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Twins 

As for those of the past there might have been others but the first set of twins my researched disclosed were the Van Arsdale’s, Tom and Dick. The Van Arsdale’s played collegiately at Indiana; Dick was drafted by the Knicks with the 10^th pick in the second round in 1965. He played for the Knicks and Suns during his 12-year NBA career. Tom was drafted that same year by the Pistons with the 11^th pick in the second round. His basketball career would match his twin playing from 1965-1977.

It would be several years before the next set of twins would play in the NBA, that would be the Lopez twins, Brook and Robin. The brothers played at Stanford University and were drafted in 2008. Brook was the 10^th pick in the first-round while Robin was made the 15^th pick in the same round, both are still active players in the association. Also included in our account are the Morris twins, Markieff and Marcus. These twins played college basketball at Kansas and were drafted in the NBA in 2011, both have played for several NBA teams. Next up are the Martin twins, Cody and Caleb Martin, Cody was drafted by the Hornets in 2019 twin brother Caleb went undrafted. As for the present Cody remains with the Hornets while Caleb is now with the Heat.

You are probably scratching your head wondering “where is he going with this story?” We are there, allow me to introduce to some the Thompson twins, Amen and Ausar and they are identical twins. These Oakland California athletes stand 6-foot 7-inches and 210 pounds, rest assured you will hear the commissioner announce their names in the 2023 NBA draft. The disclaimer on the twins, they are listed on several mock draft sites which pretty much assures them of being drafted, the success factor is certainly an unknown at this stage. In closing remember the names of these OTE athletes next June when their names are announced. I had completed this and realize a mistake, I omitted the Grant twins, Harvey and Horace Grant. Both had extensive NBA careers however Horace might have received more publicity due to his play with the Bulls and later Lakers.

I guess I’m easily impressed 

Despite the fact of being married to me my wife IS NOT a basketball fan. Her sport is Chiefs football and baseball Royals, on occasion we have basketball discussions although not often. Watching the morning local news she heard a story that prompted a question. The Mizzou-KU game scheduled this afternoon, and she made this comment, 'I didn't know Missouri was undefeated.' I answered in the affirmative and mentioned how impressed I am so far with the hire of Dennis Gates. 'I don't know what this Mizzou team will be in March, I don't even know if they win today.’  I’ve read and heard many complaints about the “soft schedule” Mizzou’s played to date. The explanation (or excuse), with the firing of Cuonzo Martin last spring the cupboard was empty. Memory says there were only a couple of seniors, but the balance of the team decided to transfer. At the time Gates was hired 3 players remained on the roster.

Aiden Shaw made a commitment to the previous coach thus deciding he would look elsewhere too. Gates talked to him and convinced him Mizzou would work for him and the freshman youngster has been adjusting to the college game. The head coach and staff recruited and recruited and recruited having to build this team on the fly. Laugh if you wish about Mizzou's soft schedule I'm not, there was a purpose in setting this up. With a collection of new players what do we suppose the record might be if Mizzou had scheduled Duke, UCLA or any traditional basketball power early in the season. I will repeat it again, I’m not laughing…I see the purpose of the “soft-schedule” it’s the end that counts (March). In closing a friend mentioned this to me and it certainly makes sense, ‘I doubt if the other team appreciates someone using the term soft to describe them.’ In closing allow me to repeat again, I’m one of a few souls in Mizzou Nation desiring a match with KU. I’ve said on more than one occasion that ship has sailed they are Big XII Mizzou is SEC. The only commonality between the two now is a shared state line, that reflects my view alone

Health forced him out

On Friday we received news 82-year-old Larry Brown was stepping aside, the long-time coach was serving as a special assistant to Memphis coach Penny Hardaway. The move is strictly health related although no details were released. Over the course of his playing and coaching career Brown’s always been a favorite of mine. After playing at North Carolina under legendary Dean Smith the 5-foot 9 guard found himself in the ABA, probably considered too short for the NBA.

Once his playing career was over Brown would move into the coaching ranks, he remains the only coach to win both an NCAA championship (Kansas) and an NBA championship (Pistons). His coaching career would include being inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2002. His love for the game kept him wanting to coach and teach it to generations of players over the years when it is likely he could have retired. So beginning as an assistant coach in 1965 he closes out a more than 40 year run at a number of stops throughout the nation and overseas. Whatever the health issue hopefully Brown can be cured and remain around for a long long time.

Often injured

The Warriors recently re-called James Wiseman from their G-League team. The jury remains divided on his NBA future, I was an early believer after NBA seasoning, he would be ready to play. Well that’s been a problem, Wiseman’s had difficulty remaining healthy enough to play consistently. As an example in four years he’s yet to play a full season. You might remember Wiseman played but three college games, the NCAA uncovered improprieties while in high school which impacted him at Memphis.

Forced to sit out a number of games Wiseman informed the NCAA after a time he had no intention to follow their mandate. He began off season training preparing for the 2020 NBA draft. The Warriors would make him the number two pick in the draft and from there Wiseman’s been on a roller-coaster. Although I admit to seeing few of Wiseman’s games, he remains a talented prospect but the larger question, can that potential be nurtured? Perhaps part of the problem he’s a Big Man (7 feet 240 pounds) trying to adapt his game to the small ball of the Warriors. On the other hand it could be something I’m missing entirely.

Old arenas still in use

Unlike NBA teams who appear to believe they require a new arena every few years college arenas are far different. It’s not the fact new arenas are never built for colleges and universities there are probably untold reasons they remain in use. Just a few of them and the year they opened, keep in mind all remain in use today:

Matthews Arena-Northeastern Boston 1910

Rose Hill Gymnasium-Fordham Bronx NY 1925

Lavietes Pavilion-Harvard 1926

Palestra-Penn Philadelphia 1927

Hinkle Fieldhouse-Butler Indianapolis 1928 (portions of the movie Hoosiers was filmed here)

Williams Arena-Minnesota 1928

Payne Whitney-Gymnasium Yale 1932

Develin Field House-Tulane New Orleans 1933

Haas Pavilion-Cal 1933

Municipal Auditorium-Kansas City 1936  

Rest assured these arenas have probably been remodeled over and over again. Also an interesting fact, except for two on the list all seat less than 10,000 spectators for games. After all Matthews Arena is 112 years old but it also proves a point. Just because an arena (or building is old) there is no requirement to begin demolishing it.

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Did you hear this?

It’s not our responsibility to figure out what is going on with Kawhi Leonard. I heard a report the other day which if true is quite interesting. Its being reporting Leonard has a mind-set that says, “unless I feel 100% healthy, I don’t play.” I believe Clipper Nation and all others don’t want him on the court if he is ill or an appearance might impact his rehab. Returning to action from surgery is a difficult process for any athlete amateur or professional. I’m sure its probably kept quiet but Clipper management must be concerned at this point. Think about this for a moment, how many of us have left our home for work not feeling 100%?

