The view of a fan

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If you are a certain age

George Raveling died on Tuesday, he was 88 years of age, the headline says it all. Most reading this have no idea who he was and his contribution to college basketball. I’m going to begin his story in the middle, Raveling as a young man was in Washington D.C. at the time of the 1963 March on Washington. After Dr. King finished his “I have a Dream Speech he handed the paper to one of those on the speakers stand which happened to be Raveling. He’s held onto this piece of American History since that August 28, 1963, date. *“In 2021, he gave it to Villanova University. It is intended to be used in a long-term “on loan” arrangement.

It is currently on display at the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C.” As for basketball played at Villanova but begin coaching just a few years after his playing career was over. It was Villanova and Maryland as an assistant coach and then head coach at Washington State followed by Iowa and completed his coaching career at Southern Cal in 1994. In 2013 Raveling was enshrined in the College Basketball Hall of Fame. Two years later 2015, Raveling would be honored as the Naismith Hall of Fame also added his name to the list of honorees. He was retired from the game a time ago but continued to participate in other methods. George Raveling a name that basketball fans should be familiar with, R.I.P.

*Wikipedia

Better than Curry

The NBA draft can be unpredictable, with some selections meeting expectations and others falling short. This was especially apparent in the 2009 draft. At the time, general managers and scouts could not accurately predict Stephen Curry's future performance. The first pick that year was Blake Griffin from Oklahoma, a 6-foot-9, 250-pound forward known for his athleticism. Griffin missed his rookie season due to injury but was named NBA Rookie of the Year in 2011 and received additional accolades during his career. James Harden, selected third, has also had a notable NBA tenure and is currently a member of the Clippers.

Other early selections in that draft included Hasheem Thabeet (2), Tyreke Evans (4), Ricky Rubio (5), and Jonny Flynn (6), all of them chosen prior to the Warriors picking Curry. The names chosen before Steph Curry were thought to have more potential than the smallish point guard who was picked seventh. Scouts and front office folks really missed the boat on this one, his NBA career has been outstanding. Curry’s become a four-time NBA Champion, NBA Finals MVP, two-time NBA Most Valuable Player, and member of the NBA 75th Anniversary Team, among other distinctions. Five years after retirement expect an induction into the Naismith Hall of Fame, the College Basketball Hall could also name him an honoree. Curry’s selection as the number 7 in the draft highlights the unpredictable nature of the entire draft process.

A demoralizing injury

Some might remember the August 27 Off the Dribble, the portion written about the Kings. Yes, the Kansas City version of the Kings conducted a number of suspect draft picks. The talent never materialized at the level hoped for, there was one I omitted in that piece. His name was Phil Ford, after an outstanding college career at North Carolina the Kings made this talented point guard the second pick in the 1978 NBA draft and he certainly proved worthy. Point guard Ford along with backcourt mate Otis Birdsong were quite a pair, Ford would be named 1979 NBA Rookie of the Year, NBA Second Team and All NBA Rookie First Team, that says a great deal about his prospects for a successful career.

In his rookie year against the Bucks in a victory Ford had 22 assists, 26 points 5 rebounds and 5 steals, good numbers for a 6-foot 2 point guard. In his third year Ford suffered an eye injury which required surgery, this occurred in February 1981 forcing him to miss the balance of the season. Ford would return the following season however he was never the same player, he was traded to the Nets moved on to the Bucks and finished his NBA career a member of the Rockets. The eye injury derailed what many considered a promising start for Ford and also provides further proof. Kings management conducted a number of pathetic drafts while the team was in Kansas City…selecting Phil Ford was not one of them.

New beginning and new partners

The 2025-26 NBA season will commence on October 21, 2025. For the majority of fans, including this author, opportunities to attend NBA games in person are limited; therefore, most audiences experience the NBA primarily through televised broadcasts. This season introduces a new media rights agreement, marking the first time since 1989-90 that TNT will not be among the league’s broadcasters. Instead, two new streaming platforms, Peacock and Amazon Prime, have joined as official partners. As a result, viewers may need to subscribe to one or both services to access certain games, or opt to forgo those matchups. The weekly broadcast schedule has been established in advance and is outlined below.

Monday – Peacock

Tuesday – NBC, Peacock

Wednesday – ESPN

Thursday – Amazon Prime-90

Friday – ESPN, Amazon Prime

Saturday – Amazon Prime (afternoon), ABC (primetime)

Sun – ABC (afternoon), NBC/Peacock (primetime)