Basketball from a fans perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

Why no complaining?

We are unsure if the Nets are finished with compiling their roster however this is interesting. Everybody and their brother has weighed in on the off season moves made by the Lakers. They have complained, compared and every other thing possible. On Thursday the Nets signed Paul Millsap late of the Nuggets to a 1-year contract. Do you remember LaMarcus Aldridge, the veteran power forward signed with the Nets but was forced to retire due to health concerns?

It’s being reported Aldridge’s been cleared medically to play once again. Guess who’s got the inside track to sign Aldridge, you got it. Wonder why the Nets can make all these moves yet we hear nary a word of negativity? Every time there is a report of a possible Laker move the haters come out of the woodworks often before anything is done. I asked the question of a co-worker, and he provided a simple answer…LeBron James. He might be correct; LeBron James is a walking lightning rod for controversy regardless of what he does. 

The strange and usual journey

After being a member of the Celtics for two seasons Tacko Fall is now in Cleveland. The 7-foot 5-inch giant has signed a 1-year contract with the Cavs according to his agents. I followed the young man’s progress throughout his 4-years at UCF, somewhere in the middle of his junior year I concluded Tacko had 0 NBA future. I was not surprised in not hearing his name called in the 2019 NBA Draft, the surprise later would be the Celtics signing him to a two-way contract.

Now that Tacko’s in Cleveland he faces the same issue of Udoka Azubuike who barely plays for the Jazz. The NBA game of today is not tailored for 7-foot centers and that’s unfortunate for one clear reason. Mentioning this dilemma to a friend he stated, “Well, Giannis can play on the perimeter” they should be able to adapt.” My friend is partially correct however every 7-foot player cannot become a Giannis Antetokounmpo or Dirk Nowitzki. They are rare talents at their height. As for Tacko (and Azubuike) I would hope a Big Man coach could work with both to at least allow them on the floor for a period.   

A rival

We have annually discussed the ability of Kentucky’s John Calipari to recruit. He now has a rival 500+ road miles southeast of Lexington in Memphis Tennessee and Penny Hardaway. Much has been made regarding the incoming prospects of 6-foot 10 Jalen Duran Rivals number 3 and 6-foot 8 Emoni Bates both designated 5-star by Rivals, there are others. These are all incoming freshman in the Class of 2021, they are: Josh Minott 6-8, 195-pound SF and 4-stars, he’s rated number 32. Next up Sam Ayomide Onu 6-11 255-pound C and 3-stars, he is 106.

We also have Jacobi Wright a 6-foot 2 180-pound PG, he’s 3-stars, we close with John Camden 6-7 185-pound SF who is also a 3-star. On paper this crop of freshman might appear imposing however there is a key component required. Six new Tigers must adapt to the coaching philosophy of Hardaway and company. The second, the imposing mountain college basketball presents over even good high school competition. Everybody will not play, notice the number of prospects who play the same position as another. The entire squad must have the ability to check their egos at the door. With so much potential talent arriving regardless of the season expect transfers next season. 

Bits n Pieces  

Rudy Gobert of the Jazz is a preeminent defensive player in the NBA. Gobert can score but he’s known more for his defensive prowess, but it wasn’t always that way, sometimes an adjust period is involved. After playing for Cholet a French team from 2011-13 Gobert submitted his name for the NBA draft.  The 7-foot 1 inch center was made the 27^th pick in the first round of the 2013 draft. After initially earning a roster position Gobert was sent to the Bakersfield Jam of the G-League in December but was recalled later in the month. Since then, Gobert has become a defensive rock, NBA Blocks leader in 2017. Three times he’s been named NBA Defensive Player of the Year and the honors go on and on and on.

If we look back to last season the impact of COVID forced cancellations and reschedules of football and basketball games. That will not be the case in the 2021-22 season in the SEC and several other conferences across the nation. If a game is not played due to COVID it will be listed as a forfeit, the teams forced to cancel will noted as a loss, the opposition will be given a win. It’s not just the SEC operating under this new policy at least 3 other conferences intend to follow the same guidelines. If we read the tea leaves, they are simply stating “NCAA athletes should be vaccinated against COVID.” 

My wife and I were driving home, and a tune came on the radio.  A portion of the lyrics sung by the artist contained the words “24 seconds” and it caused me to think, “I told my wife, as much as I know about basketball and especially the NBA, I have no idea how the league arrived at a 24-second clock?”  Well, I had to discover the answer, for many of you too young the leagues not always operated with a clock. 

“The NBA introduced the 24-second shot clock during the 1954-55 season to speed up the game.  The number 24 was devised by Syracuse Nationals owner Danny Biasone, who divided the game’s 48 minutes into 120, the average of 60 shots per team in games played from the previous three seasons.”   Like anything else over time, the average number of shots has probably varied up or down however the NBA continued to use the 24 second shot clock as it’s barometer. 

ESPN.com

Basketball from a fans perspective

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“Playoff” Rondo

That became his nickname, after average play during the season and the first part of the playoffs “Playoff Rondo” came to the forefront. His shooting plus assists were keys to the Lakers winning the 2020 NBA Championship but then he left the Lakers only to return. Veteran point guard Rajon Rondo cleared waivers, the next step for Rondo is to sign again with the Lakers (done on Tuesday). My Lakers have made a few unusual off-season moves to return the team to championship form.

Of all the moves this one is the strangest for me, stranger than acquiring Russell Westbrook as an example. Sure, Rondo can play in spurts but is it necessary to give the 35-year-old a roster spot a more youthful but unproven player might take? The Lakers must do something even stranger than this for my allegiance to wane, Rondo becomes just one question for me. Perhaps by the time the season begins there will be additional concerns on my part. Rondo has one guy in his corner LeBron James. It was reported two years ago LeBron and Rondo were on the same page didn’t matter if they were on the floor at the same time. We know this to be a fact, Rondo wants to get paid and he wants to win, we are not sure of the sequence.

The body measurements

According to information uncovered George “The Iceman” Gervin stood 6 foot 7 inches and weighed 180 pounds. Emoni Bates is reported to be 6 foot 8 and 201 pounds, don’t get ahead of the account. There has existed a concern about a weight issue, it’s clear the lack of bulk didn’t affect Gervin much. This is no attempt to claim the youngster will have a Naismith Hall of Fame career such as Gervin however there are a few gems to uncover. We read LeBron James thinks it’s good Bates will play for Penny Hardaway who should be able to teach him the ins and outs of playing at the collegiate (and hopefully NBA) level. LeBron points to a condition mentioned previously, Bates is only 17 years old.

He will not be old enough to submit his name for the 2022 NBA Draft so it’s likely he’s at Memphis two years. This has also been mentioned, with NIL ability at hand Bates will certainly not suffer any financial strain while at Memphis. Although he’s ineligible for the draft there is speculation, he might leave Memphis after a single season. The thought process is why would this be necessary? In the G-League or Australia a new coach, system and teammates requiring tweaking. If he remains at Memphis there would be a degree of adjustment to newcomers, he would be familiar with the coach and his system. I know what you are thinking he must make an adjustment once he reaches the NBA, that’s true but an entirely different change. 

Second round choices

We know talent exists in the NBA into the second round of the draft. Rather than attempt to point out the best allow us to check out current and past NBA players. We begin with Spurs guard Manu Ginobili the 57^th pick in 1999, he almost missed the draft completely. There are only 60 players chosen each June, so you see the basis for the statement. How about Draymon Green of the Warriors, he was made the 35 pick in 2012? The 2021 MVP was a second-round choice, Nikola Jokic a.k.a. “The Joker” pick 41 in 2014 by the Nuggets. Smooth shooting Alex English was the 23^rd pick in 1976 (lesser number of NBA teams at the time).

