Basketball from a fan perspective

What to expect

With the apparent hire of Tom Thibodeau, the revamp Knicks front office is ready for the 2020-21 NBA season.   The spring season witnessed the hire of Leon Rose as president, also added was General Manager Scott Perry.  There might be other changes in the executive management team, but those hires plus Thibodeau are probably the majors.  Thibodeau becomes the 11th head or interim coach since 2005, what to expect from the Knicks is very much on the mind of rabid but often disappointed Knick fans.  Talent exists in the form of Julius Randle, RJ Barnett, and Mitchell Robinson. 

The balance of the roster appears to be a mix of talent but no particular player that stands out.  The Knicks will have a lottery pick however unless one of those names is a LeBron James or Kareem type expect them to struggle even with a new coach.  There might have been a time New York City would have been a prime destination for a free agent but no more. Nothing to do with the city it is the poor play on the court and James Dolan.  There are plenty of unanswered questions, chief among them is the owner.  For reasons too numerous to detail Dolan is among the worst owners in the NBA, there are a select few who fit that role.  

Best college lineup

The UCLA teams of Lew Alcindor were exceptionally good, so were several other college teams.  If we look back in time the 1981-82 North Carolina Tarheels might have had the best starting lineup ever.  Who can compete with a lineup featuring Michael Jordan, James Worthy and Sam Perkins?  The Perkins name might be unfamiliar to many depending on your age.  The 6-foot 9-inch power forward had a 17-year NBA career playing for a few teams. 

Consider this tidbit of information, Michael Jordan, Naismith Hall of Fame, James Worthy, Naismith Hall of Fame, and Sam Perkins James College Basketball Hall of Fame.  There are likely other outstanding collegiate teammates who experienced NBA careers.  We doubt if there are any compared to this trio of Tarheels.  Keep in mind this account is strictly memory with a check of bio information on Jordan, Worthy and Perkins.  Perhaps I could be wrong there might be another tandem as noteworthy as these.   

I like Shaka Smart

The disclaimer so to speak is in the headline for a reason, I like Shaka Smart.  This man crush first occurred when he burst on the national scene in 2011 with his VCU team earning a Final Four Berth.  His VCU teams were always on the plus side in winning, when he left, they were 163 up and 56 down for a sparkling .744 winning percentage.  At the time Smart was hired at Texas I thought, “easy peasy”, he could just recruit in the State of Texas and turn out winning teams’ season after season.  A strange thing occurred on the road to consistent accomplishing wins, there is modest proof. 

Smart has a +.500 record however his crown is not sparkling at the manner it did while he was head coach at VCU.  Is Smart overmatched trying to compete in the Big 12 Conference, is there something else we cannot see with this view from 20,000 feet?  Last season Texas finished with a 19-12 record along with 9-9 in the conference.  Rest assured that record likely does not sit well with the Athletic Department, students, alumni, and fans.  I have no idea the length of Smart’s contract, but the coach must be skating on thin ice at this point.  Will the 2020-2021 season become the swan song for Smart?   

They moved too

We profiled the many moves of the Atlanta Hawks, there are other NBA teams with multiple moves.  Today’s Sacramento Kings are that team, beginning on the east coast there has been a steady westward migration.  The Royals as they were known began play in Rochester a city in upstate New York in 1945.  They were members of the National Basketball League but defected to the Basketball Association of America in 1948, the following season the leagues merged becoming today's NBA.  

In 1957 came a move to Cincinnati as the history indicate they failed financially in Rochester.  Once in the Ohio city they drafted the great Oscar Robertson and several other talents but always faced the vaulted Celtic Dynasty.  In 1972 the team moved to Kansas City-Omaha, they brought the talented Tiny Archibald and Sam Lacey with them however they were never able to sustain success on the court.  In 1977 Omaha was dropped and the team became the Kansas City Kings playing games in the Missouri city only.  In 1985 the Kings moved to Sacramento California, we have the Rochester/Cincinnati/Kansas City/Sacramento Royals/Kings history.   