Of course 99% of us don’t play in the NBA but we have jobs and if we have a work ethic, we head for work several times we don’t feel our best. This assembly of Clipper talent was to compete in the Western Conference, yet with this account find themselves one game above .500. Is this continuing absence all-Leonard’s fault, of course not however expectations are greater for him than other members of the roster including Paul George. I’ve said this previously and will repeat it again this team cannot advance in the playoffs without a healthy Kawhi Leonard in the lineup and that’s the problem. We know his history even prior to the latest surgery he plays the load management card to the max. Okay, I’m not going to kid you or anyone else. The travel plus wear and tear on the body there are just a few NBA players in action for all 82 games.

As for Leonard the number of games he plays are on a downward trend, that is the overriding factor for me. How can you be valuable to any team if you are rarely on the court? When discussing this with a friend he provided me a quote from football coach Herm Edwards. ‘In sports you can’t use the word ability without putting “avail” in front of it.’ One of the 6 definitions for avail is “to be of value or profit.” If this appears to be critical of Leonard that is not intended to be the case, you might color this writer confused by his lack of on court play. In the 2016-17 season while a member of the Spurs he played 74 games the most productive in his NBA career. 

‘But we eat there’

I decided to check Rivals.com class rankings for 2023 and was surprised at what I discovered. Currently Mizzou is ranked number 29 in the nation by the scouting site, being ranked that high is really unusual. It always seemed to me and maybe others Mizzou for the most part appeared to recruit second tier players over 5-star recruits and McDonald’s All Americans. It’s not the fact Mizzou made no effort to recruit these players it’s just the fact they chose to attend schools other than Mizzou. 

Speaking of McDonald’s this account has been mentioned in the past. Long-time Mizzou coach Norm Stewart was once asked, ‘Do you have any McDonald’s All Americans on your team?’ The response from the coach went like this, ‘We don’t have any McDonald’s All Americans, but we eat there.’ Again a difficult fact to prove but I believe this might be the highest ranking ever for Mizzou which says great things for coach Gates and staff. I’m sure Mizzou will be active in the spring signing period which begins April 12 and runs until April 30, 2023.

No revisionist history here

I didn't realize it had been 11 years since former commissioner David Stern voided the trade, Chris Paul had been traded to the Lakers December 8, 2011. Some might remember, the Hornets attempted to trade the All-Star point guard. The trade was intricate but its detailed in this summary, the Hornets would receive Lamar Odom, Kevin Martin (Rockets), Luis Scola (Rockets) and Goran Dragic (Rockets). The Rockets would receive Pau Gasol (Lakers). The NBA had taken over operations of the team while seeking an owner,

Based on objections by NBA owners the trade was voided as explained in detail below. Years later in a radio interview Stern offered this explanation, ‘The GM (Dell Demps) was not authorized to make the trade. And acting on behalf of owners, we decided not to make it. I was an owner rep. There was nothing to void. It just never got made’ (Sporting News Dec 7, 2021). Naturally Laker Nation was highly upset with Stern for the move. We have no idea how much Laker history might have changed after all Kobe Bryant was still in his prime. Matching him with Paul, well just use your imagination. As stated early on this is presented as is, no attempt at revisionist history.

KU players in the NBA

A large number of KU players have played in the NBA since it's beginning. The Cavs made Ochai Agbaji the 14 pick in the first round of the 2022 NBA draft, he’s since been traded to the Jazz. Could he become the next KU All Star or just an average player. Although a large number of former and present-day players have earned paychecks few could be identified as NBA All Stars. Before you in Jayhawk Nation begin to throw rocks at me understand what I’m attempting to point out. To ensure no one was omitted I conducted research regarding the question. We begin our examination with the name Clyde Lovellette (1949-52).

Depending on your age or basketball expertise Lovellette is probably unfamiliar to a number of you although he’s in the Naismith Hall of Fame. Wilt Chamberlain (1956-58) likely remains the best player ever produced by KU, we move from Jo Jo White (1965-69) to Danny Manning (1984-88) and then Paul Pierce (1995-98) we close this out with Joel Embiid (2013-14). Don’t confuse my intent with this undertaking I’m talking about more than simply playing in the NBA, I am talking about NBA All Stars. On the cusp although he’s yet to be an All Star we could add Andrew Wiggins to the list, he played at KU from 2013-14. In our discussion a KU graduate said this regarding the present coaching, “Maybe Bill Self prepares them for his system but not necessarily for the NBA.”

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This is what occurs

My son-in-law put me on the spot earlier in the week, he said, “Who wins the basketball game between Mizzou and Kansas?” I really have no idea however I tried to make an assessment or snapshot of what I believe to be the breakdown of various aspects of this game. No analytics were involved in this estimation I don’t comprehend that stuff; after consideration of various features of each team this is what I foresee. 

Coaching advantage KU, the veteran Bill Self facing Dennis Gates, the Mizzou coach appears to be a good hire however this will be his first true test in a big-time game. We have no idea how Gates will coach in a close game; he might have done this at Cleveland State, but we just don’t know. Interesting that both head coaches have a connection to Leonard Hamilton longtime Florida State head coach. From 1986-1990 Self was an assistant coach for Hamilton. 2004-2005 and 2011-2019 Gates served in the same capacity, assistant coach for Hamilton.

Defense advantage Mizzou, among the teams KU has beaten are Duke and Southern Utah. In both games the Jayhawks won close matches mostly due to their defensive effort. In their only loss Tennessee beat KU playing tough belly button to belly button defense and outshooting the Jayhawks. Expect the veteran Mizzou team to attempt the same, hold Jayhawks shooting below their standard.

Offense even, KU can score the ball but so can Mizzou. Kansas is averaging 77.7 points per game shooting 47% from the floor. As for Mizzou in their “weak” non-conference schedule the Tigers are scoring at a 93 point per game clip shooting 52% from the floor. KU averages 18 assists and Mizzou 21.6 assists a game. KU is 35.75 while Mizzou is 35.00% from the 3pt line. 

Bench advantage Mizzou, the Jayhawks while certainly talented cannot go much past 6 or 7 players. Is it the “soft schedule” played or something else at work, during the 9-game winning streak the majority of games we’ve often seen Mizzou send out 9 to 11 players on the court.

Intangibles advantage Mizzou, two issues the baby Jayhawks will be playing before a rambunctious Mizzou crowd. They must be able to neutralize the hostile environment of Mizzou Arena including the Antlers. Mizzou is a “spliced-together” team, i.e. a bunch of 5^th year players and seniors facing a young KU team. Can the veteran Mizzou presence overcome the talented but youthful Jayhawks?

Who wins-KU should win the game although I’m going to follow the Jamie Fox line from his BetMGM commercial. Mila Kunis approaches Fox and says, “I’ve got a tip for you, always go with your gut, Fox then says, “I like that (and yells at the gathering) lets go with our gut.” Mizzou wins by the slimmest of margins so it will likely be under 10 points. On the other hand if Kansas should win, I’ll be proven wrong, but consider this fact Las Vegas is also incorrect at times and those guys are paid certified professionals.

No, they are yet to turn the corner

I tried to not become too excited, over the past week or 10 games. The Lakers with all hands-on deck were playing good basketball. There was a smile on my face and then it occurred. First it was Anthony Davis who missed games having contracted flu, then it was LeBron. LeBron tweaked his ankle, and he too was out. I’m not a fan of Patrick Beverley but he too was out action. I have no idea where this Laker team is headed but without injury or illness they are going to remain exactly where they are.

