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Basketball from a fans perspective

He didn’t just drop out of the sky

I’m unsure how many times the Nuggets were the featured team on national television games, I don’t believe it’s been very often. Despite this fact even though most were unaware they have been a very good basketball team for a number of years. The 2023 championship validates just how good they are especially Nikola Jokic. The Joker has been the NBA’s MVP for two consecutive seasons and could have won for the third time in 2023, he is a walking triple-double machine. I held a discussion with a fellow basketball fan and we both agreed.

Jokic doesn’t appear athletic in fact he appears rather ordinary as he moves around the court. He’s got an assortment of unorthodox shots that cause you to say to yourself, “How did that go in the basket?” At 6 foot 11 Jokic is probably the best 3-point shooting Big Man in the NBA, I believe he’s more accurate than Joel Embiid from distance. Nowhere is it written you must be athletic to play at this level, Jokic is proof you make best use of the tools you have. Basketball remains a team game but without the play of Jokic this Nuggets team loses to the Heat. We are asked about starting a team and who you would choose. I have no issue if given a choice of a center I’d have no issue in picking Nikola Jokic.

High school talent in the NBA  

What might you suppose is the city/metro producing the most NBA talent? Naturally larger population-based parts of the nation will generate more talent that’s to be expected. The research presented is not mine, it’s about three years old but the numbers are probably close to current. The Los Angeles metro is the second largest in the nation in population so it seems natural. The overwhelming wealth of high school talent that’s led to the NBA. These home-grown products from Los Angeles include Kawhi Leonard, Klay Thompson and James Harden to name just a few, that’s number 1.

We head to the middle west and the Chicago metro, again a highly populated area that produces great numbers of NBA talent. The home-grown talent from this part of the country is named Anthony Davis, Derrick Rose, Dwyane Wade and Kendrick Nunn and others. Coming in at number 2 in producing NBA talent is the Chicagoland metro. This might be surprising to some; it was for me Philadelphia at number 3 has displaced New York City as a hotbed for high school basketball into the NBA.

In Philadelphia we begin our count with the Morris twins, Markieff and Marcus, Kyle Lowrey along with Jameer Nelson and a host of other past talent. The Dallas-Fort Worth metro is another highly populated part of the country, DFW is number 4 in producing high school talent. Julius Randle, Chris Bosh, Marcus Smart and Myles Turner and several past NBA players grew up in the metro. Closing out in the number 5 position is the Seattle Washington area which has also produced an abundance of high school/NBA talent. Zach LaVine, Jamal Crawford, Nate Robinson and Dejounte Murray are just a few of the names.

It's a new league

The 2023 NBA draft will feature twins Amen and Ausar Thompson, both are projected lottery picks.  Amen is probable as a combo guard while brother Ausar is listed as a shooting guard, both stand 6 foot 7 in height. This is not a focus on the twin brothers but rather the league, Overtime Elite where they continued polishing their basketball skill. We are accustomed to talent arriving in the NBA from the G-League and Australia however this is different, it’s a new league. Overtime Elite or OTE was born in the 2021-22 season, and there are a number of benefits OTE offers over that of some of the other leagues. As an example there is NO requirement to finish high school although encouragement is offered in the form of an academic program.

In addition there is pay, players receive $100,000 plus a signing bonus. There are a number of other benefits for the participants ages 16-20. On reading this I have concerns; my hope is proper guidance is provided to avoid players from “over-spending.” In addition there is chaperoning of these young men. It should be noted that the OTE board of directors consist of former NBA players Pau Gasol, Carmelo Anthony and Jay Williams. Another former NBA player Damian Wilkins is the general manager and head of basketball operations. A contract was signed in November 2022 with Amazon Prime Video to telecast 20 games a season for the next three years. OTE continues to sign American and international players for this upcoming season, the 6-team league’s foundation appears solid and it would look as if they should be operating for quite a while.