English is double-double athlete, enshrined in the college basketball and Naismith Hall of Fame, outstanding. Next up Dennis Rodman a.k.a. “The Worm,” he was able to carve out an exclusive role, at 6 foot 7 inches he led the NBA in rebounds 7 times during his career. Rodman also enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame. We close with the late Dennis Johnson, most associate him with the Celtic championship teams although he played for other NBA teams. Johnson was pick 29 in 1976, he is also in the Naismith Hall of Fame. There are others we could include in this brief look at quality second round picks, guards Mark Price, Maurice Cheeks and Jeff Hornacek. We include Paul Milsap, Toni Kukoc, Marc Gasol and the late Jerome Kersey in our count. There are names unfamiliar to you check them out in NBA history.

The Battle of Los Angeles

Don’t allow the headline to confuse you there is no war going on in Los Angeles. The reference is the battle for the hearts and minds of Angelenos. The Clippers are a slight bit ahead having advance further in the playoffs than the injury plagued Lakers. Then it occurred at once after the Clippers were playoff eliminated Kawhi Leonard underwent surgery. It’s been reported the surgery to repair his right anterior cruciate ligament was successful. The rehab process begins at this point, there is no timeline for his return to action. The best guess is late February or early March, Kawhi could miss the season which would be detrimental for the Clippers. Back to the present, August 1 he became a free agent and after a brief period he re-signed with the Clippers.

Meantime their co-tenets at Staples made a bold move, getting Russell Westbrook says, “We win now and not later.” It’s not all cake and ice cream for the Lakers, they must figure out a method to blend the game of Westbrook to that of LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Excluding the trio this Laker team will look quite different from the team we saw opening night of the 2020-21 season. Kuzma, Harrell, KCP, Drummond and Schroeder…all gone. In 2019-20 it was the Lakers clearly ahead winning the 2020 NBA championship despite the pandemic shutting down the season for a time. This past season it was clear at a point the Clippers were the winner regardless of the fact they did not win the ultimate prize. It is still paramount we do not get in front of our skis, the Lakers primarily due to injury did not defend their championship many believed they were the favorite. They might indeed appear from the west in 2022, if they do it’s the Bucks or Nets, they must beat to win championship number 18.

You are the judge

The NBA G-League first began play in the 2001-02 season as the NBA Developmental League, it was hoped at the time it would become the destination of those players with no desire to attend college. In 2017-18 Gatorade became the title sponsor thus a name change to G-League. Former commissioner David Stern saw it as the NBA’s minor league, whether it’s turned into what was the hope is still up for debate, so you are the judge. Several NBA players have spent time in the G-League but until recently we really could debate proof of its value.

Until G-League Team Elite began play we could say few prospects who began their pro career were able to graduate to the NBA. We are finally beginning to see evidence with Team Elite NBA talent is being developed. If this trend is to continue the NBA must scout talent, they must find those who have no desire to attend college. On the other hand, we could look at former Laker guard Alex Caruso. Undrafted Caruso spent time in the G-League eventually making the Laker roster and now the big payday. The contract he signed with the Bulls is $37 million so we can see the value of the G-League for him.

EuroLeague

Over the past the NBA has seen an ever-increasing number of Euro athletes arriving on American shores. Because the league is on the other side of the world few are familiar with it apart from NBA scouts & executives. The league first began play in 1958, in 2000 it was re-branded as the EuroLeague. There are eighteen teams spread throughout the European continent, they are as far west as Madrid Spain, far north as St. Petersburg and Moscow Russia. Maccabi Israel might be the most southern of all the teams.

If we check the number of championships won by a team that would be Real Madrid Baloncesto or in English Real Madrid Basketball, they are winners of ten. Guess it should not be surprising considering the amount of talent sent to the NBA from this team, Luka Doncic, the late Drazen Petrovic, Arvydas Sabonis are just a few of the names. Right behind Real Madrid is CSKA Moscow with eight championships, Maccabi Tel Aviv in Israel and Panathinaikos B.C. in Greece are tied with six apiece. This is but a brief look at Euro basketball, like the NBA the EuroLeague has also seen an explosive growth in fan attendance and talent. The talent is evidence by the number of international players, at last count it stood at 104 and next season there will be additions.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

Not getting ahead of ourselves

This is all speculation so bear with us on this account. We have no idea in late August/early September the impact of Emoni Bates on the college basketball world upcoming. The talented youngster might be enrolled at Memphis (or elsewhere) longer than what might be first perceived. It’s our understanding Bates age puts him in an uncommon position, the NBA mandates you must be age 19 in the calendar year of the draft. He will not have his 19^th birthday until the following January of the 2022 NBA Draft. As for being a year past his high school graduation that might remain a question until Bates reaches a decision. This might all be a mute decision because the implementation of NIL will allow the youngster to remain at Memphis.

Thanks to this NCAA change Bates is likely to earn large sums of money while still enrolled at the school. On the other hand, if his age is deemed an issue regarding the NBA, he could head to Australia to begin a pro career. Best guess the G-League might be out of the question with little visibility compared to college or a pro career.  There is no doubt early, Memphis Tigers basketball must be seen in the upcoming season. Also seeing Bates will be the Grizzlies Jae Morant, he indicates he’s been following Memphis Tigers basketball the two years he’s been in the city. He is said to be excited with the arrival of Emoni Bates to the program at Memphis. NBA and college schedules are not likely to mesh however the two could possibly meet on occasion and possibly even on the basketball court. This should be of interest and hopefully we can follow the progress of these two. 

Looking ahead

It seems in late August, and September I grow anxious. I am ready for basketball to begin play again. It’s not just the NBA for me it’s the entire spectrum, will Russell Westbrook adapt his game to the Lakers, or will this move prove disastrous? I’m looking forward to seeing Chet Holmgren in action for the Gonzaga Bulldogs and Emoni Bates at Memphis or Duke freshman Paolo Banchero. In the Bay Area we have the return to action by Klay Thompson, will he improve the fortunes of the Warriors? Will Steph continue to shoot lights out as well? Can rookies Cade Cunningham and Jalen Green improve the basketball fortunes of the Pistons and Rockets? In the Blue Grass State, it’s hoped John Calipari returns Kentucky basketball to the level we’ve witnessed in the past?

How about Duke basketball with this being the swan song for Coach K., I will miss him growling on the sidelines. As for the NBA should we expect the Bucks to successfully defend their NBA championship, or will another team succeed them? Despite off season moves by the Lakers will the Nets be deemed the NBA’s best?  In the NBA West are the Suns primed for another deep run and perhaps an NBA championship? Continuing in the West there remains a question regarding Dame Lillard and his Blazers. There is no doubt the Blazers are a good team, how long is Lillard willing to remain in Portland? It’s my belief Gonzaga will continue the Rodney Dangerfield line “I don’t get no respect” until the school wins an NCAA championship. Who will be the breakout star at the high school and college level, there is always that guy that seemingly drops in out of the sky without a great deal of advance notice, do you remember Jae Morant who played at Murray State? Those are just but a few reasons I’m anxious for basketball to begin again. 

Mali

The Republic of Mali is a landlocked nation in West Africa, It’s also the home country of Mizzou’s Yaya Keita. Keita is a 6-foot 9-inch 225-pound first-year power forward. We don’t know what to expect from this youngster who is new to the game of basketball. Like most youth on the African continent, it was soccer first basketball arrived much later in his life. Wanting to improve his play he came to the U.S. and Miami his second home.