Basketball from a fan perspective

Just when you think you know it all

The Knicks now have a head coach, former Wolves Coach Tom Thibodeau has/will sign a 5-year contract to coach the Knicks.  I did not realize this will be his second go round with the Knicks, he served as an assistant from 1996-2004.  Later he moved to the Rockets and Celtics as an assistant, Thibodeau’s first head coaching job was the Bulls and later he would coach the Wolves.  He certainly has his work cut out for him with the Knicks, although talent certainly exists they are one of the worst teams in the NBA.  

If you hate Duke, you can skip reading

This is no rush to judgement; the court is yet to rule.  It appears, notice the word Zion Williamson appears to have been eligible to play at Duke.  You remember the story a former agency had taken him to court over a contract his advisors terminated.  They made the claim Williamson had signed a contract while enrolled at Duke which would have made him ineligible his freshman year. 

The account from there becomes muddled even more, evidence was entered which turned out to be doctored.  A fake driver’s license and payment was made to a Williamson “family member” is a portion of the claim.  Is Williamson guilty of anything, certainly we cannot be sure at this point.  That does not appear to be the case as this is written, stay tuned for further developments.  If this account proves incorrect it will be so noted at the conclusion of this trial.   

It is me

It seems almost every day we receive news an NBA player has left Orlando for a wide variety of reasons.  Why not just stop a minute and consider a single fact, these players are all in a bubble? If they were in their home cities issues of a similar nature might still exist, they only become highlighted due to the pandemic and the conditions NBA players are enduring at this point. As for the returning players, they are tested then quarantined before they can return so there should be little issue with transferring COVID-19 to other players.  

The Logo  

Stephen A. Smith was one of the culprits, he was among several folks who believed the NBA logo required a change.  He and others were suggesting the Jerry West logo be replaced by LeBron James.  No argument from anyone LeBron James is the most recognized name in the NBA today.  Too much time has elapsed for me to provide detail on why Smith and others were promoting the change. 

The NBA in popularity ranks only behind on the NFL, West carried the weight of the NBA at the time this change was instituted.  At that time, the NBA ranked behind baseball and the NFL in popularity; it was slightly above a minor league at the time.  There is no issue with change however please provide a logical requirement other than “we want it.”  It should be of note the NBA had the logo designed and implemented without contacting West.  Nothing similar to that could occur in this age. 

Technology 

It should be apparent by now technology has outpaced the speed of today’s game.  An example might be a game between the Bucks and Thunder prior to shut-down.  Bucks forward Giannis Antetounmpo stepped out of bounds in his last drive toward the basket before he scored what became the winner 97-95.  In the NFL and MLB, the officials call a timeout turn to instant replay and make the call good or bad depending on your perspective.  Basketball certainly has replay capability but not on a similar type play.  NBA basketball has become too speedy a game to make the correct call all the time. 

If you checked out the replay the official is within 5 feet of Antetounmpo at the time the player is driving toward the basket.  The officials focus is on Antetounmpo’s upper body he is not looking at the location of the players foot.  Was the official in error, likely not he was in the position he should have been in.  Thunder broadcasters were not pleased with the outcome of the game however there is really nothing that could have been done to prevent the result in my view.  The NBA Competition Committee will explore viable solutions to late game out of bound plays, all I can say to that is good luck.  

Basketball from a fan perspective  

It was just an exhibition game

The Nuggets and Bol Bol won their game over the Wizards 89-82, immediately after the game he was drug tested.  Bol scored 16 points along with 10 rebounds and 6 blocked shots.  In one instance he blocked a shot dribbled down the court and sank a 3-point basket.  The 7 foot 2 Bol was drafted by the Heat in 2019 however his rights were traded to the Nuggets, he did not see much action due to a foot injury while at Oregon.  Two notes, the NBA conducts random drug tests, so this had nothing to do with Bol’s sterling game.  In addition, this was only an exhibition game, nor requirement to become too excited about the outcome or Bol.   

He wants to be an owner

The other day we reported owner Glen Taylor was placing his Wolves on the market.  Taylor indicated he wanted the new owners to keep the team in the Twin Cities.  Former Wolves forward Kevin Garnett had fallen out with Taylor while still an active player with the team.  That might have been the main reason for the trade, after a “career” with the Wolves he was sent to the Celtics in a trade. 