Intuit Dome update

Construction has continued at a steady pace at the southeast corner of Century Boulevard and Prairie Avenue in Inglewood. The address is the Intuit Dome soon to become the new home of the Clippers. The Intuit Dome will be completed in time for the 2025-26 NBA season, 2024-25 will become the last time the Clippers share space at Crypto.com arena. This project is more than just constructing an arena, it will be the centerpiece of a 28-acre mixed used development. This future would include a 150-room hotel along with ancillary retail with parking for over 4,100 vehicles.

The cost tag of the arena alone is projected at $1.2 billion which makes it one of the most expensive NBA arenas to date. In the 40 years of operation in Los Angeles, unlike the Lakers the Clippers have never had a “home” for an extended period. In addition the Clippers will be owners unlike the Lakers and Kings who are tenants at Crypto.com arena. This arena project initiated by owner Steve Ballmer will move the Clippers from the shadow of the Lakers. Of course many in Clipper Nation will argue they have never had an issue but don’t believe it. Anytime retired Laker jerseys are covered during Clipper games tells us a different story.   

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Basketball from a fans perspective

Rope a dope Part II

I will forever be impressed with the Heat for one reason alone. Facing elimination in their Game 5 match against the Nuggets they never gave up. I’m unsure of the time it was less than three minutes and the Heat were still in the game, they could have mailed this one in. Too much Jokic, Porter Jr. didn’t have a great game but shot much better than prior games. The Nuggets won this game and the series I believe thanks in part to their team defense. The Heat shot 34.4% of it based on the defense forced on them by the Nuggets.

It wasn’t all roses for the Nuggets, they shot a pathetic 17.9% from three. From memory I don’t remember a championship team shooting that bad from the arc. The Joker was outstanding for the series and he was named MVP, there was no one else to consider. Porter Jr. was up and down, so was Murray and every Nugget player. Joker was alone in his outstanding play for the series. The Nuggets are to be congratulated for winning their first NBA championship. The television camera managed to catch shots of some of the former Nuggets, David Thompson and Dan Issel were the ones I remember seeing. Injuries notwithstanding they have an ideal opportunity to repeat as champions next season.

Bits n Pieces

This is one of those “Who do you believe” accounts. The transfer portal is continually in the news and we might question who won the off-season? That might be a tad bit confusing based on what I discovered, in addition the search only covered two sites. Here goes:

247Sports.com

Kansas

West Virginia

TCU

Villanova

Arkansas

On3.com

Penn State

Missouri

West Virginia

Florida

Wake Forest

That’s your look at teams 1 through 5 on both sites, looks as though the Mountaineers of West Virginia are the only team listed on both .com sites.  

A source saluted former Mizzou Tigers winning championships in the NBA. Congratulations were extended to Michael Porter Jr. a member of the Nuggets in winning an NBA championship. Sorry Mizzou Nation I have a little problem with this, MPJ played a total of 3 games in Black and Gold. With so few games it’s difficult to even acknowledge he was a Tiger. On the other hand a mystery occurred which required some research on my part. The name Med Park was also noted as a Mizzou player winning an NBA championship. The other names were familiar to me but not Park. Turns out he played at Mizzou from 1952-1955. Park played in the NBA from 1955-58 with the St. Louis (Atlanta) Hawks and 1958-1960 with the Cincinnati Royals (Kings). That 1958 Hawks team won the NBA championship of which Park was a member.

The NBA has extended invitations to 19 players to the Green Room for the June 22 NBA draft. Victor Wembanyama of course is one of those expected to attend. All are likely to be drafted, in addition ESPN claims 4-5 additional players will be included. Besides Wembanyama also in the early list of invites are Brandon Miller, Scoot Henderson, Amen Thompson, Ausar Thompson, Cameron Whitmore, Jarace Walker, Anthony Black, Taylor Hendricks plus Gradey Dick. In addition also named are Bilal Coulibaly, Cason Wallace, Nick Smith, Dereck Lively II, Kobe Bufkin, Jalen Hood-Schifino, Jett Howard, Jordan Hawkins and Keyonte George.