He mentioned how difficult it was for him at first, he spoke only his native tongue Bambara and French. There was difficulty communicating with his point guard so much his teammate refused to even talk to him off the court. Fast forward, he moved to the St. Louis area and from there he received devastating news. First his mom passed away and a while later his father, despite losing both parents he continued his schooling at DeSmet High School in St. Louis. Last September Keita made his commitment known it would be Mizzou and coach Cuonzo Martin. Since Keita is still learning the game its unknown what to expect of him as a first-year student.

They did it again

NBA on Clutch Points recently listed five players they categorized as bust, they assert the players never reached the level most projected. Who are the names, Darko Milicic, Hassen Thabeet, Kwame Brown, Anthony Bennett and Greg Oden? Milicic was the number two pick in the 2003 draft, Thabeet was also chosen number two in 2009. Brown was the top pick in 2001 while Bennett was number one in 2013, and Oden in 2007 was also a number one. We can debate degree of success, Milcic and Brown although they had little achievement on the basketball court, they found financial reward over the length of their NBA careers.

There is one name that shouldn’t be included and that is Greg Oden. All the players listed Oden’s was the only one injury prevented him from playing to his peak. Were it not for injury who knowns how his career might have turned out? Do you realize in pre-draft workouts Oden at 7 feet and 250 pounds exceeded Kevin Durant? Oden was considered a potential budding talent; this was cited previously but is worth mentioning again. An NBA scout compared Oden’s game to that of Bill Russell, don’t become confused. This scout was not claiming he was the next Russell, he showed his game especially on the defensive side was comparable. This is the difficulty, without the ability to see a healthy Oden in action you might read the NBA on Clutch Points account and believe Oden was a bust. Far from it, we just have no idea how good Oden might have been.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

This was different

The college basketball landscape was quite different in the 2020-21 season. It wasn’t just the pandemic that affected play but play itself. Surprise, surprise the NCAA tournament was Kentucky-less if there is such a word. For the first time it seems in ages John Calipari and his Kentucky Wildcats were nowhere to be found near the top of the SEC standings. Fact is Mizzou in a tepid season (8-8) finished ahead of Kentucky (8-9) can you imagine that? There were reasons why this anomaly occurred and there is no need of a re-visit, let’s just state Big Blue Nation is expecting no repeat of this past season.

The program might appear its being re-built from the ground up, there is but one senior on the roster and he hardly played. The new transfer rule allowed Coach Cal to work his magic. Kentucky has 4 transfers with experience, also arriving in Lexington are two 5-star and one 4-star prospect. This might appear a gamble, can the transfers adapt to the coaches system, will these “rookies” be able to make the leap from high school basketball to that of Division I. This is a team comprised of freshman, sophomores and juniors that will begin play in the fall and winter. Rest assured unless we are mistaken there will be no repeat of the 2020-21 season for the Wildcats.

A fix is needed 

After viewing the Netflix documentary Untold: Malice in the Palace it is time for a fan code of conduct. As you are aware the 2004 rampage began with Pacer and Piston players however several fans were participants in the altercation. This past season with fans allowed in NBA arenas across the nation several incidents of bad behavior by fans occurred. More than a few fans have this mindset “I paid for my ticket, or I pay your salary so I can do or say anything I desire.” Well, that view is incorrect, one cannot base their behavior on perceived rights. Purchasing a ticket does not afford you that privilege.

Imagine this meeting that player in a restaurant or on the street, bet your bottom dollar there would likely be no attempt to attack them physically or verbally. That type of mentality is not okay, we cannot do or say anything we wish because we might believe “it’s our right.” We read the instances occurring this past season fans have been given lifetime bans but that is likely an ineffective measure. What prevents these folks who refuse to conform from using a ticket website or having a friend make the purchase for them? Facial recognition inside arenas is probably not in use therefore there is no effective method to keep these bad actors from attending games. One thing for sure this has got to stop no matter how its handled going forward.    

Bits n Pieces 

We must find a replacement for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, he played the bulk of minutes at the two for the Lakers. He’s been traded what do we expect now, who takes over at the two? The cast of characters is quite interesting based on the number of free agents signed plus at this point one hold over. In no order we have Kendrick Nunn, Malik Monk, Wayne Ellington, Kent Bazemore and Talen-Horton Tucker thus far. The Lakers experienced such a dearth of three point shooting the prospect with the best shooting percentage might earn the minutes but even that might be misleading. Coach Vogel with his emphasis on a defensive presence might be willing to sacrifice the shooting for defense. An example might be a 32% shooter might get more play over a 40% shooter who might not be a good enough defender.

Three websites name the Brooklyn Nets as the top power team for the 2021-22 NBA season. Most important as we witnessed was all parties to remain healthy. The trio of Durant, Hardin & Irving are key to success of the Nets however one player might be more valued than others. We believe that player to be point guard Kyrie Irving. Fully healthy Irving is one of the best, injured well you know the story there. The injuries are key, research indicates since college Irving has missed 27% of his games. On average he misses at least 10 games a season. The talent of Kevin Durant is evident, the same could be said for James Hardin but Irving is the key.

It’s just me, I’m the guy who’s grown tired of several media members especially those who cover the world of college and professional basketball. They often become the story rather than the basketball account they are covering. No need to name them you are aware of the names. I provide you my opinions often but there is a key difference. I don’t believe I’ve ever claimed my view was the only one for you to consider, it’s always my hope you formulate your own assessment of the subject matter. I listen and read to be informed hopefully this blog has been seen in that manner.

Basketball hotbeds

Where is high school basketball king, in this instance we are not discussing the IMG’s or the Montverde’s of the nation. We are considering metro areas and states that have large numbers of high school talent. Large population areas certainly are a contributing factor to the wealth of talent an area might produce. This is in no order so please don’t confuse that with the reading. A number might disagree with this but it’s my belief we must begin with Texas specifically the Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston metro, they have   produced large numbers of college and NBA talent over the years. Where did this talent matriculate, at the high school’s and none of the academy’s throughout the nation tailored for basketball?

I once made this statement at a point, Shaka Smart is hired as the coach for Texas. “There is no requirement for him to recruit outside the State of Texas.” This proved partially correct although he’s now left Smart’s teams did not reach the level expected by me. We move from the State of Texas to a city, Chicagoland. The metro in the past and up to the present continues to produce talent, how about the name Isiah Thomas from the past and Anthony Davis from the present. Those two are just a number who honed their talent in a Chicago area high school. Southern California specifically the Los Angeles area is still a hotbed for producing talent…The Claw, Kawhi Leonard along with Russell Westbrook and James Hardin. Including Toronto Canada in this count might be surprising shocking to you. No less an authority than Fran Fraschilla claims “Toronto has some of the best high school basketball around.”

We tend to overlook New York City somehow which is a mystery. In recent years there’s been no Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Dr. J. or Connie Hawkins come forth. That does not take into consideration there still is exceptionally good high school basketball played there. The numbers might be smaller however Atlanta has produced its share of talent as well, we could go back to Walt “Clyde” Frazier up to Dwight Howard as examples. As for Florida it’s difficult for this observer to pin-point talent the cities and state have produced, so much of the talent we see play at IMG Academy, Montverde and others comes from other parts of the country and world. At this point I’m going to stop, rest assured I’ve offended by not mentioning their city or state. This was intended as an impartial glance and certainly not intended to be a complete work.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

It’s done

Wunderkind Emoni Bates decision is now final, he announced on Wednesday he’s headed to Memphis; several folks are not surprised at this announcement although the route Bates took to arrive at a decision was interesting. It would now appear the university on the banks of the Mississippi River is now the unofficial number one team in the nation in recruiting. Memphis now moves ahead of defending NCAA Champion Baylor, runner up Gonzaga and all others. CBS.com moves Memphis into its pre-season Top 25 plus 1 poll placing them at number 7. 

