an inside game.

Here’s what I can’t do…see into the future, last season according to figures he was 210-212 pounds. This season the Spurs roster indicates Wemby is 235 pounds, he could continue to gain pounds which will allow him to battle some of the larger post players in the future. Former NBA player Kevin Garnett went on record with this statement, “The NBA is protecting Victor Wembanyama because they see him as the next face of the league: They’re not going to let him get beat up.” I take Garnett’s words as an opinion and not fact unless he can prove it. I have confidence that his medical issue will be cleared up and by next season he’ll be ready to play. In the meantime the NBA community of Garnett and Barkley should become comfortable with seeing a 7 foot 4 wing player on the floor next season.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Change is coming

For the most part the basketball world other than the NBA begins to slow in April. The slowdown results in a lesser amount to write about the sport, based on this fact the publication dates of Off the Dribble will be reduced. At this point I’m unsure of a number, it could be a minimum of 4 days a week or a maximum of 5. As we arrive closer to the end of April I will provide you the publishing schedule in advance. As always thank you for being a reader, I look forward to continuing this blog to infinity.

A tip in

They were middle of the road, then meteoric hot and then fell into a funk. That is the Laker season in a nutshell, they will earn a playoff berth however the last few weeks injuries have impacted their record. If that sounds like an excuse so be it, they faced an ever improving Pacers team on the road. This game was back and forth between two evenly matched teams. LeBron was off and admitted as such only scoring 13 points, despite his low scoring total his tip-in at the buzzer was the final score in the Lakers 120-119 victory, he added 13 rebounds.

Luka led the way with 34 points and was assisted by Austin Reaves 24, Jaxson Hayes scored 13. The Pacers also had balanced scoring as all 5 Pacers were in double figures, interesting in that Benedict Mathurin led the Pacers in scoring off the bench with 23 points. If we check out the box score the numbers look even except the 14 TO’s the Lakers experienced. The grind continues on Thursday evening as they play the Bulls who conducted a beat down on them recently. Except at the top (Thunder) the Lakers have an opportunity to move up in the ever tight Western Conference race. As this is written they are in 4th place in the playoff picture although they could move up to 2nd.

Most frustrating

I must confess I didn’t originate this, someone wrote I read “10 Most frustrating things in sports.” Because this is a basketball blog I changed mine, it became The Most frustrating things in basketball, the intent was to cover college and NBA basketball. No doubt you have additions to this list, in addition they are not in any order. Despite that fact here they are:

Giving up offensive rebounds

Awarded two free throws and missing both

Fouling a player as he takes a three point shot

Officials failing to whistle traveling on a player (I don’t like the Euro step)

Flopping, its become a fine art in the NBA

The player missing the front end of a 1 and 1 on the free throw line

On the sideline the player steps out of bounds taking the shot

The front office too

I believe NBA fans generally place the blame for continued poor play for their team in this order. At the top of the list is the lack of talent on the roster, second to that is the coach and finally the GM/scouting staff. I am comparing apples to oranges, both are fruit however I wish to use the NFL Chiefs as the example. They were fortunate to draft a generational talent in QB Patrick Mahomes, however it was more to the story. It was Andy Reid the coach along with Brett Reaves GM plus the scouting staff. For the last 10 years the Chiefs have been successful thanks to the Mahomes/Reid/Reaves combo.

To prove the point John Dorsey who’d been GM with the Patriots was generally credited with much of their success, that turned out to not be the case. We could check the Thunder and see they have a successful trio in place. Drafting players with potential plus signing quality free agents are keys to accomplishment. Part of the hindrance I believe for lack of success is often an owner. In a discussion someone said this to me, “Jerry Jones would rather lose making the decisions over giving someone else credit for winning.” There are owners who believe their success in business should be the basis for running an NBA franchise, it just doesn’t work in that manner.

The Porter’s

Mizzou Nation never witnessed Michael Porter Jr. in his full glory. Injured his freshman year he played but 3 games before declaring for the NBA Draft, he was made the 14th pick in the first round of the 2017 draft. Since 2019 there’s been a slow but steady rise in his overall play, he’s become a vital part of the Denver Nuggets team. On Thursday younger brother Jevon Porter who went into the portal decided to head back to Columbia, he graduated from Father Tolton HS in Columbia.

Porter spent last season at Loyola Marymount were his numbers were 12.5 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.9 assist per game for the 6 foot 10 235 pound Porter. This move while on paper appears good I wish to approach it with caution and I will explain why. We’ve witnessed a number of portal players who moved to new teams and proved quite beneficial, John Tonje at Wisconsin is that example. As for the other that would be AJ Storr who never came close to what Kansas and Bill Self were expecting. There is no method to determine if this is a slam dunk or not until next fall…this member of Mizzou Nation is hoping it is a slam dunk. 

Basketball from a fans perspective

It ended not as planned

Before I delve into the game I will state Jimmy Butler has aided the Warriors immensely since his arrival, despite that fact the revenge tour ended badly and I’m sure not what he hoped. The Warriors on the road and Butler would make his first appearance in Miami since the trade. We knew ahead of time Steph was sidelined due to injury, despite this fact many believed a little more was expected from Butler. 41% shooting with only 11 points I’m sure is a disappointment to the Warriors and their fans.