Seattle next

The Emerald City is ready for a return to the NBA, it’s just a matter of time. One of the keys to a return was an arena. Key Arena, as it was then known, was considered inadequate by some in the NBA, that’s in the rear-view mirror now. If you view the building from the outside the iconic roof structure is still there, however inside it’s been completely refurbished. Currently the Climate Pledge Arena is home to the NHL Kraken, the WNBA Storm and Seattle Redhawks men’s basketball, it holds 18,300 for basketball and slightly under that number for hockey. Specifics on the arena “In partnership with Amazon, Climate Pledge Arena will serve as a long-lasting reminder of the urgent need for climate action. It might sound ambitious—but that’s the point.”

The building is the first carbon zero building in the world, in addition there is 0 single-use plastic anywhere in the arena. As for the NBA this is no criticism of Oklahoma City but I believe the league realized they made a huge error approving a sale and moving the team from Seattle. The Seattle Metro is the 15 largest in the nation with over 4 million citizens in and around the city. I’ve read negative reports regarding attendance prior to the Sonics sale. Attendance might be somewhat difficult to assess since I believe Key Arena at the time could only hold 14,000 fans. The numbers I located are as low as 17 (2001) in the NBA to 25 in NBA attendance the last year the team had Seattle on their jerseys. Expansion will come at a future date, the only question is who is at the top of the NBA’s list for expansion, Seattle or Las Vegas.

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Basketball from a fans perspective

It's over

The Nuggets are crowned 2023 NBA Champions, congratulations to them and their fans, they were winners 94-89 in Game 5.  More detail on the game in the Wednesday edition of Off the Dribble. 

Change is difficult

This account is prompted by recent events in the basketball world. I’m unsure now, without returning to previous writings the number of high school players turning pro. The number is two or three of the present crop of high school players signing with G-League Team Elite for this upcoming season and the 2024-25 year. We have grown accustomed to talent at the high school level with choices over attending college even for one year. Remember back to the time the naysayers claimed this about the one and done rule, “It will ruin amateur basketball.”

Those old enough might think back to a period when the same statement was made about the dunk shot or the three-point basket being implemented. Later this would be applied to the Transfer Portal as well. I don’t truly know what the kids are doing that attend college, it was claimed they only attended classes in the fall. Contrast that with taking up NO space in a classroom that athlete going with G-League Team Elite, NBL-Australia or Overtime Elite. Can anyone document for us the damage to the game allowing amateur talent to begin pay for play at an earlier age? This was headlined Change is difficult and it certainly is true. Many of us don’t adapt well to change in the workplace and the same applies to the world of sports as it relates to basketball.

He continues to be aggressive

Recently we discussed Bret Yormark Big XII commissioner and his attempts to overhaul the conference. We mentioned the commissioner made overtures toward UConn and Gonzaga, two powerhouse basketball programs to join the Big XII. So far there’s been no mention of the path of either school. Last week came news Yormark was in Memphis, he wasn’t there to check out Beale Street or Graceland Mansion or any other tourist attraction. The commissioner was in the city checking out the University of Memphis for a Big XII fit.

After Yormack’s visit there’s been no mention of Memphis leaving the American Athletic Conference, it should also be noted. I have no idea how good the football program or any other sport of the school, I am familiar with Memphis basketball. The basketball played by the university has always been top notch under a number of coaches, at present former NBA player Penny Hardaway serves as head coach. If any one of the three schools mentioned, UConn, Gonzaga or Memphis moves into the Big XII conference basketball will improve exponentially.

It means nothing

Unless your name is announced draft night it means nothing, despite that fact I have continued to monitor the three mock draft sites that are my principle focus. In this particular instance Emoni Bates late of Eastern Michigan has my curiosity peaked. Will the 6 foot 10 Bates be drafted, all three of the mock sites indicate that will be the case in the second round? One, nbadraftroom.com claims the Spurs will draft him at 44 with the pick conveyed to them by the Raptors. Another site tankathon.com places Bates at 46 and headed to the Atlanta Hawks, the last one nbadraft.net says its number 52. This mock site indicates Bates will be the choice of the Suns.