How this all plays out for Memphis during the 2021-22 college season is a giant unknown at this point. As for the 6-foot 9-inch Bates he now joins his buddy Jalen Duran also a 5-star prospect and a host of other high-profile athletes. Memphis coming off it’s NIT Championship added veteran NBA and college coach Larry Brown plus former NBA player Rasheed Wallace to its coaching staff. It would appear in late August the Memphis Tigers are ready to battle for basketball superiority in the 2021-22 season. This is all a projection and games are never won on paper, it will be up to head coach Penny Hardaway plus his coaching staff to mold this group into a cohesive unit. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcrBfpyqjPo

1963

Jerry Harkness died on August 24 at the age of 81, never mind if the name is unfamiliar to you. Harkness was one of those basketball pioneers who managed along with his teammates to blot out the sun for a period. He led Loyola of Chicago to the 1963 NCAA Championship beating a highly touted University of Cincinnati team.  Cincinnati was attempting a third having won the championship in 1961 and 1962. Loyola started Harkness and three other black players unheard of at the time in college basketball.

In 1966 Don Haskins (Glory Road) would start five black players beating Kentucky with its white starting five for the NCAA Championship. As for Harkness and his team they received letters with racially charged threats however they would proceed onward despite the effort to intimidate. In an OT game for the NCAA Championship Loyola beat Cincinnati 60-58 finishing the season with a 29-2 record. Harkness had a brief but undistinguished ABA/NBA career, but he was a successful businessman and civil rights advocate. This is but a brief glimpse of the man who stood 6 foot 3 on the basketball court but cast an 8-foot shadow in his life pursuits, R.I.P. Jerry Harkness. 

We have continued change 

Overtime Elite continues to make waves, Tyler Smith the number 8 prospect in the Class of 2023 has signed with the new league. Smith becomes the 7^th 5-star player to sign with OTE, Smith indicates signing with OTE will increase his chances at a pro career. A pause here, I’m unsure about Euro players but in the U.S. I would hope athletes would remain in high school until graduation. OTE has no such requirement which is an issue for me, I have no intentions of inhibiting the progress of any youngster, but this is a concern.

In another area Marjon Beauchamp number 47 in ESPN’s Class of 2020 signed with G-League Team Elite recently. Beauchamp is a 6-foot 7-inch 204-pound shooting guard/small forward. Australia or rather the NBL is calling for another, you remember 6-foot 11-inch 235-pound Makur Maker? Maker is a power forward/center. He enrolled at HBCU Howard University hoping additional high-profile athletes would choose HBCU schools. Despite his best intentions Makur played only two games before succumbing to injury, then COVID-19 caused the school to cancel its season. Rather than remain in college Maker’s decided to head for Australia and a pro career with the Sydney Kings of the NBL. As you can see the landscape has shifted dramatically regarding high school and college basketball prospects. 

A new profession

We are unsure if J.R. Smith is officially retired, he last played in the NBA in 2020 with the championship Laker team. In any event he is now enrolled at HBCU North Carolina A&T, and he’s been cleared by the NCAA to play.  Play what you might ask…basketball, of course not he’s 35-years old now. Despite the fact former teammate LeBron James continues to play Smith’s taken up another sport. He will now be a member of the golf team at A&T. Hopefully the academics and golf turn out well for J.R.

Demise of the Big XII

Taps is being played for this mostly midwestern conference, it’s just a matter of time before the conference ceases to exist. The question might be why did we reach this point; the response is simple? Michael Douglas as corporate raider Gordon Gekko in the 1987 classic Wall Street said, “Greed for lack of a better word is good.” That’s what we’ve come to once again, Oklahoma and most certainly Texas saw $$$ for themselves in joining the SEC. No need to allow the other Big XII schools to adapt, these two picked up their marbles and left for more marbles in a different conference. Didn’t Texas do a money grab previously or am I just imagining this?

The Big XII wasn’t 12 schools anyway, now the conference is down to 9. How do we know the conference is on life support, the meeting this past Tuesday? The Pac-12, ACC and B10 came together to announce an alliance, this is so very new we have no idea if this come together is binding but its more to the picture. Questions were raised why the Big XII was not included in this coming together of conferences. The same response was echoed repeatedly about “lack of stability.” The college sports world will be witness to a conference demise again like the Southwest or Big East Conference. Just in case you wondered the Big East of today is not the original, the first existed from May 1979 to 2013. We continue to read and hear reports there are something like 15 schools which have contacted the Big XII. This remains unconfirmed at this stage, but it should be of interest for at least one. The University of Central Florida is one of the schools and it makes sense based on reports the school wants to join a power 5 conference. 

Basketball from a fans perspective

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For the naysayers

The title should be clear, you know who they are. Since draft night July 29 they have been quite vocal regarding Russell Westbrook and the Lakers. They have provided us 55,000 reasons why the Westbrook trade will not work. How about me giving you a single reason it will work in favor of LeBron and crew…winning. Allow me to pause a moment and state initially I did not buy in on this trade, I foresaw issues prior to the media ringing alarm bells.

There’s been no evidence presented to date providing me proof Westbrook is a keeper except the one issue raised earlier he wants to win. I have no doubt in the athletic ability of the mercurial point guard it’s been my belief he appeared to make little effort to adapt his game. I believe with LeBron and AD as teammates Westbrook will adjust. Let’s pause a moment, Larry Laker is not claiming the 2022 NBA championship will be won by the Lakers. Predictions like that are for other guys who get paid, barring major injuries a very competitive team will be on the court every evening. This Laker team will earn a playoff berth beyond that is an open book. 

Bits n Pieces 

Sly and the Family Stone a funk, soul and rock band recorded a tune in 1971 titled It’s a family affair. We could make that same claim for the McGee family. By now you are aware veteran NBA center JaVale McGee won gold with Team USA in the 2021 Olympics held in Tokyo. JaVale’s mom also is a gold medal winner, she won in 1984 playing for the Women’s Team USA. To date they are the only mother-son combo with gold medals. Now it’s up to daughter Imani Trishawn McGee-Stafford to win gold and the circle will be complete for the McGee family.

I’m old enough to remember a time we sometimes made jokes regarding mental health issues. This issue was brought to our attention I believe by two events. The first, Untold: The Malice in the Palace Netflix documentary. Metta World Peace aka Ron Artest discusses his mental health issues, he’s never attempted to hide the mental health challenges he faced and continues to face. Around the time of the Olympics, we witnessed tennis star Naomi Osaka and Simone Biles discuss their “mental health.” It is time we quit making jokes regarding this serious issue. We have no idea of the percentage, let’s say if 10% of the population suffers mental health issues perhaps 2-3% could be amateur and professional athletes. 

This is written early morning August 24, there’s been no announcement regarding Emoni Bates. High-profile prospects often maintain “secrecy” as to their destination. Bates (intentional or not) has taken a rather unusual route to his choice of a school. It almost appears he is stringing us along on every move he makes, an example. Recently the Memphis Commercial Appeal wrote, “Emoni Bates has a Memphis email address” and then this one. Incoming freshman Dior Johnson posted a photo of Bates at the time he visited Oregon last week. Schools certainly allow late enrollment however this might be the ultimate example of that fact. UPDATE: As this account was completed came this late word, by the time you read this Bates will have likely made his decision known. It will be announced today Wednesday at an unspecified time.  