It is now being reported Garnett has assembled a group to place a bid for the Wolves.  There is never a lack of potential owners, this is commonplace in the NBA.  It is difficult to find an NBA team that failed to secure a buyer within a reasonable amount of time.  This from memory rather than documented, there is only one instance.  The owner died and the estate had to be settled before the team could be sold, that team remained om the market for several months before it was sold.   

No comparison intended

The disclaimer is up front, I ain’t saying he is that good yet.  We posted the news earlier Emoni Bates was headed to Michigan State in 2022.  At 6 foot 9 inches and 205 pounds his dimensions remind us of other slim basketball talents.  The first name is that of George Gervin, the Spurs guard stood 6 foot 7 inches and weighed 180 pounds.  Gervin had the best finger roll in basketball history…better than Wilt Chamberlain who stood 7 foot 1. 

Next up, former Pacer Reggie Miller who also stood 6 foot 7 but was 5 pounds heavier at 185.  Bates body of work is high school only so the comparison is likely speculative however the comparison is strictly dimensions.  There are other athletes we might compare however Gervin and Miller are the first that come to mind.  Bates is likely to gain weight and height he just might eventually come closer to Kevin Durant than Gervin or Miller.   

All Time Sonics

The franchise ceased to exist in 2008 with the move to Oklahoma City.  Beginning in 1967 as an expansion franchise they tasted success on the basketball court with talented players.  How about an all-time Sonics roster, which begins with two of the most high-profile players of the franchise?

Gary “The Glove” Payton

Shawn Kemp 

Jack Sikma

Spencer Hayward

Nate McMillan

Fred “Downtown” Brown

Gus Williams

Ray Allen

Detlef Schrempf

Xavier McDaniel

Depending on your age and NBA knowledge several names might be unfamiliar to you.  Check the names in basketball sources for detail on the players career. 

Once upon a time

Makur Maker earns a spot in this story not for what you might think.  This has nothing to do with his Howard University decision rather his 6 foot 11- or 7-foot height.  Maker is considered a power forward and not a center, if we teleport back to 1990, he is a center.  I jokingly place the blame on former Mavs player Dirk Nowitzki, he might have been the first “good” 7-foot athlete with a consistent outside shot.  One year later Kevin Garnett would arrive on the scene with outstanding shooting range for a 6-foot 11-inch guy. 

If we journey further back in time the Knicks Willis Reed and Piston Bill Laimbeer had decent range but nothing close to Dirk or Garnett.  Reed played at 6 foot 10 and Laimbeer 6 foot 11 both were genuine centers.  Perhaps the blame partially belongs on the Warriors and small ball rather than Dirk.  After all they certainly experienced a modicum of success with little if any offense coming from the center position.  Everything cycles, there will come a day the traditional center will return to the college and NBA game. 

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

Little news

If you noticed Words eye view contains a great deal of NBA news these days there is a valid explanation, COVID-19 has shut down all elements of amateur basketball.  There is little news as it relates to this level of basketball, the occasional high school prospect turning pro or naming a college is it.  No summer AAU basketball play and tournaments to cover, at some future date things will return to normal and youth basketball will be with us again.   

The first major step 

The Inglewood City Council approved the environmental impact study regarding the proposed Clippers Arena.  According to reports this approval is a major hurdle in the quest for owner Steve Ballmer to construct his own arena.  This might be considered the first major step by this owner because it details the man is serious.  The exit from sharing Staples Center is approaching, the 18,000-seat arena has a planned opening of 2024-25 season.  

As a Laker fan this is pleasing news, consider this fact.  At the time the Nets decided to move from New Jersey into New York City there was no thought of sharing the Knicks home Madison Square Garden.  The order is unclear however Barclays Center was constructed to serve as home court for the Nets.  Due to the owner’s business connections my initial thought he intended to move the franchise to Seattle.  The effort to build his own arena indicates he is tied to Metro Los Angeles if he remains the owner. 

They share a rare accomplishment

This list of college basketball coaches winning three consecutive national championships is tiny.  Take into consideration collegiate basketball has been played well over 100 years, in that time there have been only three coaches to accomplish a trifecta.  One of the names you are likely familiar with is John Wooden, he first began coaching at Indiana State, but it was UCLA where he earned his reputation.  The other two names might be unfamiliar however take note of their bio.  John McClendon’s team at Tennessee State an HBCU school won three consecutive NAIA Championships in 1957, 1958 and 1959.  McClendon graduated from Sumner High School in Kansas City (KS) he would later play at the junior college before transferring to Kansas University. 