His shooting plus the absence of Steph indirectly led to the 112-86 drubbing they suffered at the hands of the Heat. This was the statement made by Butler prior to the game, “I have nothing to say to Pat, and Pat better have nothing to say to me.” The bravado is nice, it would been even better if Butler had played a respectable game over what many of us witnessed on Tuesday. Currently Butler is okay with being the secondary scorer on this team, how much longer will that continue to exist? Will the Butler we saw fall into disfavor with the Warriors management as he had others over his NBA journey.

This is different

Recently we were introduced to Class of 2027 prospect Gassim Toure, he’s from the West African nation of Guinea and has moved to the U.S., he’s enrolled at Principia in St. Louis. The 6 foot 3 point guard has already received offers from Xavier, Illinois and UCF. Although Missouri is yet to make an offer he’s made a connection with one of the assistant coaches and indicates he likes Missouri’s style of play. It’s far too early to determine a school of choice for Toure.

The youngster indicated difficulty initially learning English, in his native Guinea French is the language spoken. Consider this fact, although a substantial number of players have arrived on these shores from the continent few have been guards. If you check the rosters of the NBA and college teams you will discover the majority are wing and post players. Why have there been so few in number there is no single answer to the question. Perhaps Toure will change that in college and should he develop the NBA, as for the college choice Mizzou Nation might desire him to play in Columbia.

Report the news, don’t make the news

This is a non-basketball sports story but it needs to be told. Kansas City has dealt with the issue of a replacement baseball stadium for over a year. Although several sites have been proposed nothing has been finalized to date. This past Monday a local sports talk radio member reported to his listeners that the Royals were in discussion with the owners of an area on the Kansas side of State Line Road to build the stadium. All throughout the day on Monday into Tuesday the story was being reported by media other than the sports variety.

Finally late Tuesday came word from the property owners no such discussions were being conducted. What occurred Wednesday morning, radio guy who talks all the time about his connections placed his mouth in reverse. He is now claiming the role of messenger, “I’m only repeating what I heard.” It’s certainly clear to me (and maybe you) next time he reports a story he should verify the authenticity of it. Be prepared to defend your account, the role of messenger doesn’t work if the information communicated is not correct. Radio guy needs to understand he can’t be the news, it’s his job to report it only. Despite my statement I have serious doubts he changes because he believes he’s correct.

Meanwhile…

This time of the year college coach hiring is the news story, one of those hires is more than interesting. Richard Pitino is leaving his job as head coach at the University of New Mexico. Pitino’s been hired as Xavier’s coach and this is where the story begins to unfold. Xavier is a member of the Big East Conference, one of the conference members is St. John’s University. St. John’s of course is coached by Rick Pitino, so next season the son will oppose the father on the basketball court. Unless I am corrected it’s my belief this is the first time in collegiate history we’ve witnessed a father-son tandem as opposing coaches in the same conference.

For the second time in a matter of weeks we hear the medical term deep vein thrombosis used once again. The first time it was Spurs center Victor Wembanyama and his diagnosis ended his season prematurely. This time it’s Bucks point guard Dame Lillard who suffers the malady, he’s been sidelined for the duration. With so few games remaining one might say it’s not that big a deal, however, it is. The Bucks are a playoff caliber team, they need their entire roster ready to play and this issue will affect them if blood thinners don’t resolve the issue.

St. Francis lost its game in the NCAA Tournament last week, this week came an even bigger announcement. After competing as a Division I school the decision was made to reclassify as a Division III program. Losing in the tournament wasn’t the basis, a move of this type is several months maybe a year’s worth of study. Naturally, this type of move doesn’t take effect immediately, student-athletes on scholarship will continue up to the change. As most are aware Division III schools offer no athletic aid of any type. “The university cited the transfer portal, pay-for-play and "other shifts that move athletics away from love of the game" for the move.”

Basketball from a fans perspective

Meanwhile….

Be careful what you ask for March Madness is down to 16 schools and guess what? All of the remaining schools belong to Power 5 Conference Schools. There is no West Coast Athletic Conference, Mo Valley, Mountain West representative or any other school from what might be considered a mid-major conference. What’s most interesting “You did it to yourself.” As an example Houston, Cincinnati and UCF are now members of the Big XII, it wasn’t always that way. 

These schools and others were considered mid-majors, that phrase no longer exists for them. The Big XII now consists of 16 teams and the commissioner continues to express interest in expansion, here that Memphis? The Big 10 as well may continue to expand although that’s not set in stone. If there is a complaint about the lack of a “Cinderella Team” in the NCAA Tournament who do we point the finger at?

If you are a baseball historian the name of the late Bob Gibson is known to you. Gibson was a Hall of Fame pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals, Gibson had numerous 20 game winning seasons. I bet you didn’t know he attended Creighton University on a basketball scholarship, he would also play baseball while there. Gibson’s junior year would see him average 22 points a game and Jesuit third team All American. 

In the 1950’s schools affiliated with the Catholic church would name those outstanding players who attended Catholic institutions All Americans. It wasn’t just a college game, Gibson played for the Globetrotters for a brief period and the Cardinals, he finally gave up the Globetrotters and basketball for the Cardinals. Might the 6 foot 2 Gibson been able to play in the 1957 NBA, that’s an unknown? Based on his athletic aptitude I believe it might have been possible.