I’m beginning to wonder if it might be time to “blow up” this team. A viable trade is the first belief on my part, second to that determine if youngsters (Troy Brown Jr., Max Christie, Scotty Pippen Jr. & Wenyen Gabriel) plus others can play major minutes for the Lakers. I have no control over anything the Lakers might do, where I sit there is no evidence of progress. Darvin Ham is yet to be proven a viable head coach however the general belief he needs time. It is clear Anthony Davis when healthy is a talent, as for LeBron James he needs less minutes on the court which I’m sure might be displeasing to him. Despite my complaint I will continue to support MY Lakers no matter the record.

Another career in his future

Most of us have seen Boban Marjanoic’ in action, after all the Serbian Big Man has played for 6 NBA teams over his 7-year career. As for the headline I speak of, it’s not on the basketball court, this 7-foot 4 290-pound Boban is a star in a manner few would have figured. The future for him is in front of a television or movie camera, the guy seems to be a natural. I’m not sure where it began i.e. the film career. He’s made a series of continuing commercials for State Farm Insurance

In addition he can be spotted in the movie John Wick Chapter 3-Parabellim. He portrayed a villain who fought the John Wick character in the library scene. Boban was also seen in the Netflix movie Hustle with LeBron James and Adam Sandler. He's filmed a series of commercials for the fish-shaped cracker Goldfish with former teammate Tobias Harris. He and Harris have become friends as both have been traded twice and landed on the same team. It’s really very easy to spot Boban…if he’s standing look for the tallest guy on the screen.

I love me some Austin Reaves

“Don’t draft me I want to select my own NBA team” or similar words were expressed by Austin Reaves in the spring of 2021. He made this pronouncement shortly before the 2021 NBA draft would occur, sure enough heeding his word not a single team drafted him. The 6-foot 5-inch combo guard decided in favor of the chose Lakers signing a 2-way free agent contract. Reaves is no SoCal guy, he was born in Arkansas and played for Wichita State and Oklahoma prior to the NBA. 

As you are aware last season was not a good one for the Lakers however for Reaves it was different story. He played in 61 games and started 19 as a rookie. He shot a respectable 46% from the floor and 32% from three for last year’s team. Near the end of last season Reaves registered a triple double with 31 points 16 rebounds and 10 assists. In his sophomore term we’ve seen him in both a starter and reserve role, we have seen Reaves raise his numbers over his rookie season. His teammates especially LeBron James love his hustle and all-around ability. I love his moxie as a rookie telling all NBA teams his intention to choose his team rather than the other way around.

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Where does he stand

The 55-point outburst by the Lakers Anthony Davis against the Wizards last Sunday evening made for a question on my part. I was aware this scoring number was nowhere near the top score ever by a Laker, the single game scoring record belongs to the late Kobe Bryant. Bryant scored 81 points in a game against the Raptors on January 22, 2006, he’d broken the 71-point record Elgin Baylor registered November 15, 1960.

Over time the Lakers have fielded a number of prolific scorers, Baylor, Chamberlain, West and Kobe and others have recorded astronomical games. As for Kobe’s 81 point game I was a League Pass subscriber and witnessed that game as it was being played. AD’s 55 points place him in a tie with Bryant (3/28/2003) and Elgin Baylor (2/25/1959). As for current Lakers AD finishes one point (56) behind teammate LeBron James who established his high game on March 5, 2022. Two present day Lakers (LeBron & Davis) have their scoring numbers in the Lakers archives.

Purdue Big Man

I have mentioned on more than one occasion traditional Big Man play no longer exists, young men haven’t suddenly stopped growing.  We have noted the traditional back to the basket play of centers has disappeared. Once again, I know the culprit for the change in the game, the culprit…it’s Steph Curry. You know the old saying, “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery;” you’ve probably heard that old adage. Many of us might recognize what’s occurred, the Warriors with Curry shooting have been very successful in the recent past. Hold on a moment, there are a few college players who are playing Big Man basketball.

One of these Big Men is playing at Purdue University and his name is Zach Edey. Edey is really a Big Man standing 7-foot 4-inches and 290-pounds and guess what, unlike many of the Big Men today he’s got no 3pt shot. I would ask the question again, if he's got no 3pt shot is that a bad thing? From what I am able to determine the knock on Edey is his speed, scouts indicate he might be a bit slow for the NBA game. As for his shot the evaluation is good on that aspect of his game, he’s even got a hook shot. I could ask this additional question, if Edey is drafted in the second round is that a bad thing? Better yet he winds up with an NBA team in the same manner of the Lakers Austin Reaves as a free agent. His earlier background, Edey played at IMG Academy but is from Toronto Canada.

I believe Chamberlain could have played in any era

Basketball legend Wilt Chamberlain retired in 1973, in 1999 he died at the age of 63. It’s my belief many 21^st Century fans tend to believe The Big Dipper as he was nicknamed was not all that. Despite the mind-boggling numbers in points, rebounds and other stuff critics point toward the time he played. This is a reminder once again outstanding NBA play did not begin with Michael Jordan and his Bulls. At the time Chamberlain was drafted in 1959 the NBA contained only 8 teams including his Philadelphia Warriors. By the time he retired at the end of the 1972-73 season the NBA consisted of 17 teams, a far smaller number than today’s 30 team NBA. I tend to look at this in a different manner, I contend the NBA of today might be “watered down” to a degree.

Although it’s my belief the best conditioned athletes are those of today let’s explore a concept. Even in his rookie year with only 7 other teams most had good centers besides Bill Russell. Offense in that day was nothing like today, the game was outside-in rather than inside-out. Is it possible with an expanded NBA we have a greater number of paychecks issued but the talent overall is not what it was back then? That’s only speculation on my part there is no method (I believe) to discover the truth to the belief. The resume Chamberlain accomplished while playing is totally amazing even with a smaller sized NBA. Anytime the game is changed due to your play that indicates to me a generational athlete and that’s what Chamberlain was. Don’t just take my word, check his numbers. In addition there is YouTube video of the 7-foot 1 Chamberlain in action. This for JJ Redick, Chamberlain faced more than plumbers and firemen while playing in the NBA. Some of you might remember the Redick quote earlier this year, I believe Chamberlain could play in any era.

Me and arenas

I watched a tiny portion of a Billikens game recently; it is the basis for this account. The St. Louis University Billikens play their games in Chaifetz Arena. This arena opened in 2008 seats 10,600 for basketball. I was in the arena last May for a high school graduation, as I surveyed the surroundings my mind went to work. There are four large monitors in each corner of the upper portion of the arena containing video replays and stats. I love sports arenas although only from the level of a novice. Moving out of St. Louis to Los Angeles or Inglewood if you prefer, we have the Intuit Dome. The planned home of the Clippers is moving at a steady construction pace and should be ready in time for the 2024 NBA season.

Owner Ballmer appears to have spared no expense in building this luxurious sports palace, he’s even installing a record number of rest room facilities to minimize the number of lines. Also mentioned previously was news from Las Vegas. The Oak View development group plans to break ground in 2023 on a 20,000-seat $3 billion basketball arena and entertainment complex south of the Las Vegas Strip. Can we say together Las Vegas in the NBA in the very near future? Returning to the east coast and Philadelphia. The Sixers are looking toward moving from Wells Fargo Center built in 1996.