At Kansas he was tutored by the game’s founder Dr. James A. Naismith.  The list of firsts by McClendon are too numerous to mention, just a few.  McClendon not Bill Russell was the first black coach in professional basketball when he was hired by the Cleveland Pipers of the American Basketball League.  McClendon would later coach Cleveland State becoming the  first black head coach at a non HBCU school.  The coach is enshrined in the Naismith and College Basketball Hall of Fame.  You should also know the name of Lucias Mitchell, he led his Kentucky State Thorobreds also an HBCU school to three consecutive NAIA Championships in 1970, 1971 and 1972. 

Two players from Mitchell’s three-peat team Travis Grant and Elmore Smith were first round NBA draft choices.  Mitchell was a successful coach at several other HBCU schools, his career record of 325-103 places his winning percentage at .759 ranking him 28th among all-time coaches in all divisions.  Mitchell was honored by Kentucky State with an induction in the school’s hall of fame in addition to his induction in the NAIA Hall of Fame.  John Wooden and two relatively unknown giants of the game.  All three stand at the peak of basketball success, due to limitations there is so much additional information available on the sterling careers of John McClendon and Lucias Mitchell.  With their names linked to that of John Wooden they are placed in an exclusive basketball club.

Penny

We might have never envisioned Penny Hardaway as a coach, if so, it might have been at the NBA level.  After a good but injury shortened NBA career he certainly would not have been coaching in college and probably more so at his alma mater the University of Memphis.  How about this truth, early on the public wondered about his given name “Anfernee?”  The story was told his name was Anthony and was mispronounced as Anfernee, that is not correct as his mom indicates she knew an Anfernee. 

As for Penny the coach he sorta backed into the job, a childhood friend who was the head coach at East High School ask for help.  His friend was ill and possibly was aware he might die.  Penny was hired as an assistant and later became head coach after his friend died.  In 2018 the University of Memphis hired him as its head coach.  It appears Penny has this recruiting thing down pat; the next issue is to mold the talent he’s managed to corral as a cohesive team.  This is but a brief account of Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway and his coaching journey.     

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

Exhibition play

Real play begins next week, it will not occur without scrimmage games, teams began play on Wednesday July 22.  Because these games do not show up on the schedule, we are unable to provide you a heads up.  As for Wednesday:

Orlando at Clippers,

Wizards at Nuggets,

Pelicans at Nets,

Kings at Heat  

The other guys

There has been so much media coverage on the missing Knicks head coach perhaps we forgot about the other guys.  We are about to do a re-start next week and the Knicks have no head coach, well the other New York team has no head coach either.  I am watching the Pelicans-Nets game on NBA TV; I did not turn the game on at the beginning so maybe this next item was covered.  During a break Jacque Vaughn was being interviewed, my thought, “Did they hire Vaughn and I missed it?”  Well not exactly a quick internet search indicated Vaughn is serving in the role of interim head coach.  A week from the start of the season and the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets have no head coach, interesting.   

The Hawks

Atlanta has been home for the Hawks franchise since 1968 however this was not always the case.  The team had New York, Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri, and Georgia in its history through several cities since its founding.  The team had its beginning in 1946 as the Buffalo Bisons but did not remain in New York.  After 38 days in New York State they moved to Moline Illinois and were re-named the Tri-City Blackhawks, the other two cities were Rock Island Illinois and Davenport Iowa. 

The Blackhawks were a founding NBL team but moved into the NBA with the 1949 merger between the NBL and BAA.  The legendary Red Auerbach once served as head coach while the team represented the Tri-Cities.  In 1951 the owner moved the team to Milwaukee, and they were re-named the Hawks, they remained in the northern Midwest city until 1955 when they moved again.  This time it was 5 hours and 31 minutes road miles south to reside in St. Louis where they remained until 1968 and the move to Atlanta.  So, there you have it the history of the Buffalo/Tri-Cities/Milwaukee/St. Louis/Atlanta Hawks.   