Keenan (you don’t know him) read the account I wrote on Kawhi Leonard and published on Tuesday. This is what he conveyed to me. He said, “Kawhi was ballin’ with that Raptors team, with the Spurs it was a different story.” The 2014 NBA Champion Spurs had Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker plus Kawhi Leonard and several quality reserve players. Those Spurs had plenty of playoff experience plus championships under their belt. 

Kawhi was a key component but not what he would be in 2019 for the Raptors. That Raptors roster contained Fred VanVleet, Kyle Lowry, Serge Ibaka and a roster who played at a high skill level but certainly could not be compared to the Spurs roster. So despite what you read on Tuesday I’m retracting a portion of it, the 2019 Raptors needed Kawhi much more than the 2014 Spurs did. Kawhi was it for the Raptors, with the Spurs he was an ingredient to a championship team.

You cannot pick and choose

A while back you read a piece on my disagreement with a Gilbert Arenas take. It was his contention Wemby could not be the new face of the NBA based on playing for the Spurs. I voiced my view however there is another prospect to consider based on Adam Silver. In his news conference in Paris the commissioner mentioned the name of Cooper Flagg and him possibly becoming that face. At this point Flagg is not in the NBA but I wondered, I’m asking the question is there a requirement for someone to be anointed “The Face of the NBA?”

Well it might be somewhat necessary for a variety of reasons. It didn’t always exist however we are in a highly visual age I believe, people are influenced by what is in front of them. This didn’t exist at one time, I attribute a substantial portion of NBA growth to the visual, allow me to explain. The NBA always contained star players, name them Russell, Chamberlain, West, Cousy and Baylor but they were small potatoes compared to the future explosion. First it’s my belief it was Magic-Bird, it certainly aided the cause both had contended for the NCAA Championship. In the NBA they would play for two storied franchises the Lakers and Celtics. Of course meeting in the Finals every year kept both literally in our faces.

Next up was Michael Jordan and his Bulls, the teams were outstanding but it was MJ who would become the face of the league. Somehow maybe it was due to the Lakers-Celtics influence Isiah Thomas and no Piston was awarded “Face of the NBA.” Soon Kobe Bryant would be anointed with that same honor, at some point the distinction became a shared thing between LeBron James and Steph Curry where its remained over the last few years. As time passes on these two there is a requirement for a new face, who will it become?

I ain’t mad at nobody

This is aimed at college basketball coaches, I'm not as familiar with college football however there are several of them this rant fits too. College basketball coaches have been riding the gravy train for years with many of them earning 7 figure salaries, this was accomplished by the blood, sweat and sometimes tears of their basketball team. The coach and his family were able to afford the best things in life, they ate at the best restaurants while many of the players were eating at McDonald's or in the dorm eating Ramen Noodles.

Some players received extra money under the table from boosters and alumni however the majority existed on little income. Heaven forbid the NCAA uncovered an athlete had received “Illegal funds.” At one time there were rules in place prohibiting work except during the summer. Now that the tables have been reversed some of the coaches are crying in their beer. Anytime there are human beings involved in anything it’s going to be imperfect, that is the case for NIL and the transfer portal. Fix the system, don’t get in front of the television camera complaining about what’s wrong with the game. Afterall you were a contributing factor in much of what we see in today’s college game. Consider this, we never heard a single coach back in the day claiming, "They are paying me too much money."

Basketball from a fans perspective

“The report of my death was an exaggeration”

Mark Twain American writer and humorist of the 19th Century coined the phrase above. Reports had circulated he’d died or was seriously ill. What you are about to read is a retreat on my part from an earlier opinion. I stated at the time Kawhi Leonard first appeared in the Clipper lineup he failed to impress me. A statement was made by me indicating he should consider retirement. Well the crow I ate for lunch didn’t taste particularly good but I was forced to eat it and my words. Leonard will never again be the player we witnessed lead the Spurs to a championship.

He’s not even the same player we saw later lead the Raptors to their only NBA Championship. He can still play, apparently it took time for him to become fully acclimated to the game again. So what occurs for the immediate future, the Clippers will earn a playoff berth thanks in part to Leonard. I don’t believe they are a quality championship team for this season but there remains a question. Without Leonard in the lineup on a nightly basis they don’t win, for those who might believe I’m shortchanging the Clippers that is not the case, the pieces are in place. This team needs Leonard at 100% and right now in my opinion he’s at 97 or 98%.

Meanwhile…..

I stated at the time if Mark Cuban were in charge Luka Doncic would still be wearing a Mavs jersey. The former majority owner of the team confirmed he wasn’t consulted on the trade to the Lakers nor did he have the power to reject it. Cuban had sold his majority share of the team to the Adelson family from Las Vegas in 2023. Cuban still retains 27% interest in the team however he’s got no authority now to control the day to day operations of the Mavs. So the Mavs have traveled from NBA champion runner up in 2024 to perhaps missing the playoffs in 2025. It’s not just the trade, the Mavs have been struck by an assortment of team injuries which has them teetering on the edge.

Ben McCollum needs to send Dennis Gates a thank you tweet, Drake’s victory over Mizzou provided a reward. It’s being reported McCollum has been hired to take over the basketball program at the University of Iowa. If you remember his history at Northwest Missouri State he led this Division II program to four (4) NCAA Championships. His Drake team won 30 games prior to the Bulldogs playing their first game in the tournament. This was no quick move in a sense, McCollum had remained at NWMSU for several years before Drake hired him for the 2024-25 season. Although he’d won national championships few were acquainted with him other than those of us in the Kansas City metro, NWMSU is located about 100 miles north of here.