Currently the NBA team shares the arena with a number of other teams, it appears the Sixers desire their own building. “76 Place” is budgeted at $1.3 billion and would be located near the fashion district in Philadelphia. Two of the Sixer managing partners are steering the project with a planned opening in 2031. In closing we look toward Baylor University in Waco Texas. The Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion held its groundbreaking last spring. The 7,500-seat basketball arena for the Baylor Bears will be completed in time for the 2023-24 basketball season. This is certainly not a complete list of planned arenas, I’m quite sure I missed a few but it does provide an idea of current news.

Bits n Pieces

The NBA announced a new trophy will be awarded at the end of the season. The team finishing with the best record will be awarded the new Maurice Podoloff trophy. For those who might be unfamiliar with the name Podoloff was the president of the BAA and later the NBA when the league first began play back in 1946. He served in the role until 1963 when he retired, Podoloff is given credit for much of the early success of the league. In a twist his successor J. Walter Kennedy was named commissioner. Back up a moment, the NBA MVP was awarded the Podoloff trophy which represents a change. There’s been no announcement yet of the new name for the NBA MVP. 

Nike formally announced it was scrapping its deal with Kyrie Irving. I believe most of us are aware of the actions that caused the change, briefly Irving’s social media page contained a link to a film many believed inflammatory in its portrayal. Irving’s representative indicated the agreement to dissolve was mutual. As for this observation rest assured there is another shoe/apparel entity willing to take over the Nike role. 

This is different, Mizzou received votes for the Top 25. The Tigers received two votes which is certainly amazing although the season is young. I had to conduct some research because my memory provided me no basis for Mizzou even sniffing the Top 25. Indeed it did occur, it was December 2012. The poll released December 24^th that year placed Mizzou at number 10, the previous week it had been number 18.  

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The real Street Clothes…it ain’t who you might think

The Lakers Anthony Davis can bestow the title of Street Clothes to Kawhi Leonard of the Clippers. Have you stopped and considered Leonard’s NBA career might be over, I cannot be 100% sure of my statement although I just stated that. Let’s check a few things that have occurred in his past history. As stated previously no matter the sport injuries remain part of the game. Athletes do the best they can to avoid them however they occur, that’s been the history for Leonard for the past few years. I can say supremely talented but limited by his ability to remain on the court for extended periods. This is written the evening of December 1^st; the Clippers have played 25 games; Leonard has seen action in 6 of those games.

In the games played thus far Leonard was on a minutes restriction in addition he was a starter in only 1 of the 6 games. In other competitive sports athletes have returned from injury and the “spark” is no longer there, I’m not referring to the ability or desire. The no longer there refers to the fact the athlete loses some of his or her physical ability to play at the pre-injury level. To compound the issue even further Leonard is now age 31, that’s certainly not elderly however it is an issue. Even non-athletes slow as they age, the stamina plus a degree of ability leaves us it’s a natural part of the aging process. So what occurs for Leonard going forward? He must adjust to the fact he must become accustomed to playing at 80 or 90% rather than the 97 or 98% he once was able to maintain.

Will that be enough to maintain him at the pre-injury level, we cannot make that assessment? Keep in mind this is all speculation on my part, I have no insight into the mind of Kawhi Leonard just some thoughts. I’ve mentioned this previously but decided to close the subject with this. For unknown reasons Anthony Davis has been mentioned as injury prone yet practically nothing is made of Leonard. How about this tidbit of information, although Leonard was drafted one year before AD the Lakers Big Man has played the greater number of games. In closing this opinion, the Clippers cannot advance past the Western Conference finals with Paul George and crew alone. They need a healthy Kawhi Leonard, this the hope of Clipper management.

Does it matter

Do you consider it important what city is able to draft the top pick? I posed the question based on what I’m reading and what is being reported by the broadcast media. “Victor Wembanyama must be drafted by the right team” is the word we continue to hear. Once upon a time it was my belief it didn’t matter where you played just as long as you were drafted. Lew Alcindor was drafted by the Bucks, later at his request he was traded to the Lakers.

I suppose it would have been better if the Knicks had been able to draft him, after all he was a New York City kid. Patrick Ewing although not from New York was a good choice for the Knicks as was Bill Bradley, we could make the same statement for LeBron James in Cleveland. Those picks stand out as good choices for the NBA teams that drafted them. We have read there are concerns regarding Wembanyama if he is chosen by the Kings, Spurs or Jazz. I say it shouldn’t make any difference; television media will sprint there in order to cover him no matter which team manages to draft Wembanyama.

Oh Canada

The headline of course is a reference to the national anthem of our northern neighbor. Recently we discussed the possibility of NBA expansion south across the border to Mexico City. Chances are probably just as good the NBA will return to Canada although it might not be the location most believe, it could be Montreal rather than returning to Vancouver. For you in British Columbia (you didn’t think I knew that did you) is no knock on your city?

There are other factors working that appear to provide Montreal with an advantage. First and foremost…population, the metro population is reported to be close to 4 million souls which greatly exceeds that of Vancouver. Second my study indicates there is a grass roots effort to bring the NBA to a second Canadian city, I’m unsure if a similar situation exists in Vancouver. I realize that’s only two reasons for the league to consider a Canadian venture however that plus capital investors might be enough.

Youth must be served

I cannot date the first time I heard the headline; at the same time the definition might not be the same for all. Based on this fact I searched for a textbook definition, the problem the description only partially fits our discussion. Check this out, the early portion of mock draft sites contain few players over the age of 25. What caused the shift, a bunch of events, the first was the one n done athlete, those players who only enrolled in college because they had NBA aspirations and were prevented from heading directly to the league.

The NBA rule states you must be 19 years of age plus one year from your high school graduation. That’s changed now, the rule preventing entry is still in place other elements have changed. Players can now decide on a pro career and leave college out of the equation. How is this done, we have Overtime Elite, the NBA G-League Elite Team and the National Basketball League in Australia as examples. These additional sources might be a contributing factor to the youth movement. I have no method to back up this supposition but believe this to be true. The number desiring a pro career might not have increased substantially however there are more opportunities that didn’t exist just a few short years ago.

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I had plans…but

The schedule for Eastern Michigan indicated a Sunday afternoon game. I had a plan to watch the game on ESPN+, the plan and implementation of that plan don’t always coalesce. My wife informed me about 9:00 a.m. “we” had a commitment around the noon hour, of course that meant no Eastern Michigan…no Emoni Bates. Before I proceed this is no slam at the program, but Eastern Michigan is not very good as evidence of their record. Last week EMU beat Atlanta International in Miami, on Sunday Atlanta International exacted revenge 101-73 in Ypsilanti. This account is based on reading the box score alone.

It appears EMU had a shooting problem in this game, from the floor 41.9% is okay however 15% from the 3pt line is downright pathetic, As for Emoni Bates it was him versus Florida International’s roster as he received little help from teammates. His box score total read 29 points, 6 rebounds and only 1 turnover, the only negative would be an 0-7 from the 3pt line. Bates can aid the cause for EMU but clearly needs help. For the season Bates is averaging 21.5 points 6.5 rebounds while shooting 44.7% from the floor and 36.4% from the 3pt line. The numbers while good don’t always provide us a Big Picture however it appears Bates might be on the road to a decent collegiate career. As for the NBA, that is an unknown at present.