A missed wedding

We have one more instance of this pandemic impacting life, this time it is a wedding.  Rest assured this is not the first wedding however it is in the public eye due to one of the individuals.  Alex Caruso’s older sister will not have his presence when she marries.  Caruso a reserve guard with the Lakers looked at specifics before deciding to remain in Orlando.  This is a planned indoor wedding with 1,000 family and guests, secondly the State of Texas plus Arizona and Florida are hotbeds for the virus.  Finally, if Caruso left the “NBA Bubble” he would have been quarantined upon his return.  We must believe these three factors possibly others might have impacted Caruso's decision to miss the wedding.   

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

Bits and Pieces

Wolves owner Glen Taylor is interested in selling the team.  It appears his only condition is the team remains in the Twin Cities.  If you remember at one time Kevin Garnett was reported to be interested in owning an NBA team.  As for the Wolves it appears that ship has sailed since Garnett appears to want nothing to do with Taylor.  Garnett probably still desires to become an owner but purchasing it from Taylor is a different matter.  

The NBA Draft lottery has been moved from August 25 to August 20.  The date for the draft itself remains the same, October 16.  August 3 is the last date for college players to remove their name from the draft.  As for the location of the draft it will be held in the Barclays Center Brooklyn New York.   

New York City Dude 

Chris Mullen was a rarity, a New York City guy who remained at home.  Mullin first attended Power Memorial Lew Alcindor’s former school, he transferred to Xaverian High School.  After graduation (1981) Mullin chose to remain at home attending St. John’s University over several school choices.  The talented Mullin was All Big East three seasons while attending at St. John’s, in 1985 Golden State made him the 7^th pick in the first round.  Mullin would play for the Warriors until 1997.  Matched with Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond along with Chris this high scoring trio would be nicknamed Run TMC. 

The 1996-97 season saw Mullin traded to the Pacers where he continued to play outstanding basketball, he returned to the Warriors for his final season as an active player.  Mullin’s held several roles since his playing days, front office for the Warriors and Kings.  He would become an analyst for ESPN briefly, March 2015 witnessed a return to New York City to serve as head coach of St. John’s.  Although his won-loss record was satisfactory he resigned the position in April 2019.  Currently Mullin returned to the Bay Area and serves as an analyst for Warrior games.  This is but a brief portion of the career of one of the many talented basketball players produced by New York City.

I’ve got a secret 

This has nothing to do with the television quiz show of the 1950’s.  On second thought maybe it is not much of a secret for many around the Philadelphia metro just the balance of us.  Coaching aside notice I did not restrict myself by separating Jay Wright from NBA coaches I said the best dressed---period.  I’m trying to imagine who might come nearest to Wright and I’m drawing a complete blank.

Now we know what a number of folks know in Philadelphia, no off the rack suits for Wright his suits are custom tailored.  Wright’s suits range in price from $300 to $500 which is economical for a custom-made suit.  This cannot be confirmed but it is reported the coach has two closets in his bedroom one for his suits and one for shoes, slacks, and shirts. I’ve already noted it but perhaps we should pay as much attention to the sartorial style of Wright as his X’s and O’ philosophy.  Wright is a winner as denoted with two NCAA Championships on his resume.  

Bird watching

We read, “If you can back it up it ain’t trash talking.”  That was the case for the Celtics Larry Bird, okay he became a Pacer but that was after his play on the court.  His contemporaries claim he was one of the best at talking trash against the opposition.  His basketball journey began at the University of Indiana and many believe there was an issue with the fiery Coach Bobby Knight.  That was not the case, small town Bird was more comfortable playing at Indiana State.  He blossomed at the school and here is another bit of information most are unaware.  Legendary former coach and general manager Red Auerbach drafted Bird although the Indiana sharpshooter had another year remaining in college. 

Bird’s senior year was outstanding as the Sycamores were undefeated leading up to the NCAA Championship.  Bird would face off against Michigan State’s Magic Johnson the first of several later meetings in the NBA.  The 1979 championship would witness Magic’s team beating Indiana State but finished the season with 33 wins and that single loss.  As for the NBA Bird won Rookie of the Year honors over Magic Johnson the following year.  In 1997 he surprised many by returning to his native Indiana and becoming head coach of the Pacers.  Naismith and College Basketball Hall of Fame, member 50^th Anniversary All-Time NBA Team, Olympic Gold Medal winner, his number 33 retired by the Celtics and Indiana State.  Those are but a few of the honors for "The Hick from French Lick" one of the NBA's All-Time greats.   