Technically Mikan wasn’t drafted

The late George Mikan is enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame based on his play at DePaul University and his stellar career at DePaul and time with the Minneapolis Lakers. Mikan is considered one of the pioneers who placed the NBA in the purview of sports fans in the nation. Bet you didn’t realize technically Mikan wasn’t drafted by the Lakers. If you believe he might have signed with them as a free agent that’s not the case either. A fan’s question prompted the bit of research on my part. Here goes, in the fall of 1946 Mikan fresh out of DePaul signed with the Chicago American Gears in the National Basketball League which preceded the NBA.

After a season of play the owner decided to pull his team out of the league with the intention of forming the Professional Basketball League of American. Sidebar, the Kansas City Blues would be one of the PBLA teams, the league never got off the ground. The history says players from the Gears were placed in a dispersal draft (remember the term) among the remaining 11 NBL teams. The Minneapolis Lakers selected George Mikan who would lead them to the 1950 and 1952 through 1954 NBA championships. That’s not the first time a dispersal draft was held. In 1976 a merger with the ABA saw players selected by NBA teams among them another Naismith Hall of Fame player, Moses Malone.

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Update

Reclassification has presented us a change in Rivals.com Class of 2021 basketball prospects. As pointed out earlier Jalen Duran (6-10) and Emoni Bates (6-9) were prospects in next year’s class, both reclassified to 2021. The Rivals revised list for 2021 places Duran at number four and Bates number five in the nation. As you are aware Duran will play for Memphis and Penny Hardaway; Bates is yet to commit although he visited Memphis and Oregon last week. A decision should come forth shortly for Bates. One more note or thought, it would be fantastic if sites like Rivals and others could include Euro, African and Asian prospects in their number of prospects. Perhaps the labor required to accomplish this might be too difficult to achieve.

Vaccination

The Miami Heat are requiring all employees to be administer the COVID-19 vaccine. As for the NBA commissioner Silver indicates there is no requirement in the NBA although he believes most players will eventually choose to do so. According to Michelle Roberts executive director of the NBA Players Association 90% of NBA players are vaccinated. Let’s not kid around with this issue, several folks have been stricken despite taking the shot.

It’s our understanding illness by those stricken are less severe for those vaccinated. In addition, there are a large number who won’t be convinced of the vaccine despite the efforts by local, state and federal government. If that is the case okay however those individuals should socially distance and wear a mask for the good of others. Professional leagues are adopting policy although like the NFL there is no national directive. In the NFL proof of vaccination will be required to enter Allegiant Stadium home of the Las Vegas Raiders this fall. On the other hand, the NFL Chiefs have guidelines in place hoping that fans attending Arrowhead Stadium will comply.

GOAT 

Despite what many say it’s not Michael Jordan, shockingly for this proud member of Laker Nation it’s not Kobe. The hook shot was in the repertoire of others however Kareem Abdul Jabbar took it to a level never seen either before or after his time. Allow me to toss one more accolade his direction, he pick the Bucks to win the 2021 NBA championship before it began. He kept his belief even when the Bucks fell into an 0-2 hole. Where did it all began, it was Power Memorial High School in New York City, that’s the location the basketball world discovered the 7-foot 2-inch Lew Alcindor as he was known then? He would lead Power Memorial to three consecutive New York City Catholic championships, the school had a 71-game winning streak while he played. Overall Power Memorial only lost two games while Alcindor was enrolled, they won seventy-nine total.

We have no idea how many colleges offered him a scholarship his choice would become UCLA. UCLA won three consecutive NCAA championships while Alcindor occupied the center position, they would have won four if first-year student were eligible. At that time first-year students were ineligible for varsity basketball, but this should give you an idea of how good he was. His first-year team played the varsity in a scrimmage and beat them, you say that’s no big deal. Consider this fact, that varsity team missing only one player was coming off an NCAA championship year. 2021 would see the Bucks win their second NBA championship, the first occurred in 1971 and guess who was on that team? By now he’d converted to the Muslim faith and become Kareem Abdul Jabbar, his basketball prowess continued as he won five more NBA championships.

The 7-foot 2-inch giant had the ability to shoot his patented Sky Hook with his right and left hand. Although the shot was difficult to block it was revealed several players accomplished the feat during Abdul Jabbar’s career. Wilt Chamberlain was reported to have done it twice and in one game no less, Ralph Sampson (who stood 7-4) and Artis Gilmore (7-2) accomplished it however Gilmore’s block was ruled a goaltend. The other block was registered by Bill Willoughby a 6-foot 8-inch journeyman forward with a 47-inch vertical. By the time Abdul Jabbar retired from the NBA he’d broken Wilt Chamberlain’s all-time scoring record. Twice he was finals MVP, six times NBA MVP, the Bucks and Lakers and UCLA Bruins retired number 33. Those are just a small part of the basketball history of Kareem Abdul Jabbar, if you think Jordan or Kobe someone else that’s okay but for me Abdul Jabbar is my GOAT. This is the one exception for me, no more debates from this corner going forward.

Name change

NBA teams have changed names for a variety of reasons, as an example the Thunder. They were prohibited contractually from becoming the Oklahoma City Sonics. As for others they changed names for varied reasons, the Pelicans are the most recent. The owner wanted a name connected to New Orleans and Louisiana and thought it was not Hornets. Meanwhile a move from Cincinnati to Kansas City made for a change, it was believed the Royals would not work with the baseball Royals already in the city. The Royals became the Kings a name they bear to this day. The franchise is now the Wizards, but they were the Chicago Packers then Zephyrs and finally a move to Baltimore where they were re-born as the Bullets.

Of course, the team moved to the nation’s capital where Wizards replaced the name Bullets. The owner believed bullets reflected violence and believed the team needed another name. The Syracuse (NY) Nationals would move to Philadelphia replacing the Warriors. The Warriors having moved to the Bay area, as for the Nationals they became the 76ers. Team never changed names; Minnesota the Land of 1000 Lakes is a state moto. In 1960 the Minneapolis Lakers moved to Los Angeles but continued play under the same name.

At least 4-5 former ABA teams managed to change names as well, in Denver the team was the Larks in 1967. Prior to the first season the name was changed to but changed their name to the Rockets before the start of that first season, in 1974 they became the Nuggets which they are still to this day. The Spurs history is connected to Dallas where the team first began play, they were the Chaparrals. At the time the team moved to San Antonio they were to be the Gunslingers, but the name was dropped prior to their first game, they became the Spurs first in the ABA and later NBA. The Nets have played all over the New York/New Jersey metro, but the team was first known as the New Jersey Americans. They have been the New York Nets, the New Jersey Nets and finally the Brooklyn Nets. So, name changes have affected franchises in the ABA and NBA.

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Bits n Pieces   

On occasion Laker Haters have been noted in this blog, they are real but there are those far worst. These I consider the Real Haters; they claim they no longer watch the NBA. Despite this fact they constantly express their opinions about games or related issues they haven’t seen. There are issues that prevail in the NBA that are just as irritating to you as me. I believe my complaints have involved individual players, coaches or management. Any verbal abuse I may have spewed was aimed at a specific target and not the entire NBA.

Dirty Kurt was his nickname, it was bestowed upon him by Royals fans because he hustled and had no problem with getting his baseball jersey dirty. He registered clutch hits and made sparkling plays during his brief time with the Royals. Despite the accolades Kurt Bevacqua was a reserve player, he never played every day. He registered 27 home runs and 236 runs batted in during his 14-year career. Where am I going with this story…straight to Alex Caruso former Laker.