NBA hands 

Recently I saw a photo of Shaq during his playing days, the basketball looked mighty small in his huge hands. Several players had or have the ability to palm a ball, i.e. hold it like a grapefruit. Dr. J. was famous for this with his arm often extended behind him. I decided to check the history, How they play and Hoopshype are the sources and discovered the following:

Boban Marjanovic 10.75 inches (hand length) 12-inch hand span

Shaquille O’Neal 10.25 inches (hand length) 12-inch hand span

Giannis Antetokounmpo 9.5 inches (hand length) 11.75 hand span

Greg Smith 9.5 inches (hand length) 12 inches hand span   

Connie Hawkins 10.5 inches (hand length) 11-inch hand span

There is our Top 5 all time, as for Dr. J. he came in 7^th with (hand length) 9.5 inches 11.5 hand span and surprise, Wilt Chamberlain was in 10^th place with 9.5 inches (hand length) 11.75 hand span.

You thought wrong

I’m sure many of you believed I was all about Victor Wembanyama, well that’s partially true. I’ve also got my eyes focused on Scoot Henderson the 18-year-old wunderkind. I was really disappointed Sunday evening when I discovered he wasn’t playing in Team Ignites game against the South Bay Lakers. Scoot remained in percussion protocol and couldn’t play, despite that fact let’s take a look at the numbers. The NBA was clearly in his sights, he said there was no desire on his part to attend college. Last season against veteran G-League pros Scoot averaged 14 points along with 4.6 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game.

The only downside to his first year as a pro his field goal percentage while not bad could have been a slight bit better. That was then this is now; his sophomore season numbers have risen drastically. Scoot’s leading the G-League in scoring at 21.2 points per game while raising his shooting percentage, in addition he’s also the league leader in assists with 6 a game. He’s third in steals and fourth in rebounds despite standing 6 foot 2. This second year is his last in the G-League, by the time of the June draft Scoot will have turned 19 and is draft eligible. So now you see it’s not just Wemby on my focus, there is attention on another, his name Sterling “Scoot” Henderson. Expect to hear the commissioner announce his name immediately after Wemby is drafted.

Is it event or no longer a thing now  

Okay I exaggerate a bit the game is not cataclysmic however it is noteworthy for some. Don’t include me in the number in Mizzou Nation clambering for this game. For the first time since 2012 Bill Self and his Kansas Jayhawk team will play a game in Columbia Missouri. 2012 Mizzou left the Big XII Conference for the SEC, since that time an icy relationship has existed between the two programs. In 2017 the teams met in an exhibition game in T-Mobile Center to raise funds for hurricane relief. I am unsure who came up with this endeavor, but Bill Self finally relented and agreed to play Mizzou once again. The athletic departments of both schools would later agree to a 6-game series divided between the two campuses with the final game to be played in Kansas City at T-Mobile. The first game between the schools was scheduled for the fall of 2020 but was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Last season Kansas and Mizzou met in Lawrence with the Jayhawks defeating the Tigers 102-65. The rivalry between the schools was/is one of the oldest in the nation and first played March 11, 1907. It was once titled the Border War since Kansas and Missouri share a common border, but a few thought the term might denote violence rather than a basketball game. With historical connection to the American Civil War was in the minds, the game has since been re-named the Border Showdown. In any event the game will be played December 10^th at 4:15 p.m., in addition ESPN will provide television coverage of the match for the nation. The game has already been announced as a sell-out at Mizzou Arena, for those in the area good luck with attempting to locate a ticket or two for the game. It is a little strange, my desire is for Mizzou to win however if that fails to occur it’s just that a loss. I’m satisfied with Mizzou in the SEC, the Big XII…never mind.

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Only 1 assist

The Lakers Anthony Davis had only 1 assist in the teams win over the Wizards, as for the other numbers. AD had 55 points 73.3% shooting from the floor and 66.7% from three, there were also 3 blocked shots in the 129-115 win over the Wizards. A week or so ago LeBron pronounced this Lakers team as AD’s, was he relinquishing the leadership role on the team?  Oh, that other guy, LeBron scored 29 points 8 rebounds and 6 assists. Russell Westbrook didn’t shoot well coming off the bench, he only scored 6 points however his 14 assists were outstanding. Are the Lakers serving notice to the rest of the league they are ready to compete? They are now 2-0 on this road trip, we need to check their record at the end of the trip to provide a partial answer.

An ugly win

Mizzou is now 9-0 after the 96-89 win over Southeast Missouri State. Mizzou shot a sparkling 55.7% from the floor but the SEMO team managed to equal Mizzou especially in the second half of the contest. They shot 54% from the floor and 50% from the 3-line. The balance of the numbers from SEMO and Mizzou were pretty much even. So out of 358 Division I teams Mizzou is one of 13 that currently remain undefeated.

Forward Kobe Brown led the way with 25 points and was assisted by Sean East with 21 and D’Moi Hodge with 15. Mizzou will now take the week off as they wait to host the Kansas Jayhawks for the first time in ages. I guess an ugly win counts in the same manner as one played brilliantly. I’m unsure of which was the ugliest the game or the coverage. The ESPN+ coverage was tiling throughout the game; the video issue made it really difficult to watch the game. A player would take a shot and the ball was frozen for a moment in mid-flight. This video problem continued throughout the telecast.

A funny story

Jon Sunvold told this story about the late Jim Valvano basketball coach and its quite funny. Sunvold former NBA player turned television analyst played at Blue Springs High School in metro Kansas City before Mizzou and later the NBA. Sunvold claims I’m a Midwest kid I had no idea back then of Iona or where it was located. “I returned from a tournament and the telephone rang and it was Jim Valvano on the phone. The call went like this, “High I’m Jim Valvano from Iona,” Sunvold claims he heard “High I’m Jim Valvano and I own a team.” Valvano managed to clear up the confusion indicating he was calling to offer him a scholarship and he was the coach for Iona not an owner.

Hall of Fame

Frank Selvy turned 90 years old on November 9^th, despite the age there is another reward. Selvy was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame November 20th. Selvy’s play for 5 NBA teams was good but it’s his college exploits which placed him in the Hall of Fame. It was Furman University in Greenfield South Carolina, and it was the 1950’s. There was no shot clock back then, teams could stall or hold the ball for the length of a game if they desired. Selvy’s sophomore year saw him score at a 24.6 per game clip, he raised that his junior year to 29.5. In his senior year Selvy (1953-54) averaged an astounding 41.7 points a game.

Selvy’s scoring total of 1,209 points led the NCAA in scoring for the second year in a row. In a February 13, 1954, game a significant event occurred, Selvy scored 100 points against Newberry College. This is a significant scoring event in NCAA history, it established the record for a Division I player. The late Bevo Francis and much later Jack Taylor actually exceeded Selvy’s total however for Francis it was at the NAIA level and Division III for Taylor. Just in case you wondered about his size Selvy was a 6-foot 3 inch 180-pound guard, after a 10-year NBA career he retired in 1964. With retirement from the NBA Selvy went to work for a paper company and retired from that job 25-years later. Frank Selvy another name from basketball’s rich past you should become acquainted with. 