Did you know

How about celebrities who played basketball prior to their present pursuit? One name is that of Denzel Washington star of The Equalizer, Malcom X, Training Day and a host of other movies. This Hollywood icon played his ball at Fordham University but theatre won his heart over hoops. Two time Oscar winner Mahershala Ali first matriculated on the basketball court of St. Mary’s for four seasons. He’d received a basketball scholarship. The Undertaker (Mark Calaway) demonstrated his talent on the basketball court before the ring, he played at Texas Wesleyan.

How about 2Chainz, the rapper then known as Tauheed Epps played at Alabama State for two seasons. Nowadays he’s known as Frank Regan on Bluebloods, he’s veteran actor Tom Selleck. Standing 6 feet 4 he played one season for Southern Cal. Jason Sudeikis of Saturday Night Live fame received a basketball scholarship to Fort Scott (KS) Community College, he played as a point guard. Snoop Dogg as Calvin Broadus played at Long Beach Polytechnic High in Long Beach (CA). Actor George Clooney played basketball and baseball player while in high school. Those above played the game in college but I cannot close this without mentioning the musical genius Prince. The late musician, despite his short stature (5 foot 2) was good enough to play at the high school level.  

Is it fair

Before I delve into the subject allow me to state this, it’s not written anyplace that life is supposed to be fair. With that out of the way I will proceed with the question and my observation. Is it fair we use a championship ring or lack thereof to measure an athletes success? I’m changing sports however the success of the NFL Chiefs is very much in the sports news. They appeared in the Super Bowl once again but lost to the Eagles. There are players no longer with the team walking around with championship rings, their role might have been as a reserve player however they possess a ring.

Remaining with the NFL for a moment I remember reading this statement. Dan Marino’s Dolphins earned a Super Bowl trip in his second year, they lost. He said, “I’ve got another opportunity” or similar words but it never occurred. Marino would play 15 more seasons and his Dolphins were never able to return to the Super Bowl. How about the NBA, Charles Barkley had a brilliant NBA career leading to a Naismith Hall of Fame induction. I could make a similar statement regarding Patrick Ewing also enshrined. On the other hand Adam Morrison has two championship rings (2009, 2010), he was a reserve player with the Lakers, he left the game with a 7.5 ppg average. The most important ingredient to a championship is to play for a good team, how does that occur? If I knew the answer to that question I’d be a rich man. In closing I believe we should cease judging an athletes career based on a ring or lack of one. There are far too many factors required in just winning one ring.

Basketball from a fans perspective

The Transfer Portal, Part Deux

You remember the line from the movie Forrest Gump, “Life’s like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get.” This is where I disagree with the comment made by veteran coach Rick Pitino, if a coach’s recruiting emphasis is placed on transfers only that coach might be in for a rude awaking. There might be other examples but these two programs are close by me in Kansas City, the University of Missouri and the University of Kansas. First Kansas, based on AJ Storr’s play at Wisconsin this led Bill Self and Jayhawk Nation to believe they had a valuable addition when he arrived on campus.

Can I say he never played at the level expected by Self or anyone for that matter? Hunter Dickinson doesn’t escape either, he earned 3rd team Big XII but in his case as well more was expected. Across the state line in Missouri John Tonje was supposed to aid the cause. He spent most of last season on the injured list and transferred to Wisconsin without contributing anything to Missouri’s effort on the basketball court. I would say utilize it but don’t fall in love with it. Just concentrating on high school talent alone a coach has no idea what he is going to receive as well. I continue to take a neutral opinion regarding the transfer portal despite the view of Pitino and maybe others.

Hoosiers

Have you seen the movie Hoosiers staring the late Gene Hackman? The movie released in 1986 detailed the basketball season of a small fictional Indiana basketball team which won a state championship. The movie took liberties with an actual 1954 event. Once upon a time the state basketball championship was not separated by student enrollment; a tiny school of several hundred would sometimes face an opposing one with thousands of students. This would change in 1997 as school’s were reclassified by student enrollment. Milan Indiana High School back then had an enrollment of 161 students, the town population was 1,014.

In 2020 the population of the city has swelled to 1,823 so we could guess Milan High School’s enrollment has risen as well. As for the game itself Milan played and defeated Muncie Central High School from Muncie Indiana. Muncie has merged with another high school and now has an enrollment of 1,340. I was unable to locate any information from 1954 but guess Muncie at a minimum must have contained at least 900 students, Milan finished the season 19-2 and overall 28-2. Playing in Milan’s tiny gymnasium team members of Milan must have been overwhelmed by the size of Hinkle (then Butler) Fieldhouse as depicted in the movie. The final score of the championship game read Milan 32 while Muncie Central was 30.

It's different this time

Victor Wembanyama was literally an unknown, my view was tempered by scouting reports and YouTube videos. He was a talent based on the view of NBA management and scouts. Finally some months prior to the draft he and his Metropolitans 92 team arrived on these shores. They were matched against a G-League Team Elite and for the first time most of us were able to witness him in live action. That was 2023 the calendar now reads 2025 and we have another wunderkind before us. His name is Cooper Flagg and you are aware he’s been demonstrating his talent as a Duke freshman. Of course the two (Wemby & Flagg) play distinct positions on the court but there is the stark difference.

