Basketball from a fans perspective

I’m tired 

This narrative was unplanned, but here goes anyway. As an avid basketball enthusiast, I am often frustrated by "football analysts" discussing basketball. I prefer experts like Jay Bilas and Mike DeCoursey who dedicate themselves to covering college basketball comprehensively. They have an in-depth understanding of the game, focusing solely on college basketball rather than transitioning from other sports like football.

The discussion at hand began on local sports talk radio, featuring a guest from Fox Sports. After extensive conversation about the NFL, one of the hosts asked the guest about college basketball. His response included, “I’ve been trying to get into college basketball, but it’s a bad product.” He then commented on Duke’s Cooper Flagg, expressing doubt about Flagg's potential to dominate in the NBA. I found this offensive, considering he admitted his primary focus is the NFL. Furthermore, no credible analysis has suggested that Flagg will enter the NBA as a dominant force; instead, he is expected to be a "complementary player." While it is possible Flagg could struggle in the NBA, it is premature to anticipate such outcomes without seeing him play. Additionally, the guest remarked, “Unless you are a graduate or attended a specific school, that’s probably the only team you will follow.” Personally, I follow more than just Missouri basketball and frequently watch various games. Recently, I watched the Kansas-Houston game in its entirety.

While it is understandable if some individuals only follow one school, it does not apply to everyone. In closing, although I grew up loving NFL football, especially the Chiefs, the Fox guest's assertion that people only follow one college basketball team contrasts with my experience. However, I do follow only one NFL team—the Chiefs. It is worth noting that in a 4-hour sports talk radio slot, NFL football occupies approximately 3.5 hours of the discussion. I cannot speak for other parts of the nation that’s what exist for Kansas City sports talk radio. It’s clear that’s what the vast majority want Chiefs and NFL talk all day and into the evening. Am I being too tough on the locals…I don’t think so.

Meanwhile…

The focus here is on Laker center Jaxson Hayes. Though it may seem he has been in the NBA for an extended period, he is just 24 years old. Standing at 7 feet tall 220 pounds, Hayes first garnered attention during his time at the University of Texas. Following his freshman year, he declared for the NBA draft and was selected as the 8th overall pick in the first round by the Hawks in 2019. However, his rights were traded to the Pelicans on draft night, where he played until July 2023 when he signed a free-agent contract with the Lakers.  Prior to the Anthony Davis trade, Hayes primarily served as an occasional starter and backup to Davis. The trade subsequently elevated him to the role of starter. While Hayes may not evoke memories of the All-Star post players from previous Laker teams, JJ Redick, his coach has expressed satisfaction with his play in the post. It is worth a mention Hayes' father Jonathan had a 9-year career in the NFL, playing for the Chiefs and Steelers.

Leonard Hamilton, the longtime head coach at Florida State, has announced his retirement at the end of this season. FSU will be looking for a replacement for the coach, with Dennis Gates excluded as an option. For those unfamiliar, Missouri’s Gates was an assistant to Hamilton for several years and considers Hamilton his mentor. Recently, the name Sam Cassell has been mentioned. Cassell played in the NBA from 1993-2008 and has served as an assistant coach at three different NBA teams since then. He is currently an assistant with the Celtics. It is unclear whether Cassell is interested in coaching college basketball at this time, but it is expected that FSU will contact him to determine his interest in the position. 

A common issue in basketball analysis is that we often focus primarily on point totals. Following that, we may consider the number of rebounds, assists, or blocked shots a player accumulates in a game or over the season. However, we seldom critique individual or team defensive efforts, despite defense frequently being the key to victory. It is widely believed that playing defense requires significantly more effort than scoring. A player must exert greater energy in his defensive play compared to his offensive game. With this understanding, apart from the acquisition of Luka, are you aware of the Lakers' standing in terms of defense? Since January 15, their performance in this area has improved dramatically, with the Lakers ranking first in each of the following categories:

Defensive Rating    

Opp Points         

Opp Field Goals  

Opp 3-Point FG

Opp Pts in Paint

   

I cannot prove this to be true

Will San Antonio become a prime destination for free agents thanks to Wemby? That is the thought in NBA circles although no one probably is willing to admit. I’ve traveled to Texas primarily the Dallas-Fort Worth metro and Houston, I have a distant relative who lives in San Antonio but have never visited there. Once upon a time it was believed the NBA wanted its stars in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago or Miami. That was it, it recent years that scenario appears to be a non-issue. The NBA might have been pleased, LeBron James from nearby Akron drafted by the Cavs.

James would eventually leave however that’s another story. It was known that in 2019 Zion Williamson was going to be drafted by New Orleans one of the smallest NBA markets in the nation. In 2022 the Thunder drafted Chet Holmgren with the second pick, it’s apparent the league had no issue with this as well. There are a bunch of conditions that have caused the NBA to look at where a potential All Star plays as not that big a deal. I believe one of the factors is the ever expanding television contract. Currently we have TNT, ESPN/ABC, NBA-TV plus a host of Bally Sports Network channels, next season the contract changes. TNT leaves the family of channels but is replaced by the NBC Network and Amazon.