He wears number 77

I saw a photo of the Mavs Luka Doncic’ and his iconic jersey number 77. I had reported this story at one time previously just in case you missed it or maybe you were already aware. For the most part NBA players generally have numbers ranging from 0 or 00 up through the 60’s. The only exception to this policy might be former NBA player Ron Artest a.k.a. Metta World Peace. With the Pacers, Kings and Rockets Artest wore 91, 93 and 96.

As for Doncic’ the story goes he grew up wearing number 7 for his favorite Euro player. At the time he began play for Real Madrid a player on the roster already wore the number, so he just added a 7 becoming 77. The fact Doncic’ couldn’t sport his favorite number continued this reoccurring pattern when he was drafted by the Mavs. This time it was new teammate Dwight Powell, who had jersey number 7, so once again Doncic’ was prevented from wearing his favorite number 7. Doncic’ decided in favor of continuing his routine of wearing number 77.

A noteworthy win

One of the weekend basketball scores saw Jackson State University edge Southern Methodist University 69-68, the significance of the event, an HBCU win. JSU is coming off an 11-19 record last season, in addition this is the first season as head coach for former NBA player Mo Williams. HBCU schools such as Jackson State, Grambling, Prairie View, Texas Southern and others once produced a wealth of talent to the NBA.

All that’s changed now, it’s been mentioned a number of state institutions once closed to black athletes are now available. The landscape change has seen a greater number of black athletes to attend state and private schools. Talent that once flowed freely to HBCU schools became a trinkle. In recent years anytime an HBCU registers a win it becomes newsworthy. It was mentioned Makur Maker enrolling at HBCU Howard University might change some minds but there is little evidence three years later. Hopefully in the future there will be no requirement for wins of this type to become newsworthy. 

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What to do…what to do

I have a dilemma again later on today, allow this brief explanation. My Mizzou Tigers face Southeast Missouri State at 3:00 p.m. Central Time, at 3:25. the NFL Chiefs are in Cincinnati to play the Bengals. I had a similar occurrence last week; I watched Mizzou and the Chiefs at nearly the same time. How did I accomplish this feat, it was not that difficult? I watched the Chiefs on my wall mounted television with the sound muted. On my desktop I had the Mizzou-Mississippi Valley State game streaming. This is certainly not the easiest thing in the world to watch two sports events at the same time however I managed to accomplish it.   

He’s been a terror on the court

In yesterday’s account I mentioned Anthony Davis led the Lakers to victory scoring 44 points against the Bucks. What I failed to mention is the on-court effort by AD over the past 8 games, check this out and see if you agree:

44 pts 10 rebs 4 assts 3 blk shots 

27 pts 12 rebs 1 asst 3 blk shots

25 pts 13 rebs 6 assts 4 blk shots

25 pts 15 rebs 4 assts 3 blk shots

37 pts 21 rebs 5 blk shots 5 stls

30 pts 18 rebs 2 assts 1 blk shot

38 pts 16 rebs 4 blk shots

37 pts 18 rebs 2 assts 0 blk shots

As one might say I don’t wish to become too excited at this early point of the season however the numbers by AD are outstanding. Although the scoring, rebounding binge has not led to victory in all the games played there is an upward trend by the team thanks in part to AD. The Lakers are playing inspired basketball and there have been several key contributors besides him, a special shoutout to Russell Westbrook.

I must also include Lonnie Walker IV, Wenyen Gabriel, Austin Reaves, LeBron James plus any Laker who might have contributed to this I might have missed. It’s noteworthy AD has made it known he doesn’t relish playing the center position but agrees if it will help the team. Think on this a minute, if AD had played in the ‘70’s at 6 foot 10 and 253 pounds he would be a full-time center. AD is the same height as former Knicks center Willis Reed; in addition he weighs more than Reed. We could include the Hall of Famer the late Nate Thurmond in the discussion too.

This is interesting

The State of Texas loves to brag about a bunch of stuff. Those living inside and outside the state recognize a unique situation. It’s been mentioned the University of Houston is the number one basketball team in the nation. Right behind them occupying the number two slot is the University of Texas. Without checking the record I cannot remember a time Texas basketball was ranked at this level. As most continue to note football is still king especially in the Southwest and Deep South but basketball has certainly made inroads.

It’s understandable, according to source material Texas is the second most populated state in the nation ranking only behind California. What might this explosive populace bring about, more and more kids in Texas playing roundball over that spherical shaped ball. Without checking the rosters of either school rest assured the rosters of Houston and Texas are populated by more than Texas kids. Even more interesting Chris Beard has accomplished a task thus far Shaka Smart was unable to achieve. I once went on record after the hire saying, “Smart could just recruit in the State of Texas and be a success.” Unfortunately my view turned out to be incorrect although I still remain a fan of Smart now at Marquette.    

“Can he ball?”

I borrowed the headline from one of my young co-workers. In discussing the ability of a player Keenan said “can he ball” to describe his measurement of ability. This account is for American readers only although I have no issues if someone from France or Slovenia reads it. Allow me to state this up front, I’m okay if the nation is no longer dominant in basketball. Simply stated I’m not surrendering my hope but those of us in America must accept reality. As more and more Euro and African players arrive on these shores the scale is almost level with American players maintaining an edge. If we journey back 20 years or so the NBA and colleges had few international players on their rosters. An ever-increasing number of American coaches and clinics overseas has seen an explosion of interest in basketball.

The talent pool is evident in the NBA with just a few examples. From memory I could state Hakeem Olajuwon and Dirk Nowitzki might have been among the first foreign players to taste success at the NBA level. Although Steve Nash was born in South Africa, he grew up in Canada so I’m eliminating him from this discussion. From Greece the Bucks have Giannis Antetokounmpo NBA Finals MVP and two-time NBA MVP. Serbia is represented by two-time MVP Nikola Jokic, “The Joker” is the best passing Big Man in the NBA. Competing for best Big Man in the NBA is Joel Embiid from Cameroon. We cannot move on without mentioning Luka Doncic from Slovenia, number 77 has proven to be quite a talent. We close with Rudy Gobert now a member of the Cavs. The Frenchman is two-time defensive player of the year and a three-time All-Defensive team selection. Who is next, will it be the talented Victor Wembanyama from France delighting NBA fans with his skill?

My how the landscape has changed

If you check the most recent AP Top 25 basketball teams in the mix are several traditional “football” schools. Allow me to clarify the previous statement, Texas, Tennessee, Arkansas, Alabama and others have always played basketball. For those mentioned and others basketball was the sport played while the majority of folks waited patiently on spring football and then when the sport began in earnest in the fall. That thought process no longer exists, no argument on my part football remains king in these locations.

Despite that fact basketball has moved up several notches in the eyes of the administration, students and alumni. A closer check also finds SEC Auburn and Big XII Baylor included in our count of “football” schools. Basketball has seen an increase in popularity over earlier times, more so than existed in 1940 and 1950 America. If you mention Alabama no longer are the thoughts of Bear Bryant and Alabama football the other sport basketball might be in the conversation as well. The pedigree of Nate Oats is yet to reach the level of Bryant however his and others is growing.