I’ve had numerous opportunities to see Flagg in action. Roughly since last summer the majority of mock draft sites have Flagg projected as the top NBA draft pick in 2025. Every week, sometimes twice a week I check for movement wondering if some other talent has moved in front of him. What I’ve seen thus far is that an athlete able to perform a number of basketball assignments on the court, does he have shortcomings? I’m quite sure they exist however they haven’t smacked anyone in the face saying, “He can’t do this or his game at _____ could show improvement.” On June 26 if Flagg has declared for the draft, this speech will emanate on our television sets. “With the first pick in the 2025 NBA Draft the ________ select Cooper Flagg from Duke University.”

Meanwhile…

Florida is a number one seed in contention for the 2025 NCAA Championship. Despite that fact there is at least one player we haven’t seen play yet. His name is Oliver Rioux, he is being redshirted in his freshman year. Rioux did not play in any of the team’s first four games when Coach Todd Golden decided to redshirt him. Although not playing Rioux already has a unique distinction, Guinness World Records declared him the tallest teen in the world in 2021. He measured 7 feet 5 inches at the time, Rioux now stands 7-9, that would make him the tallest ever to play in an NCAA game. The youngster is from Terrebonne, Quebec, a suburb of Montreal.

This is Lakers too but somewhat of a different vein. I’ve read over the course of time the Buss family have “nothing to fall back on besides Laker basketball. Unlike other owners like Dan Gilbert, or the Mavs group they and others operate businesses separate from their basketball teams.” Perhaps moves made in the past by Laker management was more in line with league rules over personal operating capital. This is not representative of the entire family however the net worth of Jeannie Buss is reported to be in the neighborhood of $700 million. She has invested in a considerable number of business ventures outside of Laker basketball.

The Mount St. Mary’s-Duke Tourney game is about to begin as this is written. The CBS chyron for Cooper Flagg listed him as a guard/forward, it’s my contention without offering you any evidence just an opinion. At 205 pounds he might be somewhat light to play small forward in the NBA. Generally this position in the NBA would see a player at least 220 pounds and maybe LeBron size (245-250). In the games I’ve seen Flagg handles the ball well, in addition he’s got an outside shot although he does have an inside game. In this age it’s not uncommon to see a shooting guard at 6 foot 9, what do you think, am I off base with my hypothesis?

We hear the term Dubs to describe the Warriors or something connected with them. How did it come about, I was curious so I decided to uncover the basis. This is from the net, “The nickname “Dubs” for the Golden State Warriors emerged from fans shortening the team’s name to “W’s” (referring to the “W” in “Warriors”) and then even further to “Dubs.” I am easily adaptable to nicknames however this one leaves me asking the question why. If you are okay with Dubs certainly continue to use it…for me it’s a different issue. As an example I don’t like “Slim Reaper” for Kevin Durant or “King” for LeBron James. It’s just a preference on my part.

Basketball from a fans perspective

June awaits

I’ve written several accounts regarding Cooper Flagg of Duke. Most recently it was mentioned he indicated he might return to school for his sophomore year…to that statement I ask WHY? It’s been pointed out Flagg has one of the largest NIL contracts in collegiate sports, despite that fact he can earn even more as an NBA rookie. However wealth might not be the driving force for him, in his position there is only one opportunity for the college experience so I certainly could understand if he decided to return to school.

On the other hand if it’s only a degree, numerous players in all sports have returned to school and graduated. Critics are quick to point out “his numbers are not all that exciting” and they are correct. For me it’s all facets of the game he plays at a cerebral level. Will Flagg come into the NBA and dominate, I can inform you right now that will not occur. What I see in the future is a skillful player able to blend his game with those of his teammates. In a tie game I could see him take the game winner, he appears that confident. So there, I’ve made up Cooper Flagg’s mind for Cooper Flagg although I have no connection whatsoever with his decision forthcoming in April or May.  

Who goes and who remains

As the Lakers prepare for the balance of the season and playoffs decisions must be made. They have three players on two-way contracts, these must be converted to a regular contract in order for a player to be playoff eligible. In all likelihood Cam Reddish and Alex Len will likely be released, that opens up two roster positions for three players, the question becomes who goes and who remains? Who are they, guard Jordan Goodwin, post players Trey Jemison III and Christian Koloko would be vying for the final two spots.

Goodwin has been a spot starter due to the number of injuries the Lakers have suffered recently. JJ Redick has appeared pleased with the effort of Goodwin for a time now. As for Jemison III and Koloko its strictly a best guess on my part. Both post players in my view are raw, so what occurs for the future? If I used a scale with 5 being the highest and 1 being the lowest Jemison III would be a 3 while Koloko is a 2 maybe 2.5. Goodwin is a slam dunk, his athleticism and the fact he’s been a part-time starter bodes well for him. The other two are a little more difficult to gauge although what you just read is my best guess. Stay tuned, I believed a decision will be made sooner rather than later.     

NOTE: Prior to this being published one member of the media is claiming the Lakers could sign all three players. I still maintain Jemison is ahead of Koloko although they might keep both, please keep that possibility in mind.  