Undrafted and a G-League project he made it to the Lakers as a valued reserve. He performed all the duties asked of him and then some. one of the recent headlines read, “The Lakers defense will suffer with no Caruso.” I thought for a minute, the guy while good was not a 48-minute player. There may have been times when he was on the floor the Laker defense suffered. Bottom line, I will miss Caruso’s hustle and intangibles I’m happy he got that big payday. The Lakers will miss him but not in the manner the writer leads us to believe.

His name is Ikechukwu Stanley Okoro, but he shortened it to Adem Bona. Bona is a 6-foot 10-inch 225-pound center from Turkey by way of Nigeria. Like most youth in Africa, he grew up playing football (soccer) in Nigeria, but his growth caused him to switch to basketball. At age 13 he left Nigeria for Turkey beginning basketball play as a professional. In 2019 Bona would begin play for Prolific Prep in Napa California north of the San Francisco-Oakland metro. Bona is on the radar of colleges across the nation, the 18-year-old is a 5-star prospect by 247Sports. He will make an official visit to Kentucky and there are other planned future trips. In 2018 Bona became a citizen of his adopted nation Turkey,

We mentioned much earlier long-time coach Larry Brown is joining Penny Hardaway at Memphis University. The 80-year-old Brown will add nearly 50 years of coaching expertise to the Tiger staff. Brown is still the only coach in history to win an NCAA and NBA championship. A second name has been added to the Memphis staff, Rasheed Wallace veteran NBA player will also aid head coach Hardaway. It should also be noted Wallace was a member of the Pistons at a time Brown was head coach. In addition, Wallace has been a high school coach for two seasons and served as a Piston assistant during the 2013-14 NBA season.

The NBA announced its Christmas Day games recently, one we figured would occur. The Nets at Lakers, that was forecast in the minds of most based on off season moves especially the Lakers. The defending champion Bucks will host the Celtics and the Hawks and Trae Young will face the Knicks. Suns coming off their outstanding season will be matched against the Warriors who should have Klay Thompson on the court after he missed two seasons. Luka Doncic and his Mavs will be matched against the Jazz, all in all we see very interesting matches for December 25.

Is Joel Embiid the best?

The Sixers announced center Joel Embiid was signed to a 4-year contract extension north of $200 million. At a time, Larry Laker pronounced him the best center in the NBA, I can no longer make that claim.  Embiid checks all the boxes indicating he’s got all the tools, but something is missing. The Joker, Nikola Jokic’ is short of Embiid in some areas yet is the 2021 MVP in the NBA. Is Embiid impacted by the Sixers inability to advance in the playoffs? This is a view from 30,000 feet in the air, there are areas Embiid likely exceeds Jokic’ so there. Embiid is a valued member of the Sixers however the continuing story, he needs help.

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Jackie McMullen

She is retiring at ESPN at the end of August, I was going to write something regarding her. When I looked at the mountain of accomplishments, I believed there was no way I could do her justice. There are numerous sources available which will provide far more detail than I could hope to mention. Former basketball player, author, sports analyst…Jackie McMullen. I almost forgot she is a mom as well, enjoy your retirement. 

Good coach or bad one

The hope is to present the case for Isiah Thomas former Piston player and coach. We can probably locate few who believe he was a bad player during his NBA career. Two-time NBA champion, enshrined in the Naismith and College Basketball Hall of Fame, on the other hand his coaching resume presents a less than stellar picture. Was he a good coach or a bad one is the question?  This is based on comments Thomas made about the Malice in the Palace profiled in the Netflix documentary The Untold Story. The former coach and current television analyst indicated if he’d been the Pacers coach the rampage would have never occurred. What about Thomas was he a good coach or bad one. The difficulty in an assessment we are not aware of key provisions, as an example why did Larry Bird choose to fire Thomas in 2004?

The first year with Thomas as head coach the Pacers were a .500 team (41-41), the following season they finished 42-40. Year three saw them close with a 48-34 record but they were bounced in the playoffs. Bird did not hire Thomas, he was only on the job two months before the coach was fired, was there “bad-blood” between the two going back to their days on the basketball court or was it something else. We intend to look at his coaching record alone, no requirement to look at time he spent as general manager or in several other roles. In fairness to Isiah Thomas there are circumstances which prevent us from knowing the complete history. How much did the front office interact with Thomas while he was coach of the Pacers and Knicks? Did Florida International allow him enough time to get his program implemented prior to him being fired? Below is his coaching resume from three stops, you become the judge.

187-223 (.456) with the Indiana Pacers (2000-2003) & New York Knicks (2006-2008) 

26-65 (.286) at Florida International University (2009-2012)

Apples to Oranges

They say, “Don’t compare apples to oranges because both are fruit.” I guess I’m guilty of that in a sense or just not very observant. Example, local sports radio hosts were trying to access the NFL Chiefs performance after a single exhibition game. I thought for a moment, “Don’t they have 90 players on the roster currently?” How can you access anyone except those believed to be front-line players?

The same statement might be of note about NBA Summer League play, there are players I have a desire to see in action, but I stop at a point. NBA rookies are not going to be competing with Kevin Durant or Steph Curry for a job. In fairness newcomers until they compete in a regular season training camp cannot be evaluated. In addition, they must face that first regular season game where the outcome is important to the regular season. In closing these radio guys and the entertainers on ESPN are better than me much as I hate to admit it.

The latest unicorn

Talk about a change in definition, once upon a time the term unicorn described a mythical horse with a single horn protruding from its head. I’m unsure about you but the first time I heard it describe a human was Kristaps Porzingis at the time he was with the Knicks. This from the Urban Dictionary, “Someone amazing who is hard to catch or simply a very rare find.” Okay I get that; it has nothing to do with a players height which was my first thought. Now that’s out of the way let’s move on to the latest unicorn. His name is Chet Holmgren, and he is entering his first year at Gonzaga. Holmgren was rated the Rivals top prospect in the Class of 2021, so it was quite a coup to recruit him. Then again perhaps not as difficult as first believed, he attended Minnehaha Academy the same high school as Jalen Suggs. In fact, the two were teammates till Suggs graduated and headed off to…. Gonzaga University.

The 2021 NBA draft witnessed Suggs drafted by the Orlando Magic so it’s possible at a future date they could see each other on an NBA court. As for Holmgren I first saw the skinny 7-footer in action against Ypsi Prep and Emoni Bates. At the end of the game in truth Holmgren stood out more than Bates. Although seven feet tall he showed he could skillfully dribble the basketball, in addition he sank 3-point baskets. Okay in college he will face a more distance shot but his skill gives us the impression he’ll adjust and shoot it there too. As for the weight issue it’s he’s in the weight room at Gonzaga, the key I’m told is bulk and not weight gain. The bulk will allow him the ability to not be pushed around on the floor. Unless you live on the west coast or Gonzaga has a weekday game those of us in other time zones are liable to only see highlights until the NCAA Tournament. He is at Gonzaga for one year, he is likely to be the top pick in the 2022 NBA draft.

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Woulda, coulda, shoulda

It seems we can always return to the past and uncover what we believe might have been the outcome. The only problem with revisionist history there is no method to prove your view or theory is correct. That is the case we present here, the Netflix documentary Untold: Malice in the Palace has brought forth an unusual comment from former Piston great Isiah Thomas. If you remember the 2004 riot or saw the documentary, you are aware the series of events that took place in The Palace of Auburn Hills. This from Thomas: “Piston fans wouldn’t have acted that way if I coached the Pacers.”