If you question why there is such a range of numbers the that’s easy to explain. By the time the NBA draft is in the second round it’s a guess on practically everyone’s part who might be selected and where. Generally speaking in the first-round picks 1-10 past draft history somewhat follows an established pattern close to the mock sites. With that explanation complete how about Bates, I reported earlier I’d read scouts were impressed with Bates shooting at the NBA Draft Combine. As this is written I’m unsure if he’s worked out for any teams. So there we have it, the last fragment I will produce on Emoni Bates unless he’s drafted of course. The former Gatorade High School Player of the Year from Ypsilanti Michigan is ready for whatever the future holds.

There are others

Remember the 2015 draft Stephen A. Smith became almost epileptic when his Knicks drafted Kristaps Porzingis. We remain unsure if he actually knew anything about Porzingis but scouts were aware of his name at draft time. I intend to give you a heads up by providing a “head count” of a few international prospects. France will be the first nation with Victor Wembanyama but not the only one. The 2023 NBA Draft will contain a number of international players who will likely be drafted. I will begin with Bilal Coulibaly, he’s a 6-foot 7 small forward, Coulibaly is also from France and might have been overshadowed due to teammate Wemby.

Also scouted extensively is a 19-year-old French youngster by the name of Rayan Rupert, the 6-foot 6-inch prospect is listed as a shooting guard/small forward. We could include James Nnaji a 6-foot 10-inch center from Nigeria. Tristan Vukcevic is a 6-foot 11-inch power forward/center, his home nation is Serbia. This brief look at international prospect closes with Nikola Djurisic a 6-foot 8-inch shooting guard also from Serbia. Keep in mind these are not the only international players but are believed to be the most expected to be drafted. There will be others probably in the second round but the hope is for you to not say “Who” like Stephen A. Smith or have a puzzled look on your face once you hear the name announced draft night.

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Basketball from a fans perspective

Rope a dope 

The headline is the term coined by boxing aficionados for the ring strategy used by Muhammad Ali back in the day. It applied especially in those fights against George Foreman, back then Foreman had a powerful punch when it landed. Ali would dance around the ring throwing glancing blows at Forman who tried to lay his powerful punches on the dancing Ali. In the later rounds Foreman out of energy and punching power fell victim to Ali. That’s what is offered as an exhibit for the Nuggets-Heat match, the Nuggets become Ali while the Heat become Foreman. 

For much of the Finals Aaron Gordon has sacrificed his scoring to play defense. It’s not the fact Gordon can’t score for the most part he leaves that up to his teammates. Game 4 on Friday evening proved very different as he went on a scoring binge. This might have occurred due to Jamal Murray being closely defended, Murray scored 15 points but only shot 29.4% from the floor but did manage to dish out 12 assists. Gordon led the way for the Nuggets scoring 27 points and continued his sparkling defense. The Joker failed to record a triple-double but contributed 23 points along with 12 assists. The Heat were led by the trio of Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and Kevin Love. 

Duncan Robinson and Kyle Lowry came off the Heat bench providing scoring and defense it just wasn’t enough. The Nuggets now return to Denver with a 3 Games to 1 lead. In NBA history one team was able to resurrect itself from a 1-3 deficit but it appears quite dire for the Heat at this point. The Heat are a very good team, they have battled the Nuggets as best they can. It simply appears to me the Nuggets have more in their arsenal than the Heat.  They appear too strong for the Heat to beat in a series.  This thing might be closed out tonight…who knows?

One more thing

I attempted to provide an update on Mizzou Big Man Connor Vanover. The pros and cons were provided for the 7 foot 4 Vanover however I missed a thing. A friend reading my piece came back at me and said, “He does shoot some 3’s too. 32% from field.” This part of Vanover’s game should be added to my earlier report on him. I’m going to make a bold prediction with this signing. Mizzou was salivating over Jamarion Sharp in the transfer portal however Vanover’s numbers are equal and, in some instances, exceed Sharp. It should be of note Mizzou is team number 4 in 5 years, however the explanation as to the why is understandable. I’m not going to speculate just state Conover’s positives outweigh perceived negatives.