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I’m cautiously optimistic

Although the Lakers have played better over the last week or so I still don’t know what to expect. On the first night of a road trip playing the tough Milwaukee Bucks what should occur…a Laker win, I hope? That’s exactly what Laker Nation received Friday evening 133-129. Anthony Davis was high scorer with 44 points and 10 rebounds, but it was Westbrook first name Russell. The feisty point guard came off the bench and was efficient as he located teammate after teammate for his snappy passes. It was 15 points and 11 assists while shooting 55% from the floor for Westbrook. I was quite skeptical when it was reported Darvin Ham intended for Westbrook to play a reserve role this season. Someone once wrote, it doesn’t matter who starts the game the important thing is to be there at the end. Westbrook played 29 minutes in this game and is 20+ for most of his games.

The hype train continues to roll

You had relaxed, you thought you’d heard the last from me regarding forward Victor Wembanyama yet there is another story. As you can see the hype train continues to roll as I resume to publicize the apparent talent of this youngster. The 18-year-old Wemby had his 4^th consecutive 30-point guard, included in the number were 10 rebounds 4 blocks and 3 assists. Wemby led his Metropolitans 92 team to a 96-85 victory over Fosur-Mer. The Friday win for Metropolitans was also the teams 9^th consecutive victory. The 7-foot 4-inch youngster continues to provide us proof why his name will be the first one announced in the June 2023 NBA draft.

NBA scoring

I have no idea if this is any kind of record, currently there are 6 NBA players scoring more than 30 points per game. The Mavs Luka Doncic leads the way in scoring with 33.55 points. Celtic Jayson Tatum is second with a 31.6 per game average and Devin Booker, Donovan Mitchell and Jae Morant are nearly there. Is there a single aspect for the increased scoring, I have no idea although consider this. In this early season we’ve seen a significant number of NBA players exceed the 50-point mark. Looking back on scoring leaders there have been several seasons the leader was less than 30 points a game. That is highly unlikely to occur for the 2022-23 NBA season. Should Doncic slow down Tatum is right behind him and liable to take the lead.

Construction update

Work is moving at a steady pace for the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. The Clippers will soon have a place they can truly call their home because it will have been built exclusively for them. At the time Staples Center opened in 1999 I thought it odd two NBA teams sharing the same building, but this is how the story unfolded. At the time Staples was under construction the Lakers and Kings along with entertainment prospects announced their intentions to move into the arena, the Clippers were late to the party. From 1984 to 1999 the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena served as home base for the team, it was not an old arena having opened in 1959.

For unknown reasons Donald Sterling then owner decided to sign a lease and move the team to Staples after all the others mentioned had decided months and maybe a year earlier. I’ve always thought it unusual two sports teams sharing the same arena/stadium it’s not occurred that often in sports history. New York City almost always had two baseball stadiums, the same with basketball. The Knicks in the Garden and the ABA New York Nets played in three arenas but none in the Garden, this was prior to the team moving to Brooklyn. Finally the San Francisco Warriors and the ABA Oakland Oaks played in different arenas as well. This was mentioned in the past and is worth repeating. This longtime member of Laker Nation believes this is a good thing…the fact the two Los Angeles NBA teams will soon have separate homes. 

Is it worth it?

Forget where you heard this next story, besides the fact its free advertising. I don’t receive a dime but here goes. I debated with myself, “Should I purchase ESPN+, if I had the service, I’d be able to tune into a few games which might not be on the family of ESPN channels.” Early on that is often the case for my Mizzou Tigers, on Tuesday evening I made a last-minute decision and decided I would purchase the service.   

The game wasn’t on the network however because I decided to purchase ESPN+ I (along with others in Mizzou Nation) was able to see the game. I repeated the same action Wednesday evening, I wanted to see Emoni Bates and his Eastern Michigan Eagles. I saw this game as well on my desktop, the question is do I want to keep the service? For now I’m in a holding pattern, I just might keep it through basketball season and then cancel it. On the other hand I might continue to keep it depending on the next few months. If you are wondering if it’s worth subscribing to ESPN+ that is your decision and not mine.

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Chicago NBA history

I held a conversation with a former resident of Chicago, despite being born in the city he was not aware of the city’s NBA history. Richard said he grew up watching the Bulls play even mentioned several names from his childhood. Imagine his surprise when I said, “Chicago’s had more than one NBA team.” He gave me a strange look as if to say are you telling me the truth? Since I was at work during our break period, I located the info on the web however earlier I said, “Don’t just take my word…look it up for yourself.” For your NBA history please note the following, in addition feel free to check me. In 1946 the Chicago Stags came into existence as a member of the Basketball Association of America, the BAA was a predecessor of today’s NBA.

The Stags were in existence from 1946 to 1950, as mentioned previously the NBA of that period was financially unstable. The Stags along with 6 other NBA teams ceased operations in 1950. The NBA would bypass Chicago until 1961. The NBA expanded adding the Chicago Packers to the league, after playing but one year they underwent a name change and became the Zephyrs. By year three the Zephyrs were on the road to a new destination. They would become the Baltimore Bullets who eventually morphed into today’s Washington Wizards. The Bulls also came into the NBA by way of  expansion, the year was 1966. No requirement to detail the history of this last Chicago team its readily available. As you can see Chicago has a rich connection to the NBA beyond that of the Bulls. This could become your trivia question since a resident of the city didn’t know. “How many NBA teams has Chicago had”, I’d bet money if I were a betting person few could name all three.

An Emoni Bates sighting

Securing ESPN+ I’ve made a commitment to see as many Eastern Michigan games as possible. I’m doing this in order to follow Emoni Bates…you remember him don’t you? On Wednesday evening his Eagles faced the Florida International Panthers, an early conclusion for me. EMU is not very good, they had a 1-6 record prior to the game, and it was easy to see why. Numerous turnovers, poor shot selection and the like clearly provided me the proof I needed. As for Bates the first half of the game I saw a number of missed and forced shots. Perhaps with EMU falling behind early maybe he felt the pressure to score.

The second half of the game would be far different, both he and teammates began to play better. Somewhere in the middle of the second half EMU took over the lead and never looked back. It was not only Bates, but guard Noah Farrakhan also a key contributor with 25 points. Bates led the way for EMU in the 80-68 victory, scoring 26 points along with 8 rebounds on 47% shooting. His 3-point shot wasn’t there in this particular game. Despite the shooting I was interested in the “other” things, how did Bates mesh with his teammates, was he a willing passer? Did Bates defer his game at times to teammates? One game fails to make a season or even the possibility of an NBA career. I can say at this point I can see growth in his game.

Wow and double wow

I cannot defend Anthony Davis, or any athlete stuck on the sidelines suffering injury. As I’ve said time and again injuries much as we hate them are part of the game. As for Davis his missing games has caused some to nickname him “Street Clothes.” But wait there is another player with more missed games than Davis, for unknown reasons no one decided to give Kawhi Leonard a nickname. 