Thomas had been coach of the Pacers but was fired in 2003 and replaced by Rick Carlisle. To say it and then offer no further explanation other than “I was no longer the coach” is meaningless to scores of us. We are led to believe the Piston fan who tossed the cup at Ron Artest wouldn’t have done so with Thomas as head coach. The former Pacer coach goes on to say that Piston team could have won an NBA championship and he well could be correct, that’s difficult to prove at this time. Why Thomas offers this point now is a complete mystery, he could have voiced this opinion in 2004.

We are down to two

By the time you read this he’s there, the HE in this instance is Emoni Bates. Bates is now prepared as a Class of 2021 prospect to choose a school. It appears pro basketball in Australia, G-League Elite or Overtime Elite is out of the question we imagine. Bates has visits scheduled today at Memphis and on Friday its Oregon. He is still non-committal at this point implying he’s got no idea where he’s headed. The question posed do you believe Bates? It appears according to sources the Oregon visit might be a diversion and believe he’s headed to Memphis. Jalen Duran (6-10 230 pounds) also re-classified and decided to attend Memphis, Duran and Bates are friends, what do you think? Perhaps it’s no wonder 80-year-old Larry Brown was hired as an assistant coach; he was sought out for his vast basketball expertise. Brown will be a valuable aid to head coach Penny Hardaway in the strategy for these Tigers. 

Specialists

NBA basketball has long had specialists, guys who didn’t score much sometimes they didn’t rebound the ball either, but they excelled in other areas. Among the first that come to mind are KC Jones and Satch Sanders valued members of those championship Celtic teams of the ‘50’s and ‘60’s. We could fast forward to Dennis Rodman a defensive and rebounding aficionado, he took both sides of the game to a higher level at 6 foot 6 inches. More recently Bruce Bowen at the time he played for the Spurs was their defensive specialist.

In today’s NBA Patrick Beverely has tried to fill the void of specialist but winds up woefully short in my view. Just this week he was traded to the Grizzlies and now Eastern Conference foes can look forward to his aggressive over the top play at the point. He might have worn out his welcome with the Clippers for his play against Chris Paul, there are some NBA players who claim Paul is over the top as well on defense. Rest assured he, Steph Curry are probably rejoicing at the prospect of seeing Beverely a fewer number of times.  In any event Beverely will be missing in his first Grizzlies game, he’s been suspended for shoving Chris Paul during the playoffs. (Prior to publication Beverely was traded to the Wolves). 

We can’t tell until we arrive there

Mizzou’s non-conference basketball schedule is almost complete. The schedule while not overpowering should supply us an early sign how decent Mizzou might play once SEC play begins. There are traditional tough teams on the schedule, Kansas, Illinois and Florida State. Mizzou opens the season against Central Michigan at home on November 9 then on November 18-21 they will play in the Jacksonville Classic.

On the 18^th of November Mizzou will play Northern Illinois and then either Florida State or Loyola Marymount. November 26 Wichita State will visit Mizzou Arena and the annual Braggin’ Rights Game versus Illinois will be held in St. Louis prior to Christmas. Mizzou qualified again to play in the SEC/Big XII Challenge, the Tigers will face Iowa State January 29, 2022. The complete schedule is not supplied however it should be competitive and a surprise or two for Mizzou and this writer. After all we can’t tell until we arrive there a team’s worth.

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Bits n Pieces  

It was just a brief stopover; November 2020 veteran Bucks guard Eric Bledsoe was traded to the Pelicans. Just this month August 7 to be exact he was traded again this time to the Grizzlies. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com indicates Bledsoe has been traded to the Clippers in exchange for Patrick Beverley, Rajon Rondo and Daniel Oturu. This move is totally confusing to us, hopefully the Clippers have a plan in mind.

Netflix is running a documentary all NBA fans need to see. It’s titled Untold: Malice at the Palace and tells the story of the 2004 incident which prompted a near riot between the Pacers, Pistons and a host of Piston fans. For the first time the incident through first-hand accounts of the players, law enforcement and fans we discover portions of the story heretofore unknown.

It’s amazing

Talk of a Patrick Mahomes Kansas City NBA franchise has brought about very, very strange responses. A person has the right to express their own view however there is a point. Examples, a couple of letters indicated “There was no requirement for NBA with the Mavericks here.” For those who might be unfamiliar the Mavericks in this instance are the ECHL and an affiliate of the Calgary Flames of the NHL.

No disagreement with those who love hockey but comparing minor league hockey to major league basketball, figure that one out if you care. Just a few more noted, “We have close by basketball” a reference to Lawrence Kansas and KU basketball (50 miles away) and Columbia MO and Mizzou (125 miles away). My residence is in the south portion of the city, driving city streets I can arrive at T-Mobile Center in less than 20 minutes. Most letters were approving of an effort to secure an NBA franchise for Kansas City, hopefully one day we shall see progress with Mahomes or someone else involved in the process.

LeBron is guilty

A substantial number in Laker Nation are more thrilled with the fact Kyle Kuzma is gone over the fact Russell Westbrook is now a member of the team. Kyle Kuzma can play, he just was unable to adapt his game to LeBron James. In addition, there might have been a continuing problem in the role of reserve over starter. That’s what Kuzma was, a starter prior to LeBron’s arrival. I remember tuning in to Summer League games wanting to see Lonzo Ball in action, Ball was injured at a point and Kuzma took over.

In fact, that summer proved the kid few of us knew could play the game at the NBA level. His rookie year was good enough he made the All-Rookie Team in 2018. We don’t know what unfolds for him with the Wizards, given time to adjust and the opportunity to play the real Kuzma will show up. This member of Laker Nation wishes Kyle Kuzma the best and hopes he demonstrate to the Lakers they made a mistake in trading him. An update here, Lebron James and Russell Westbrook arrived together at the Lakers Summer League game versus the Pistons. The play-by-play announcer made a prophetic statement, “If LeBron James didn’t want Westbrook (with the Lakers) he wouldn’t be here.”

Neither Mizzou player was drafted

Two Mizzou Tigers signed free agent contracts; Jeremiah Tilmon Jr. 6-foot 10-inch center was signed by the Orlando Magic while 6-foot 3 guard Dru Smith is with the Miami Heat. Both play for the summer league teams. They might be a longshot to earn a roster spot however we are never certain. Tilmon and Smith were key to the success Mizzou accomplished on the basketball court. If other Tiger players had competed at the level of these two there might have been a deep run in the NCAA tournament.

In any event good luck to these two former Mizzou Tigers. This not to state there was limited talent on the roster, growth in one’s game is always possible. The two mentioned excelled above their teammates and provided valued leadership at times scoring, rebounds and the other things. Dru Smith was in action for the Heat against the Lakers on Tuesday, he played a steady game although he wasn’t a starter. It might be easier for Tilmon to earn a roster spot with his height (6-10) and weight (252 pounds). Not trying to downgrade Smith’s effort but most times it’s easier to locate a quality guard than a valued Big Man.

He’s from the Dominican Republic

If we mention the Dominican Republic and connect it with sports what is the first thought? More than likely your thinking drifts toward baseball, a large contingent of Dominicans have longed displayed their talent on baseball diamonds across the nation. We introduce 18-year-old Jean Montero, a 6-foot 2-inch 180-pound point guard. Montero is one of the Overtime Elite prospects to sign a contract with the startup basketball league. OTE will kick off its initial season in 2021-22, be on the lookout for this potential talent to display his basketball acumen.