In other Mizzou basketball news Isiaih Mosley decided he wanted a pro career rather than a return to school. Briefly a look back, the Columbia (MO) shooting guard chose to attend Missouri State after high school rather than hometown Mizzou. He arrived this past season as a portal transfer after 4 seasons at Missouri State. Mosley played little this past season at Mizzou and the coach when queried by the media continued to state “He (Mosley) was working on personal issues.” He remains one of those mysteries which forever will continue to be just that unless someday we are offered an explanation. Despite his brief appearance in Black and Gold it would appear he’s got talent, maybe not of the NBA variety but enough to receive pay.

Turner, Irving & Paul

Strung together the names might appear to be a law firm, Turner, Irving & Paul. That is not the case, it actually represents three players the Lakers could secure possibly in the off season. We begin with Myles Turner who remains a member of the Pacers at this writing. The 6-foot 11-inch Turner’s upside is very good, the problem is he is a clone of Anthony Davis and would bring nothing new or change to the Lakers. Realizing the delicate nature of AD I could state Turner might be less injury prone. Next up is Kyrie Irving, a super talent point guard who despite that fact seems to be missing that one element (you name it). Finally I’m going to close this out with Hall of Fame point guard Chris Paul, he’s now been waived by the Suns. Do you remember the history, I certainly do?

Paul was traded to the Lakers in 2011 and it seems in less than a week former commissioner David Stern vetoed the trade. Stern said at the time he was cancelling the trade in the best interest of the league. Of the three names mentioned Paul is the one who I’d most want to see in Purple and Gold but there are two key issues. At the top of the list of issues are the $$$ it would take to sign him; Paul is certainly not going to sign for chump change. Can the Lakers afford him, however there is a much bigger question? Paul has a history the last few seasons of suffering a late season injury or during the playoffs. The bottom line I cannot see the Lakers acquiring any of the three although it’s certainly not a talent issue as much as a money matter. What occurs if one of the three is signed by the Lakers, I will reluctantly accept it? If I could accommodate Russell Westbrook surely, I could accept one or more of the three names mentioned.

Bits n Pieces

A Las Vegas sportsbook figured odds on what city’s would be next for expansion. Let’s focus on those international locations the sportsbook mentioned, they were Mexico City and London. Interesting in that commissioner Adam Silver indicated he like to see an all Euro NBA by 2033. Makes sense and it would operate similar to NFL Europe. This makes more logic than the Lakers jetting off to Berlin or Paris to play but it also creates a problem. Although Paris France wasn’t mentioned by the sportsbook it’s got to have an NBA Euro team as would Barcelona Spain and maybe some cities I’m overlooking. Those are just a few European cities and now for the real dilemma, would this upstart league be able to compete with Euroleague Basketball? For now we have no reaction to the question and it will remain unanswered until 2033.

The Raptors hired Darko Rajankovic as their head coach replacing Nick Nurse. Rajankovic is a relative unknown name having arrived in this country in 2012 from Serbia. His resume includes G-League head coach for the Thunder, then a seat on the Thunder bench. He’s also had stops with the Suns and Grizzlies, with the Grizzlies he would become associate head coach. For all those complaining about re-cycled head coaches we have a new name in the coaching ranks. Just in case you wondered, there are currently 6 Euro assistants Jordy Fernandez, Kings, Darius Songaila, Spurs, Igor Kokoskov, Hawks, Dejan Milojevic, Warriors, Ognjen Stojakovic, Nuggets and Vitaly Potapenko, Grizzlies. Rajankovic hired by the Raptors becomes the first Euro head coach hired by an NBA team.

At the beginning of the college basketball season forward Jaylen Wilson of Kansas was projected to be the Jayhawks leader. After all he was a red shirt junior and he proved he was worthy as he led the team in scoring and just about everything else. Teammate Gradey Dick was an incoming freshman; he was projected to be accomplished but would play Robin to Wilson’s Batman. With the close of the season the roles have now been reversed. Dick is projected a lottery pick on three NBA mock sites I regularly use, as for Wilson is a probable second-round pick. It would appear scouts believe Dick’s game is projected at a higher level than Wilson. Don’t confuse this, Wilson is a genuine talent he’s not projected as highly as Dick.