The Transfer Portal

This is what we heard and continue to hear from fans and many in the media, “The transfer portal will ruin college basketball!” Remember back in time what was said, “We can’t widen the lane because of Wilt Chamberlain” or “The dunk shot (Lew Alcindor) will ruin the game, there is no way to defend besides there is the injury factor.” Those were changes to basketball that upset folks at the time. Face it friends I have a neutral opinion on the transfer portal, is it good…is it bad? Probably depends on who you converse with. What I read the concept was to make for an easier path for athletes to change schools. You might believe that’s always been a straightforward process, allow me to provide a little history.

In 2017 Mizzou had two transfers incoming Dru and Mark Smith (no relation), I don’t remember which Smith but the NCAA said yes to one and no to the other. The school appealed the ruling, there was no public information related to academics however one of the Smith’s was forced to sat out a semester while the other played. Of course both would eventually play but the issue was a little confusing. As with any topic involving human beings there are going to be technical glitches. I believe there should be a limit on the number of transfers. Mizzou (yes my school) had Josh Gray on its roster, previously he played at LSU and South Carolina. Has the portal fulfilled it’s purpose, depends on who you discuss the matter with. If the NCAA decides to eliminate it they certainly need a plan other than what occurred with the Smith’s in 2017 and much of the past.

Never, ever

Technically speaking the NBA began play in 1949, that was 76 years ago. Almost half of the leagues championships have been won by two teams, the Celtics with 18 championships and the Lakers totaling 17, that’s 35 between them. Are there NBA teams lacking championships, who are they you might ask?  The Brooklyn Nets won 2 ABA Championships but not one since they became a member of the NBA. The Charlotte Hornets were born as the Bobcats but they failed to win under either name. The Indiana Pacers tasted success while in the ABA but lack a championship as an NBA member.

The Buffalo Braves would become the San Diego Clippers and later move to Los Angeles retaining the name, they also lack a championship. The expansion Vancouver Grizzlies relocated to Memphis also have no championship. Also added to our list of the missing we have the Minnesota Wolves, New Orleans Pelicans, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns and Utah Jazz, that completes those NBA missing a championship parade. Officially the Sonics are not the Thunder although the team moved from Seattle which won a championship. The Thunder are not the former Sonics since Seattle owns the rights to the name. We could say the Thunder also should be included in our count as a never won team. It’s interesting several teams named have been successful on the basketball court but unable to win an NBA Championship.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Win or go home

How many times have we heard the term used in the headline you just read? Unlike the NBA which conducts a playoff series the NCAA Tourney is one and done. That’s what occurred for my Missouri Tigers Thursday evening against the Drake Bulldogs, the score read Drake 67 Missouri 57. Drake managed to beat Missouri in all facets of the game holding them to 33% shooting, 25% from three. Missouri did manage to outshoot Drake from the free-throw line but that was about it. Oftentimes we don’t give the other guy his or her their just do, sometimes I’m unsure why.

Much as I hate to write this it was plain and simple Drake was the better team on Thursday. As for preparation, I borrow a line from Mike Tyson former heavyweight boxing champion. Ben McCollum won 4 NCAA D-II Championships while at Northwest Missouri State, he knows a thing or two about preparation. Tyson once said, “Everyone has a plan until you get smacked in the mouth the first time” or something similar. Believe me as soon as the opponent was known on Selection Sunday both Ben McCollum and Dennis Gates and their staffs went to work. Each coach and staff had all day Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday to prepare for the late Thursday night game. No amount of practice (or video study) for that matter prepares you for the action and speed of an actual game. Missouri was prepared, did they execute their game plan…I would say NO. We might add this to the discussion, how much did Drake’s play impact what Missouri intended to accomplish? It appeared early on Drake was comfortable and moving at a pace they dictated, Missouri was on its heels for much of the first half of the game.

As a member of Mizzou Nation I am extremely disappointed, despite that fact the loss is not the end of the world for me. After all it’s just a game, recovery is possible but I know members of Mizzou Nation want satisfaction right now. I’ve got news for them that it won’t occur until next season which I can look toward next with enthusiasm. I believe in the coach and what he is trying to accomplish, he’s a good recruiter and provided the freshman who played little will be prepared to assume their role next season. My hope is Missouri fans keep this in mind and try not to fire Gates again. It was a different time but how would history have turned out if Duke had pulled the plug? Coach K. was 17-13, 10-17 and 11-17 in his first three years at the helm.

Meanwhile….

A friend provided me this information and I am sharing it, like me you might not have been aware of this data. Most are familiar with the fact Cooper Flagg of Duke is from Maine, he attended and played for Montverde Academy in Florida. Last year’s Montverde lineup was impressive in addition to Flagg. Derek Queen (Maryland), Liam McNeeley (UConn), Asa Newell (Georgia), Robert Wright III (Baylor). This contingent of athletes made a name for themselves in their freshman year at their respective schools. Coach Kevin Boyle left Montverde for SPIRE Academy (OH) after winning 8 out of the last 12 national championships. SPIRE is located in Geneva about 47 miles west of Cleveland.

Sterling Young is a 6 foot 1 guard who calls Queens, New York home. Young played for Florida A&M an HBCU school, this recently completed season he led the Rattlers in scoring with a 17 points a game average. Young has entered the transfer portal and I wonder if some Division I school is interested in him. You might remember in the 1950’s and 1960’s HBCU schools were once fertile ground for producing NBA talent. Earl ‘The Pearl’ Monroe, Willis Reed, Sam Jones and a number of past NBA greats matriculated at HBCU schools.   

