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Show me….don’t just tell me

By now I believe I stated enough times in this blog the motto of Missouri is The Show Me State. A classic statement made by some is “I’m from Missouri, you’ve Got to Show Me.” That is the case for Dennis Gates and crew, headed into the 2026-27 season the school located in Columbia has its most competitive team maybe in the history of the basketball program. All components point skyward, an outstanding incoming crop of freshman, a competitive bunch of portal transfers plus the holdovers. As most are aware the NCAA Tournament will be expanded next spring, based on that fact Joe Lunardi ESPN Tournament guru looked ahead and began placing teams in various slots around the country. As for the tournament, the floor would be reaching the round of 32, while the ceiling would be a trip to the Sweet 16. Either outcome would place the team in the kind of territory Mizzou Nation has hoped for years. As the headline suggests, results matter far more than cheap talk on my part.

How did they do it

We’ve discussed the various methods of NBA teams acquiring talent, some teams like my Lakers in recent years it’s been a process of free agents. Other teams such as the Thunder and now the Spurs have built their teams to success through acquisition of talent in the draft. At the same time, every prospect in the draft is not prepared for all pro play at the beginning however a number are, the Thunder have done an excellent job in this area. It would appear the Spurs have tasted much of their success by the same method.

Reviewing the first-round draft selections reveals their significant contributions to the Spurs current competitiveness. The list below represents a starting five, though not every individual regularly assumes that role. While there have occasionally been less successful picks, overall trends suggest strong organizational practices. The Spurs' exceptional scouting has enabled them to assemble this impressive group of players. Regarding the 2023 choice of Wemby, his performance in France made him an obvious and well-considered selection following thorough evaluation.

Devin Vassell-2020

Victor Wembanyama-2023

Stephen Castle-2025

Carter Bryant-2025

Dylan Harper-2025

Meanwhile….

I don’t have permission to provide renderings of the arena however I can advise you they are available. Mancia Architects among the number of Kansas City MO sports architecture firms has released renderings of the planned Thunder arena which will replace Paycom Center. Continental Resources an oil and gas company has secured naming rights and it is now the Continental Coliseum. The current timeline has Continental Coliseum opening for the 2028-29 NBA season. You can check it out for yourself, Google either the architects or the naming rights company.

It was never about the money, I don’t know Steve Kerr personally however I believe what I just wrote. After contemplating his future for the last past two weeks he’s decided to return as head coach for the Warriors. Kerr will sign a 2-year extension that will continue to make him the highest paid coach in the NBA. Two considerations I believe might have impacted his decision. The possibility of re-building a new Warriors team without Steph Curry soon and weary of the daily grind associated with coaching in the NBA.

Not quite ol Skool

If you are a seasoned NBA fan or one who is familiar with the history you are aware of this fact. Rivalries existed between teams and more specifically several players. Back in the day there was Russell-Chamberlain which later became Abdul Jabbar and Chamberlain. Later it was Magic-Bird, intense rivalry on the basketball court. Although it’s not there yet there is at least one rivalry I can point towards, it’s the one between Thunder power forward/center Chet Holmgren and Spurs power forward/center Victor Wembanyama.

Perhaps most of you fail to realize it exists and truth be told maybe it only exists from the Spurs side. Basketball is a world-wide sport however its more popular in the U.S. than other nations of the world. Chet Holmgren 7-foot 1 and then less than 200 pounds burst on the scene as a high school athlete, those who follow the game were familiar with his name, as for Wembanyama that was a different story. After Jonathan Kuminga reclassified Holmgren would become the number one college prospect in his senior year of high school. He would go on to play one season at Gonzaga before declaring for the NBA draft. As for the other guy, prior to college Wembanyama and Holmgren would meet on the basketball court in an under 19 championship game. It was clear to all Wembanyama had outplayed the more well known Holmgren, Team USA won the game with Team France coming in second despite the fact Wembanyama was clearly better at least that day than Holmgren.

With Holmgren being a year older and playing for the Thunder it would be a time before the two opponents would face each other again. It’s my belief and I offer you NO PROOF Wembanyama wants to best Holmgren every time they face one another. With the Thunder having the best record in the NBA and the Spurs the second best it would prove interesting if these two giants face one another on the basketball court in the playoffs. Wembanyama is bound and determined to prove to the world he is the better of the two.