A fans perspective

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It begins anew  

The basketball season is now underway at both the collegiate and NBA levels. High school basketball is scheduled to start in December. In light of these developments, I have decided to introduce an additional publishing day. Starting next week, only Tuesday and Thursday will remain as non-publishing days, with the new revised schedule taking effect a Sunday edition  will be available. Adding an additional day it is my hope to provide as much additional content as I am able. Thanks to your loyalty to this blog and I look forward to continue publishing Off the Dribble.  

What if….

Michael Ray Richardson died on Tuesday of prostate cancer at the age of 70. He arrived in the NBA from the University of Montana in 1978 the 4th pick in the first round by the Knicks. Sugar as he was nicknamed was ‘Magic Johnson’ prior to the arrival of Earvin Jr., his ability to dish the ball to teammates was….well magic. He would play for three NBA teams, the Knicks and the Warriors briefly before ending his NBA career in 1986 with the Nets. Richardson was one of the first players in the league banned for life due to drug usage. He’d been tested positive for cocaine three times in three years, as a result commissioner David Stern issued a lifetime ban. Unable to play in the NBA Richardson would first play for a team in the United States Basketball League and later one in the Continental Basketball Association prior to heading for Europe to continue to play basketball.

In Europe he continued play successfully for a number of clubs. Prior to his retirement the NBA would allow him to return however Richardson preferred to remain in Europe for the balance of his basketball career. After retirement he would move into the coaching ranks however none of the jobs were in the NBA. Although Richardson never played again at home he did return, living in Lawton Oklahoma he and Nets teammate Otis Birdsong would put on youth basketball clinics for a time. “Richardson was the subject of the TNT Network 2000 film Whatever Happened to Michael Ray?, narrated by Chris Rock.” Sometimes athletes make statements that last a lifetime, former NFL Jets coach Herman Edwards; “You play to win the game, you play to win the game…hello.” Richardson had one as well, while a member of a Knicks team not particularly good when question said: “The ship be sinking.” As for the headline What if…Richardson was a 4 time NBA All Star player plus 2 time NBA All Defensive First Team, just a tiny portion of an outstanding NBA career impacted by drugs curtailing his career?

A portion from Wikipedia

Mizzou Class of 2026

Dennis Gates and staff are doing their darndest to raise the level of play for the Mizzou Tigers. Until they are able to compete effectively in the SEC they will remain an afterthought in the eyes of all excepting students, alumni and fans. Gates has used the transfer portal and high school prospects to build his program. During the summer of 2025 most recruiting sites placed Mizzou as the top recruiting school for the Class of 2026. The college basketball season has now begun and we are into the early signing period which lasts from this writing until November 19.

Mizzou would be ranked by several sites as having the top recruiting class for 2026 but ahead of the signing period what does the promise of the future hold for Mizzou? 5-star prospect guard Jason Crowe Jr. is ranked the number 5 prospect in ESPN’s Top 100. Ranked number 14 is 5-star prospect and power forward Toni Bryant. Rounding out the list thus far is Aiden Chronister a 4-star prospect and number 83 on ESPN’s list. As I have attempted to point out in the past on more than one occasion this list details little. There are prospects who immediately adapt to the level up play in college basketball. As for others they are slow to adjust and in some instances they never play at the skill level expected although that’s certainly not the hope for Gates. NOTE: This was written ahead of signings, all three have signed on the dotted line.

His next move

Golden State guard Steph Curry is on the downhill side of his brilliant NBA career. Despite that fact there is always one more move and this one is a little unusual at least I believe it is. In a manner similar to a large number of NBA players generally the signing is with Nike and that would be Curry. Curry drafted in 2009 left Nike in 2013 signing with Under Armour as his adopted shoe, large number of three’s have been sunk by Curry in his Under Armour shoe however the 2025-26 season would be the last. No…Curry is not retiring at least as far as I can determine.

Starting next season he will play in his own shoe, the Curry Brand which appears to be similar to the Michael Jordan move of the past. MJ’s Air Jordan’s are a separate division of Nike, apparently that will occur for Curry too. I have seen no photos of the Curry shoe although I’m assured sneakerheads have seen them and are ready to buy the new shoe just as soon as it hits the market. In any event I am sure Curry made large sums of $$$ for Under Armour during the time he wore them. Check out the shoes he’s wearing this season, according to sources he is now permitted to wear any shoe until his brand goes on the market next season.