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Bits n Pieces

Why should I or anyone pay attention to anything ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith states, he’s simply an entertainer who happens to report among other sports the NBA. Does he have an opinion, of course he does? The further question his assessment regarding any player is a pass/fail on their future progress, we seriously doubt that. What’s the latest pronouncement from Mr. Smith, he’s gone on record indicating “I’d rather have Jalen Green (Rockets rookie) over Cade Cunningham (Pistons rookie).” Neither has yet to play one minute on an NBA court, both appear super talented, but we cannot predict the future for either Mr. Smith. So, with little evidence but his opinion he’s convinced us Green is the better player, oh, I forgot he’s an entertainer a guy who reports sports, particularly the NBA. He’s got no expertise as a scout or coach just a view.

The NBA will observe its 75^th Anniversary next season, the league came into being June 6, 1946, as the Basketball Association of America. The Knicks and Celtics are two of the teams who date back to that first season. In 1949 the Basketball Association of America would merge with the National Basketball League, and it would become the National Basketball Association a league comprised of 30 teams today. The NBA has suffered difficulties over the course of its history but has been on the upswing the last several years.

A report indicates the Big XII inviting Cincinnati, Memphis and the University of Central Florida to join the conference. Relatives and friends indicate each of the school’s has a competitive football program; as for the basketball that is a different matter. Cincinnati and Memphis are rich in basketball tradition, Cincinnati appeared in the tournament 32 times winning the 1961 and 1962 NCAA championship. Memphis has the 26^th highest winning percentage in NCAA history. The school was runner up to the champion in 1973 and 2008. As for UCF the school moved from Division II to Division I in the 1993-94 season. If the name of the school is familiar to a number of you it’s the same one that produced Tacko Fall and former Duke player Johnny Dawkins serves as head basketball coach. As for football UCF plays at the Division, I Football Subdivision (FBS) level.

Fire Cuonzo 

Mizzou made history this week, the school hired Desiree Reed-Francois as the Athletic Director. She becomes the first female AD in the SEC (more below). The announcement of her hiring came this letter “Fire Cuonzo” which is interesting since there was no background as to why the coach should be fired. It is always easy for “fans” to fire the coach when a team fails to play at the level, they believe it should. Whenever you read a letter or statement to that effect there is never a replacement in mind.

I can agree team play at times has been disappointing however we can take note here. Mizzou’s earned an NCAA invitation two of the four years Cuonzo Martin’s been head coach, injuries have impacted production on the court so if that appears an excuse so be it. Martin took over a team at the bottom of the SEC, Mizzou was 27-68 the previous three years. The disappointment from this writer is SEC play, Mizzou has not produced the winning record I would have hoped. Despite the negative the coach gets one more year in my book. As for the AD hire, technically Vanderbilt hired the first female AD, but this is the question. Vanderbilt is the only private school in the SEC while all others are state schools, does that effect the announcement, it does however I remain confused?

Division I basketball

If we held a discussion with a group of Division NAIA coaches they might disagree as to why NAIA basketball is no longer a power. If we check play from the 1950’s and 1960’s NAIA schools turned out a tremendous amount of talent which moved into the NBA. Willis Reed (Grambling), Earl Monroe (Winston-Salem State) or Sam Jones (North Carolina Central) and others were drafted and distinguished themselves in the NBA. This is what occurred as example for, Tennessee State and Kentucky State NAIA powers in the ‘fifty’s and ‘sixty’s now are Division I and Division II programs.

Louisville a longtime basketball power won the 1948 NAIA Tournament but there are others including Marshall, Indiana State, Grambling and San Diego State all playing at the NAIA level at a time. What occurred to make the change, there were a series of events. The first occurrence is easy to understand, it’s money. The revenue a program earns from playing a Division I schedule versus NAIA makes the decision to move up easy. The opportunity to gain a national footprint, practically every basketball program is televised on ESPN, Fox Sports or Bally. Chances are particularly good there are more Division I Mid Major schools on television over the NAIA brand.

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“Memphis Tennessee”

In 1959 Rock & Roll pioneer Chuck Berry’s studio released his hit tune Memphis Tennessee, in 1964 Johnny Rivers covered the hit with his own rendition. The stanza goes, “Long distance information, give me Memphis Tennessee Help me find the party trying to get in touch with me.” The person seeking information might be one Emoni Bates either the number one or two prospect in the Class of 2022, Bates has reclassified now so we are unsure of where he fits in the Class of 2021.

It’s rumored Bates is headed to Memphis to play for coach Penny Hardaway although as this is written he’s made no indication where he might be headed. Several familiar with Bates disagree with me, it’s my belief 201 pounds spread over a 6-foot 9-inch frame says shooting guard not small forward. Adding bulk might reduce Bates quickness however that remains an unanswered question. In any event we await the answer an if he is headed for Memphis as many sources are claiming.

Which comes first?

Which card arrives first, his AARP or Social Security for Udonis Haslem of the Heat, he’s re-signed for the 2021-22 which will be season 19. A kindergarten student began school and will now be entering their second year of college, which is the length of time Haslem’s been in the NBA as a player. The power forward of the Heat just turned 41 years of age in June but he’s not the oldest player in NBA history. In the 1996-97 season Robert Parrish most associated with the Celtics played at age 43 for the Bulls. Kevin Willis a former Atlanta Hawks power forward played one game for the Mavs in 2007, he was 44 years old at the time. Despite my attempt at humor regarding Haslem he’s got quite a way to go before he becomes the oldest NBA player in history.

Draft night grades

I try not to place a great deal of stock in the grading system used by various sites. They don’t really know how a draft turns out for a minimum of the first three years, with the disclaimer out of the way let’s check USA Today for its assessment. The publication awarded an A+ to four teams one technically not a participant in the draft.

Detroit Pistons A+

Golden State Warriors A+

Houston Rockets A+

Los Angeles Lakers A+

Orlando Magic A

Sacramento Kings A

Cleveland Cavs A

New Orleans Pelicans A-

This is just one opinion however the grades might provide an indication how deep in talent the 2021 draft was. Why the Lakers were included is interesting, the writer believed the two free-agent signings of Oklahoma’s Austin Reeves and Gonzaga’s Joel Ayayi places them in line with the Pistons, Warriors and Rockets. Don’t agree with them, that’s okay its one guys opinion as I stated we have a way to go before any of the grades are proven correct.

I missed it

The Rockets faced the Pistons in Tuesday night Summer League game, it was Cade Cunningham versus Jalen Green. It was the top pick in the 2021 draft versus the second pick, who would win the game? I don’t know because I chose to watch the Royals-Yankees instead, I had to depend on SportsCenter and NBA TV highlights oh well. The Rockets won the game 111-91, Cunningham playing the point and Green at the shooting guard were only matched against one another on occasion. Green with 25 points (.545) won the scoring match over Cunningham who scored 20 (.444). Technically this was only an exhibition game, but rest assured in the future these two will see a great deal of action in the future.

What a reduction

Former Laker guard Dennis Schroeder will sign a 1-year $5.9 million deal with the Celtics. That is certainly a large number for you and me, maybe only me because I have no idea of your financial status. In any event February 2021 the Lakers offered Schroeder a 4-year contract which was reported on the high side to be at least $84 million, on the low side $60 million may have been the figure. Schroeder turned down the Lakers preferring to see what free agency would allow him to earn. Schroder believed his value would be much greater than $5.9 million but here is the series of events.

August 2 would see a sizeable number of free agent moves and this occurred. Schroder hope to barter for a much larger figure than he would sign. All is not lost, it’s certainly possible for Schroder to still earn the big payday, it just might not occur in the timely manner he believed it should. The game remains a team game however I find it interesting, several fans appear to believe LeBron James is/was the problem for Schroeder. They claim players have difficulty playing with him, you must be the judge on this one I ain’t touching it.