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Basketball from a fans perspective

On the road…no matter

Based on the Game 2 win by the Heat and a tied series most of us wondered what might occur in Miami. After the first two games in The Mile High City the series the Nuggets journeyed to Miami for their Game 3 win 109-94. The Heat played well, the Nuggets played better, especially The Joker. Nikola Jokic’ set an NBA record not in points but his entire game total. The 6-foot 11-inch Jokic’ fails to impress anyone with his athletic skill, his sometimes unorthodox shots often find the basket. You wind up questioning yourself, “How did that shot go in?”

Jokic’s expertise in passing the ball often found a teammate cutting to the basket in addition he does other things often unseen. As for the game The Joker had 32 points, 20 rebounds and 10 assists. He was helped ably by Jamal Murray, after his poor Game 2 performance Murray came out of the locker room on fire, he led the way with 34 points but it wasn’t just the points he dished out 10 assists. As a team the Nuggets had a 58-33 rebound advantage. Heat center Bam Adebayo scored 22 points and pulled down 17 rebounds but only shot 33% from the floor, Jimmy Butler led the way for the Heat with 28 points. I am all over the map with this series, I maintain the Nuggets are the better team but the Heat appear to have more moxie.

The bully was placed in check

If you witnessed Shaquille O’Neal play you remember he often bullied opposing centers, at 7 foot 1 and 350 pounds he used his body to full effect offensively and defensively. Despite Shaq often playing the role of intimidator there was one opposition player who gave Shaq all he could manage. This quote from the Big Aristotle gives us an idea of what he meant. “Hakeem Olajuwon. Most guys are tri-dimensional-one move, two maybe three. Olajuwon had seven moves on each block, he was hard to stop.”

Hakeem Olajuwon stood 7 feet and was 255 pounds but it was not his pure power alone. It’s often been written in his native Nigeria his first sport was not basketball that would come along later in life. As a child and youth soccer (football) was the sport Olajuwon would first excel and it’s been stated many of his moves around the basket were that of a soccer player. 14 of his 15-year NBA career he spent as a member of the Rockets and he was a key reason why they would become two-time NBA Champions (1994-1995). Olajuwon is a triple honoree having been enshrined in the Naismith, College and FIBA Basketball Halls of Fame. You’ve now learned Olajuwon was quite a difficult opposing player for Shaq.

The brothers Silna

Ozzie and Daniel Silna were successful businessmen in the textile industry. In addition the brothers wanted an NBA team, they were never successful owners but they certainly became historic for what they accomplished. The brothers purchased the ABA Carolina Cougars moved the team to St. Louis where they became the Spirits of St. Louis. This was done in the hope that once the merger occurred, the brothers would become NBA owners. The only problem at merger time was the NBA chose to go another direction, the league dissolved the St. Louis franchise. This was not done without the brothers being compensated.

The Silna brothers received $2.2 million in cash (in today’s economy about $10,633,025) and this key portion of the agreement. The brothers would receive 4/7 of the television revenue of the NBA teams and this is where it became really interesting. The first year of the agreement the brothers received $500,000, from that 1980-81 season after that point revenue increased substantially in succeeding seasons. Through 2014 payment has been made to the Silna’s in the amount of $300 million. Oh, the portion I failed to mention the agreement with the Silna’s never ends, it was to exist in perpetuity. It’s been reported the NBA has attempted on several occasions to renegotiate the agreement to no avail. 

NBA Champions

Recently I was checking a list of NBA Champion teams over time. To no surprise the Celtics and Lakers were listed with 17 a piece, at the bottom were several teams with no championship history. Sitting at the one spot was the Thunder, I got this puzzled expression I know. “The Thunder have never won a championship” I thought and then it hit me. The previous incarnation of the Thunder the Sonics won it all, the team not the name moved from Seattle to OKC. I then reflected on an argument expressed by TV analyst Jeff Van Gundy, he said “The Lakers should only count the championships won since the team’s been in Los Angeles.”