The Lakers would be extremely shorthanded for their Thursday game against the Bucks. Number 77 is still managing a gimpy ankle, he sat out this back to back game. There was no LeBron…no Rui, a makeshift lineup appeared for the game. The Bucks were expected to win, which they did 118-89 however there was other related news. Bronny James came off the bench and experienced his best game as an NBA pro. He shot 70% from the floor, had 5 assists and 3 rebounds for the shorthanded Lakers.

It’s not always been this way

Baltimore Maryland is similar to my hometown Kansas City. We had NBA basketball but it went away years ago, truth is Baltimore lost its team long before we lost the Kings. In 1973 the team relocated to Landover Maryland and later Washington D.C., they are now today’s Wizards. Most are unaware there were two Baltimore Bullets teams, the first began play in 1944 and were members of the defunct American Basketball League, they played in that league until 1947. The records are not clear so I am unable to provide the complete story.

In the fall of 1947 the Bullets moved to the Basketball Association of America or BAA. In 1949 the BAA and National Basketball League merged becoming the NBA we recognize today. Early in the 1954 season the Bullets franchise closed, there is no indication what occurred with the players. Baltimore would remain without NBA basketball until the 1963-64 season, the expansion Packers would move from Chicago after two seasons. Arriving in Baltimore the team would take up the name of the city’s first professional team…the Bullets. Due to the city being so nearby to Washington D.C. there will be no third edition of the Bullets. Today there would be no Milwaukee-Chicago, two franchises short distance travel wise from another.

Basketball from a fans perspective

That’s a considerable number of zero’s

We knew the Boston Celtics had been placed on the market, what totally shocked us was the announced price of the sale. Bill Chisholm, who co-founded an equity firm is reported to have paid $6.1 billion for the team, which is a record, this is the largest amount to date for the sale of any sports franchise in North America. This makes for a statement regarding the NBA, which is opinion only, you can take it or leave it. We continue to read and hear stories regarding the fact NBA television viewership is down. I have no basis for disputing anyone who reports this but I have a response, maybe a couple. Check this out, the new television deal which takes effect next season is astronomical.

It’s an 11-year contract reported to be $76 billion for the television partners of ESPN/ABC, NBC and Amazon. We have two record amounts, the sale of the Celtics and the television contract. Why in the world would those with deep, deep pockets be willing to lay down their money for a “losing product?” I’ve long believed this to be a fact, there are many who think the NBA is in competition with the NBA for fans. I refuse to subscribe to that theory, I happen to think there are casual NFL fans who are rabid NBA fans and vice-versa. In addition how can a weekend sport (NFL) compete with one that plays it’s games Sunday-Saturday? Besides that we are talking of a 16 game schedule (excluding the playoffs & Super Bowl) versus one that plays 82 games (excluding playoffs). I am not going to contend the NBA has no problems, just as any entity with human beings there are issues which must be resolved.

He was there till he wasn’t

Will Wade is the head coach at McNeese State/North Carolina State. You are aware McNeese is playing in the NCAA Tournament and the coach is leaving. For those who might believe I am critical of Wade, far from it, anyone who has an opportunity to better themselves should do just that. In this instance it’s the timing of the announcement. We always talk about loyalty to the school and the coach, it’s a two-way contract. The coach should have a degree of loyalty to players he most likely recruited.

He ain’t that smart…on the other hand

JJ Redick has always intrigued me, All American basketball player and Duke graduate. To show his intellect he was forced to reinvent himself once he arrived in the NBA. In college he was a starter and played major minutes, in the NBA he became a valued reserve player and 3-point specialist. Drafted by the Magic he struggled adapting to the NBA, at a one point some might have considered him a bust. It was in his 4th year Reddick transited into a valued 3-point specialist. Never playing starter minutes he honed his skills from three and became a respected asset to several NBA teams during the course of his career.

In 2021 Redick retired from the NBA as a member of the Mavs after a 15-year NBA career. He’d transitioned into a role in media prior to his retirement, the next major move was a surprise to almost everyone except Laker management. June 24, 2024, the Lakers hired Redick as their 29th head coach and many including this writer said loudly…what! The question revolved around the fact he’d never served as a head coach, truth is Redick had not even served as an assistant anywhere, college or the NBA. An NBA team must have talent on its roster, second to that a team must buy into the direction the head coach is targeting. What is a pending disaster, players who don’t agree with the leadership of their coach. It’s clear in my book Redick should receive a few votes for NBA Coach of the Year.

Meanwhile…

See, you thought it was just me who had a problem with Stephen A. Smith. “Yeah, Stephen A.” Durant said to the Athletic. “I’ve been in the league for 18 years, I’ve never seen Stephen A. at a practice or a film session, or a shoot-around. I’ve never seen him anywhere but on TV talking s----about players…He’s a clown to me. He’s always been a clown. You can write that down.” Which is exactly what the Athletic did for us to read.

The NAIA Men’s Basketball Tournament is somewhat ignored now but that has not always been the case. It’s now overshadowed by the glitz and glamour associated surrounding March Madness and promoted by CBS, ESPN and most sports media. Despite that bit of information 64 teams have journeyed to Kansas City MO to compete in the 87th Annual Men’s Basketball Tournament. It should be of note, NAIA membership also includes two Canadian Universities. Dates are March 20-25 for tournament action, ESPN may broadcast the championship game although that’s not confirmed yet.  

