A basketball fans outlook

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He belongs

I must admit it, I am often fooled by what’s in front of me. That is the case because Houston’s Kingston Flemings is no longer a freshman, sure that’s what his enrollment might detail for us but he’s prepared to play at the next level. The 6-foot 4 point guard plays the game at a high skill level that’s why I believe this. He is going to be an NBA talent or a bust, I happen to believe the talent more than a lack of ability to play in the NBA. Of course I am not the only one he might have fooled, most 2026 mock draft sites project him as the number five pick.

With the standings not finalized he could wind up being picked by the Nets, Wizards, Kings or Jazz. His selection by one or more of the named teams might not be his final destination. A draft night trade just might send him to another starting point after all its occurred for many other players. I can never be for sure, you remember I began this exercise by claiming I might be fooled by what I see him in action for the University of Houston. On the other hand maybe he belongs in the NBA. June will be here before we know it and we discover the where, if Flemings decides to move up he will be in some teams training camp in late summer.

Are they for real

The question might be asked, “Are the Spurs for real?” Of course this is made due to the sprint the team’s made toward the top of the Western Conference standings. Make no mistake about it this is Mitch Johnson’s team, Pop laid the foundation but this is strictly the 39-year old head coaches’ Spurs team. We could look at Friday evenings victory as an example, the team had played the previous night and won against the Pistons. They returned home to face the rejuvenated well rested Clippers and that appeared to be the case. The Spurs seemed to be “stuck” in the mud unable to keep up with the steady pace the Clippers exhibited early.

They ran through and around the Spurs leading them to a 20 point plus lead at stages of the game. Halftime saw the Clippers hold a 66-46 advantage, it appeared the Spurs were “dead in the water” unable to regain the momentum that led them to victory the previous night. The assault begin in the second half of the game with the Spurs down 25 points. The rejuvenation was primarily led by Julian Champagnie who ended the night scoring 20 points, in addition to playing outstanding defense. Late in the 4th quarter the Spurs resurgence was in full effect as coach Johnson made adjustments. It wasn’t just Champagnie although he was a key to the victory, Wemby was there as well. Forget the points, it was his defense and dunk on a fast break that ultimately led them to victory 116-112. Are the Spurs for real, you be the judge on that one.

You’ve got to work at it

There are a bunch of if’s for this account, IF they come about I believe the Lakers will be a much better team. Notice I didn’t say championship, that will only occur if the pieces manage to fit. Okay, with that here goes…there has been no indication Flory Bidunga will leave Kansas for the 2026 NBA draft. IF he decides on the NBA I will be extremely disappointed IF the Lakers have an opportunity to draft him but pass. Bidunga is in the middle of his sophomore year at Kansas but has proven to be “adept at rim protection, rebounding and efficient finishing” according to scouting reports. Bidunga stands 6-foot 10 and 235 pounds, he’s got a 7 foot 3 wingspan which gives us an idea why he is efficient at shot blocking. Although Kansas list him as a forward I believe he could play center especially in a Luka lob offense.

IF Bidunga continues to progress defensively and offensively the sky is the limit for this youngster from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Should Bidunga decide to leave its possible a team drafting ahead of the Lakers could choose him. Despite that possibility I maintain there is an NBA career ahead of him if he intends to work at it. Based on his rise from a freshman to this season that would appear to be the case….working at his craft. His freshman numbers 16 minutes a game resulted in 5.4 rebounds and 5.9 points, contrast that with those of his sophomore season. 31 minutes, 9 rebounds and nearly 14 points a game. How good was he, Jay Bilas placed Bidunga on his All American First Team. The youngster just might return to Kansas for his junior year however I would question why. The why based on his defensive prowess that has been evidenced in his second year.

If you’ve read this already

I’m unsure if I mentioned this previously, in the day of social media and podcasts you come across questionable content. This podcast popped up on one of my social media feeds, a person I’d never seen or heard of in the past began a diatribe on Duke’s Cameron Boozer. Often when I write on a players ability I hope it is approached with caution. The basis for my reasoning is at the top, it reads: “A basketball fans outlook.” That says it all, I have opinions and certainly express them however they are not your only source.

This podcaster “attacked” the game of Boozer in the brief bit of information he provided I don’t remember a single positive statement he made. Probably the issue I found most offensive was this. “Just like his father (Carlos) Cameron’s game has little lift” I guess the podcaster was attempting to point out the Duke youngsters’ game contained little elevation. Everyone that plays the game even at the collegiate level might have what some see as deficiencies. Let’s check out what the mock drafts think of Boozer, keep in mind these mocks are not barometer on future NBA success…they are potential only. All three of these sites project Boozer as the number three selection, nbadraft.net, nbadraftroom.com, tankathon.com/mock. No requirement to check my credentials, I’m just a guy who loves reporting on basketball.