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

There are 8

By late July, every top high school prospect has chosen an institution of higher education, this year is quite different for several reasons.  Certainly, at the top of the list is COVID-19 which curtailed state championships and AAU summer basketball.  Rivals Class of 2020 list 150 high school players across the nation, these are not necessarily the best in the nation, but they are as far as Rivals is concerned.  Of the 150 prospects 8 chose a professional path rather than college.  Moving into the professional ranks is not that unusual however this might be the largest number to ever decide in favor of a pro career.   

Less than a week away

We are 10 days (as this is written) from the re-start of the NBA season.  Utah at New Orleans and the late game has the Clippers at the Lakers, of course all will be played in Orlando.  What type of play should we expect, I can only speak for myself I am ready regardless of the level of play?   

The first time

This is somewhat connected to the above account, for the first time in forever.  The NBA Draft will be held Tuesday August 25 which is about a month from now.  Although no details other than the date have been announced we guess it will be a virtual draft like one conducted by the NFL earlier in the spring.  Unless there is a drastic change over the next four weeks, we are still unclear who the top pick might be.  Who is picked number one is only important to that team and athlete?  

In previous years we had a clue who the top pick might be, in 2020 it is a roll of the dice.  At least two mock draft sites have Georgia’s Anthony Edwards as the top pick.  As for another, cbssports.com NBA page indicates the choice might be James Wiseman University of Memphis Big Man.  Despite this information I am not exactly sure this is the case; I believe it depends on which team is up first in the lottery.  Unlike the NFL draft held in April the NBA Draft will be conducted while teams are completing the seasons and prior to the playoffs.   

Like father not always like son

Bronny James is on the basketball player just like dad LeBron.  Will he taste success at the same level of his famous father?  That question is unanswered at this point but check out others in the recent past.  Both Marcus and Jeffrey Jordan managed college basketball careers, neither was able to reach the height of Father Michael. 

Much earlier we looked at Rick Barry’s offspring Scooter, Drew, and Jon all except Scooter experienced NBA life although nowhere close to their dad.  Youngest son Canyon Barry is currently playing in the G-League, does he have the NBA in his future?  Perhaps the best move might be that made by Grant Hill and Patrick Mahomes, Hill is retired now however Mahomes is active.  Neither son took of the sport of their fathers, Grant’s father was an NFL running back and Patrick’s father a major league pitcher.   

Bits n Pieces

The late George Mikan wore jersey number 99 for the Minneapolis Lakers, he was the first legitimate good Big Man in the NBA.  Checking NBA rosters, I discovered there is another jersey wearing 99 on the scene, 7-foot 5 inch 311-pound Tacko Fall is sporting the number.  Tacko remains a work in progress although it is interesting the Celtics kept him on a 2-way contract.  This contract allowed him to spend time playing on their G-League team as well as the Celtics.   

St. Thomas a Division III program now holds a unique distinction.  The NCAA approved the move of this former Division III school to compete in Division I, they become the first school in modern history to move this type of move.  The St. Paul (MN) school was the 2011 and 2016 NCAA Champions in Division III, they will join the Summit League in the fall.  

Mavs owner Mark Cuban tells Dan Snyder owner of the NFL Washington team to “man-up.”  Recently it was reported there were instances of sexual harassment by members of the NFL franchise.  Cuban should know, he went through a similar situation with his Mavs in 2018.  It was discovered there was widespread harassment within the Mavs.  Once given the information Cuban issued a public apology and contributed $10 million to women’s organizations.  He went about making internal changes regarding reporting these types of incidents. 

It was mentioned previously St Louis had an NBA to prior to the arrival of the Hawks.  The St. Louis Bombers folded in 1950 however they were an original member of the BAA (1946) and arrived in the NBA with the merger between the BAA and NBL.  The only player who might have a recognizable name was “Easy” Ed McCauley.  McCauley had the distinction of playing for both St. Louis teams, the Bombers and later in his career a trade brought him to the Hawks.  In 1960 McCauley was enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame. 