Their remains a question, will Gregg Popovich ever return and coach the Spurs again? After suffering what is described as a “minor stroke” the 76-year old coach has spent the major portion of the NBA season on the sidelines. There are extensive demands required to coach in the NBA…demands and pressure most of us probably don’t face daily. With that consideration plus health challenges it may be something Pop is unwilling to deal with especially with such a short coaching window remaining for him anyway. Some of you might be under the impression I am pushing Pop out the door…you can forget that thought. If he believes he is able to return to coaching on a daily basis so be it. 

Basketball from a fans perspective

360 degrees of Bill Self

Several of you reading this remember that in mid to late February Kansas was struggling on the basketball court and Bill Self’s name was mentioned regarding a change. There were reports not substantiated that the coach might be resigning at Kansas and taking over for Gregg Popovich should the coach retire. There is a circle in place for this story, at the time Larry Brown was the head coach at Kansas his coaching staff consisted of several individuals who would later become household names in the NBA and in college basketball.

Alvin Gentry, longtime NBA head coach with several stops, seated near him was Bill Self present head coach at Kansas. Next to Self was RC Buford long-time executive with the Spurs and next to him was Gregg Popovich. Now the connection between Buford and Self including Popovich is clear. If this appears to be written with negative intent that is not the case, the intent was to offer an explanation as to why Self’s name is mentioned in conversation for head coach of the Spurs. I didn’t have this information prior to recently so you and I are enlightened with the history. This is one of those stories although unlikely to occur has a source for the speculation.

Sometimes they miss

I’m back again with the same question, why did you choose them? Several reading this might remember the name Sam Bowie, he played at Kentucky, he stood 7 foot 1 and possessed all the tools. The Blazers wanted Hakeem Olajuwon in 1984 but he was made the first pick by the Rockets, the Blazers had the second pick and still needing a center chose Bowie. The Bulls with pick number three chose Michael Jordan and the rest of the story is NBA history except for the injuries. Bowie had an average NBA career but damages kept him from being the player the Blazers projected him to be.

Anytime a player arrives in the NBA the judgement of whether he becomes a boon or bust sometimes rages. A website contained its list of players who failed to live up to expectations. The list contained several players I conclude should have been omitted, just like Bowie injuries seriously impacted the career expected. These are not in any order of their NBA arrival but first is Jay Williams. You are probably accustomed to seeing him behind the mic for ESPN. An All-American at Duke this guard was made the second pick in the 2002 NBA Draft by the Bulls. He had an average rookie season, however, none in what would be his sophomore year. Williams suffered a career ending injury while riding a motorcycle in the off season.

How good was 7 foot 273 pound Greg Oden, the Ohio State Big Man was made the number one pick by the Blazers (them again) in 2007. One NBA scout said of Oden pre-NBA, “He might be the second coming of Bill Russell.” Successive injuries prevented Oden from reaching his potential. We close this with the name of Bobby Hurley, currently the basketball coach at Arizona State, he was drafted 7th in 1993 by the Kings after an All American career playing at Duke. A severe car accident ended his NBA career. A thorough investigation is crucial before writing articles of this type.

Two New York teams

New York City has two NBA teams: the Knicks and the Nets. The Knicks play at Madison Square Garden and claim all of New York City as their fan base, whereas the Nets play at Barclays Center and their fans are primarily located in Brooklyn. As for the history the Knicks have a long history dating back to 1946 with the founding of the Basketball Association of America (BAA). Conversely, the Nets started in 1967 as part of the American Basketball Association (ABA), playing initially in New Jersey, then Long Island as the New York Nets,

In 1976 the Nets and three other ABA teams made the move into the NBA. After returning to New Jersey, they became the New Jersey Nets until moving to Brooklyn in 2012. While there is no apparent reason for adopting the borough name, it might be nostalgic, reminiscent of the Brooklyn Dodgers baseball team. The Knicks are deeply rooted in New York City culture, with notable fans like Spike Lee, despite his Brooklyn origins, remaining loyal to them. Both teams have their share of supporters in the entertainment industry, but the Nets have grown significantly since their inception in Teaneck, New Jersey. Since their founding, there have been a number of sites that served as home for the Nets around the New Jersey-New York metro.

All-American

The headline is the term applied to the best college football or basketball player in the nation. It’s my belief to the general sports public it’s not as big a deal as it once was. As an example here’s an exercise for you…can you name any member who was named a 2024 College All American First Team? The timer begins now if you can’t name even one? Well I have an advantage over you unless you have a good memory, I have Google.

Don’t worry my memory ain’t that good either, with the considerable number of players headed to the NBA after a single season it’s difficult to retain the information. I will provide you at least two names, Zach Edey Purdue and Dalton Knecht Tennessee. The 2025 All American teams were announced, for our purposes we’ll only look at the first team. Auburn’s Johni Broome and Duke’s Cooper Flagg were unanimous choices as All Americans. The teams of all five All Americans will be present as the NCAA Tournament begins, in addition both Auburn and Duke are number one seeds.

Johni Broome-Auburn

Cooper Flagg-Duke

Mark Sears-Alabama

Braden Smith-Purdue

Walter Clayton Jr.-Florida