This information according to veteran ESPN reporter Brian Windhorst says volumes about Leonard’s lack of availability. “This past Sunday (November 27) Leonard was inactive for the 106^th time in the Clippers last 111^th games.” Normally I refrain from discussions of player salaries, but this case is quite different. Leonard signed a 4-year $176,265,152 contract with an annual payment of $44,066,288. Based on these figures and the limited amount of time Leonard’s spent on the basketball court we could conclude he is vastly overpaid. 

NBA Skyscrapers

We are at a point of debate; we cannot figure out his height. Whose height, that would be Victor Wenbanyama. One report claims the French youngster is 7 foot 3 while another asserts he is 7 foot 4 and a third maintains it’s 7 foot 5. Whatever the case he’s pretty darn tall if he’s just 7 foot 3 but what about the history. There are actually basketball players taller than 7 foot 7 inches, but they must have played in the NBA. In this instance we have two who could lay claim they are the tallest ever (7 foot 7) to play.  George Muresan played for two NBA teams the Bullets/Wizards and the Nets. Muresan from Romania last played in the NBA in 2000, 7 foot 7 and 303 pounds. The late Manute Bol stood 7 foot 7 but a razor thin 200 pounds, he last played in the NBA in 1995. You might not be familiar with the names previously mentioned but Yao Ming should be one you’ve heard.

Yao stood 7 foot 6 weighing 310 pounds, he spent his brief NBA career as a member of the Rockets retiring in 2011. Also with the same 7-foot 6 inch height we have Shawn Bradley drafted by the Sixers but played for several teams before retiring in 2005. Chuck Nevitt was 7 foot 5 and drafted by the Rockets in 1983, Nevitt had a 9-year career retiring in 1994. Next up Ralph Sampson a 7-foot 4 center who was a do it all power forward, Sampson from the University of Virginia had a stellar career until injuries curtailed what might have been an even more brilliant NBA career, Sampson retired in 1992. Kristaps Porzingis is the only active player profiled, he stands 7 foot 3 and is on the roster of the Wizards. Porzingis was drafted by the Knicks in 2015. What you might find interesting other than Yao those profiled had rather modest NBA careers. At the time Wemby arrives in the fall we can place him alongside the other NBA skyscrapers.

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It’s all still good

As reported yesterday Mizzou faced its first road game in Wichita. The Shockers would be a worthy opponent especially with them playing at home. What to expect, I really had no idea however I would soon find out. Mizzou played a reasonably good first half and led 43 to 36 at the break. The second half would be much more competitive as the Shockers shot better and improved their rebound numbers. They returned to the court in the second half and played a renewed inspired game. How critical did it become for Mizzou you might ask; the Shockers held a 10-point lead (66-56) with 5 minutes remaining in the game? I thought (along with most in Mizzou Nation) the win streak is likely over.

I have no idea what Gates and staff said to the team, but they began a stretch run which saw Mizzou tie the game and at the buzzer we’d see OT. In the extra period Mizzou outscored the Shockers 13-9 leading the way to an 88-84 win. Despite the win several streaks ended, probably the most significant for me…. assists. Mizzou only had 14 assists after registering 20+ in the first 7 games, they shot poorly from the 3-point line (21.2). Despite the negatives Mizzou managed 6 steals and only 8 turnovers a good ratio. Mizzou took a few questionable shots however still shot 42% from the floor. I hate to repeat myself, but this is a team, there is no single Mizzou player for the opposition to focus. Whoever is on the floor for Mizzou must be considered a threat to score, they are undersized but still manage to rebound the ball.

Twin Towers

Basketball has always been about height, who’s got the tallest most talented lineup. A lineup of center and power forward has usually been known as Twin Towers. There might have been an earlier version however my research indicates the San Francisco Warriors might have had the first Twin Tower lineup in the 1963-64 season. They had veteran 7-foot 1 Wilt Chamberlain at center and drafted a natural center Nate Thurmond 6 foot 11 at the power forward.

We might debate the success of the paring, Thurmond accustomed to playing center was uncomfortable with the move. Chamberlain was later traded to the Sixers and Thurmond became the Warriors center; this duo only played two seasons together. Next up were the Houston Rockets with their center-power forward of 7-0 Hakeem Olajuwon and 7-4 Ralph Sampson. Later we’d see 7-1 David Robinson and 6-11 Tim Duncan form the most recent Twin Tower tandem as both played for the Spurs. At the present there exists no Twin Towers in the NBA or on the horizon.

Does he hold that much power?

A reader disagreed with my November 30 account of Gonzaga basketball. Gary appeared to have no problem agreeing Gonzaga is a national basketball power it’s the other thing he took issue with. He indicated his belief Bill Self might wield enough power to keep Gonzaga out of the Big XII Conference. We might ask the question would he, could he do this? What you are about to read is pure speculation on my part except for the games mentioned, let’s take a look at the recent past. Bill Self held a grudge against Mizzou for leaving the conference in 2012.

Self would never admit it publicly, but it was there. He didn’t like the fact Mizzou left the conference. Whenever it was mentioned the two schools could play one another in the non-conference portion of the season he refused to schedule the game. He did this despite the fact the schools had one of the fiercest and oldest rivalries in the nation. Self did this despite the fact his Kansas team played Colorado and Nebraska two former Big XII schools. I can offer you no further proof in this account other than the games played against Colorado and Nebraska. Could Self be vindictive, I cannot answer that question, you must draw your own conclusion.  

Hall of Fame

A number of NBA fans voiced their concern due to Dwight Howard being excluded. As the NBA announced its 75^th Anniversary team Howard’s name was no place to be found. I had no vote but agree with the selection committee regarding him being omitted. Do I hate or dislike Howard, that is not the case it’s the other things? The Dwight Howard we saw play in the first few years was a dynamo scoring, block shots and the like. Somewhere along the way in my view he “lost” his way.

Howard never appeared to improve his game at least to me, in addition he appeared unserious about the game. I looked at his stats for each succeeding time after the Magic, some of the numbers were very good however at some point after his first go round with the Lakers (Rockets, Hornets and Wizards) he began a slow steady slide downward. Howard moved from a starter role to that of a reserve. Does the Hall remain in his future? I’ve mentioned this story in the past, a former co-worker once asked me if I thought Dennis Rodman was worthy of the honor. I said no way yet 3-5 years later Rodman was enshrined, bottom line, never say never.

I discovered Ja Morant

Now that I have your attention allow me to explain further. Murray State Morant’s school is Division I but is considered a mid-major school. It’s funny thinking about his beginning, at the time he graduated few schools offered scholarships, he decided in favor of Murray State. His freshman numbers were good, but it was his sophomore season that saw many (including me) take notice of this speedy combo guard. The school is not on television much, but I had an opportunity to see Morant in action more than once. I also watched his stock rise significantly on mock draft sites that sophomore season.

It should be on note Morant is one of those athletes who might be better suited to the NBA over college basketball. There’s a question if it’s a practice issue but he continues to improve his stock in year four in the NBA. His scoring’s risen from 17 to 19 to 27 and so far, this season he’s at 28.5 points per game. Morant is not a shooter alone; he manages to deal out nearly 8 assists a game to teammates. One additional key is his rebounding ability, although he stands but 6 foot 3, he is averaging 6.4 rebounds a game thanks to his amazing leaping ability. Morant has Super Star stamped on his forehead and I did not discover him. This I believe, I spotted his potential earlier than a number of others.