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

No requirement to pile on

Football defense can be penalized for piling on a down player.  That is the case here, after reading an indictment of NCAA President Mark Emmert on Yahoo Sports I cannot add anything whether you have read the article or not.  The NCAA as you are aware is accountable for all sports including our game basketball.  Leadership has been lacking from his office for years, expect no significant change until after 2023.  Emmert’s contract expires in 2023 and if the NCAA extends his contract well…….  There is a revolution brewing, do not be shocked if the Power 5 Conferences break away and form their own governing body.   

The Big Fundamental

We are unsure of the accuracy; it is believed Shaq hung the nickname “The Big Fundamental” on Tim Duncan.  6-foot 11-inch Timmy spent his 19-year NBA career with the Spurs after being drafted number one in 1997.  By my definition nothing Duncan did on the court was flashy except for the fact he clearly demonstrated he was a winner.  Proof, it is still a team sport however five NBA Championship rings offer the proof of his value to the Spurs. 

Duncan grew up in the Virgin Islands before he arrived at Wake Forest.  Duncan first stood out athletically in high school as a championship swimmer rather than on the basketball court.  He was Rookie of the Year which provided us early evidence of his eventual NBA stardom.  Duncan was 3x Finals MVP, twice NBA MVP and was an NBA All Team performer 15 of his 19 years in the NBA.  With no surprise his jersey number 21 been retired by the Spurs.  In 2019 surprising many he accepted a role as assistant coach on the Spurs.   

Rookie of the Year

Few persons reading this might be familiar with the first NBA Rookie of the Year.  The honor was not awarded until 1953, Don Meineke of the Fort Wayne Pistons was given the honor.  Meineke experienced a rather brief career retiring as a member of the Cincinnati Royals in 1958.  Several of the other names read as Naismith and College Basketball Hall of Fame members while others await their HOF honor, check these names:

Elgin Baylor 1959  

Wilt Chamberlain 1960

Oscar Robertson 1961

Rick Barry 1966

Lew Alcindor 1970

Larry Bird 1980

Michael Jordan 1985

Shaquille O’Neal 1993

Tim Duncan 1998

LeBron James 2004

There are other names missing from the list which might surprise readers, Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, and Dirk Nowitzki as examples.  Magic contended with Larry Bird for the honor, as for Kobe and Dirk they played little in their rookie seasons.  Other names after distinguishing themselves in their rookie season reversed course and did not continue the play that saw them awarded Rookie of the Year.  It should be of note 1953 represented the first “official” year of the award.  “Prior to the 1951-53 season, the Rookie of the Year was selected by newspaper writers, however, the NBA does not officially recognize these players as winners.” *

*Wikipedia 

The Spencer Haywood Rule

Most reading this might be unfamiliar with Spencer Haywood, they have no idea how much he impacted today’s game.  We digress a bit here to provide background to the Haywood story.  Wilt Chamberlain left Kansas after his junior year; he could not play in the NBA at the time.  NBA players were not permitted in the league until four years after their high school class had graduated.  Chamberlain spent his “senior year” as a member of the Harlem Globetrotters prior to beginning his NBA career.  As for his professional career Haywood cast his fate with the ABA Denver Rockets, in 1970 he left them for the NBA Sonics. 

At that point Haywood would change the basketball landscape, not alone of course but his actions forced a landmark modification in the rules.  Then Sonics owner Sam Schulman was determined he would fight the NBA over its rule, and he did.  Schulman filed an anti-trust lawsuit against the NBA which made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court.  The court ruled in the Haywood and Sonics favor.  Of course, this ruling would pave the way for the NBA to begin accepting high school players at that period.  It is not only high school, consider Michael Jordan left North Carolina after his junior year.  The Spencer Haywood Rule is not so named but it should be.  Just research the number of past and present NBA players who were able to utilize a rule directly impacted by Haywood. 

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

Baltimore had the Bullets twice?

Charlotte and Baltimore both share a unique story, on separate occasions they had two separate teams with the same name.  In this account our focus is on Baltimore and the name Bullets.  The original Baltimore Bullets first began play in 1944 and lasted to 1947 in an earlier incarnation of the American Basketball League.  In 1947 these Bullets would become a Basketball Association of America team; the BAA would later merge with the NBL after a 3-year battle over players and fans. 

The two leagues would merge in 1949 becoming today’s National Basketball Association.  The Bullets remained playing in Baltimore until 1955, that Bullet franchise would go out of business after beginning the season with a 3-11 record.  Keep in the mind many of the NBA of that era operated on shoestring budgets.  Their situation was not aided in that the Bullets were consistent losers; the 1947-48 season was the last winning team the city experienced.  Baltimore would remain without NBA basketball until the 1963 season.  The Chicago Packers left the city for Baltimore and were re-born as the Bullets.   

Junior college basketball 

Often there are athletes who attend junior colleges after high school, most often they attend a community or junior college to raise their GPA.  Often, it is more than grades holding back an athlete, sometimes its skill.   The youngster shows promise but there are “holes” in their game a year or two in junior college can sometimes be beneficial to continued development.  They might wind up a Division I or II program somewhere in the nation with the NBA in their future.  Bob McAdoo former player is in the Naismith and College Basketball Hall of Fame.  Prior to displaying his skill at North Carolina and later the NBA it began at Vincennes Junior College in Indiana.   

McAdoo was enrolled there from 1969-71.  Also, from the junior college ranks Dennis Rodman, Naismith Hall of Famer Rodman begin his basketball journey at Cook County Community College now known as North Central Texas College.  As for the present Wolves guard/forward Jimmy Butler begin his ascension to the NBA from Tyler Junior College in Tyler Texas.  Cavs forward Jae Crowder played at Howard College a two-year community college in Big Spring Texas.  There are others not mentioned but the point is this, it does not matter where your journey begins the key is where it ends. 

What the heck is a Billiken? 
I am pleased you asked the question; I can provide the answer to your question.  A billiken is the mascot for Saint Louis University, how this came about is interesting, the information below was acquired from the school’s website slued. It is interesting in a manner of speaking SLU along with University of Missouri Kansas City receive little if any national media hype although both are Division I programs.     

“The billiken is a mythical good-luck figure who represents things as they ought to be, before he was Saint Louis University’s mascot, he was a national sensation, a figure who was reproduced as dolls, marshmallow candies, metal banks, hatpins, pickle forks, belt buckles, auto-hood ornaments, salt and pepper shakers and more.”* 

As for the basketball team the Billikens have played basketball beginning in the 1914-16 season.  Currently the school is a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference, from 1937-1974 SLU was in the Missouri Valley Conference.  After the Billikens suffered several subpar years Coach Travis Ford has them playing competitive basketball again.  If not for the pandemic their 23-8 record would have secured their second consecutive NCAA appearance.   

*Wikipedia

The dimensional makeup of an NBA player

With our look at talent we often overlook a vital area, scouts and front office personnel do not, but we do.  The reference is a player’s wingspan and his handspan with extended fingers. I discovered Rajon Rondo and Yao Ming share a common basketball trait.  I know what you are thinking what has a 6-foot 1-inch guard and 7 foot 6-inch center have in common besides the fact both have played in the NBA.  Each has the same handspan, fingers extended a whopping 10 inches.  How about additional numbers, Julius Erving stands 6 foot 7 inches, Dr. J. has a 7-foot 2-inch wingspan and his handspan is also 10 inches. 

Yao Ming nearly a foot taller only exceeds the reach of the good doctor by 3 inches, Dr. J. also had a 10-inch handspan the same as Rondo and Yao.  Check out YouTube video of Dr. J. and you will note his ability to hold the basketball in the same manner as a grapefruit as he would glide toward the basket on one of his many amazing thrilling dunks.  We could check several others; Wilt Chamberlain had a 7-foot 8-inch wingspan with a 9.5-inch handspan.  Shaquille O’Neal was 7-foot 7-inch wing and 10.25-inch handspan.  Finally, the legendary Connie Hawkins stood 6 foot 8 inches but had a 10.5 handspan and 7.3 wingspan.  Hawk could soar as well, his dunks were just as amazing as Dr. J.  There were others but you get the general idea, gigantic wingspan and handspan aided these athletes greatly.