For those of you unfamiliar with the history Van Gundy is correct, the Lakers won 5 NBA Championships while the front of their jerseys read MPLS. We could go down the list of championship teams who no longer wear the jersey of the city they once represented. The Hawks are yet to win a championship in Atlanta however in 1958 they did win while headquartered in St. Louis. Can the Kings contend they are champions, they won it all in 1951as the Rochester Royals who became the Cincinnati Royals who became the KC Kings...I’ll stop at this point. Do the Warriors count the two championships won in 1947 and 1956 while the team was located in Philadelphia? There is no argument here, only opinion, who is to determine the right and wrong of history?

He did it again

I don’t watch daytime soap operas; I believe it’s General Hospital Stephen A. Smith has appeared in the soap more than once. Surely limited as his role might have been I’m certain there were lines to memorize. If not a speaking part maybe an entrance or exit was required, it might have been just a grimace required. That’s his mantra, actor over journalist although he bristles anytime someone refers to him as anything but a journalist. In any event the journalist/actor/critic continues to say whatever he wants no matter that some of his so-called reporting might be called into question. Just a couple of points, a tweet on June 8 was quite interesting.

Smith was critical of Nikola Jokic and complementary at the same time. His words not mind, he refers to the Nugget center as “A tub of lard.” He goes on to claim the Nugget center has no post-up game like Shaq, “He’s more like Kevin McHale.” Well friends, we finally discover Stephen A. Smith knows very little about NBA basketball. Where is it written a center must have a power game to be forceful. Second to that, Jokic is not a muscular athlete although he weighs 284 pounds. Jokic as a tub of lard is doing the two-time NBA MVP a huge disservice. It’s not only Jokic, but also Dame Lillard too, the bombastic Smith has gone on record “demanding” Lillard be traded especially to a contender. A trade will occur when the Blazers decide it will occur not Smith. My co-workers have been telling me for weeks I should quit listening to Smith…they are correct because most often he doesn’t make a great deal of sense with some of his takes.

A new coach in place

Gregg Marshall had Wichita State on a steady upward trend. In my view the school had moved from number three to number two in the State of Kansas. The culmination might have been the Shockers beating the Jayhawks in the NCAA Tournament in March 2015. Marshall was on top of the world until he was forced to resign in November 2020. An investigation uncovered physical and verbal abuse by the coach and Wichita State could no longer support him. Because the season had started assistant coach Isaac Brown was hired as interim and later, he was made full-time head coach.

That first season with a Marshall roster Wichita State finished a modest 16-6 and was invited to the NCAA Tournament. From that point up through the 2022-23 season Wichita State was a blip on everyone’s radar struggling to a 15-13 and 17-15 record. Brown was fired and Paul Mills was hired as head coach. Mills arrives from his head coaching position at Oral Roberts; his last team at Oral Roberts finished the season with a 30-5 record. It’s hoped the new coach will be able to duplicate the record Mills established at Oral Roberts. At this point Mills is supposed to revitalize Wichita State basketball which at a time one of the most highly rated mid-major programs in the nation.

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Basketball from a fans perspective

Can you imagine this lineup?

The 1972 Bucks were loaded, they had Kareem Abdul Jabbar at center, Oscar Robertson at the point and Julius ‘Dr. J.’ Erving at the small forward. You say everything is correct except for Erving, you are correct it didn’t occur but it was close to occurring. Let’s return briefly to that chaotic time, the ABA was still in existence but was hanging on by its fingernails. Spencer Haywood had begun a brilliant ABA debut but decided he wanted the NBA, the same could be said for Connie Hawkins who once had been banned from playing in the older league.

We can also add the name Charlie Scott to that group of highly touted players who began life in the ABA but could see the NBA was certainly more economically stable. From a talent standpoint the NBA held a slight advantage, from a monetary standpoint it was the Grand Canyon. The NBA had a national television contract, the ABA had none, the NBA contained a larger number of teams even back over it’s much smaller rival. It was clear to most by the early 1970’s, especially ABA owners the startup league was losing money at the gate by the fistful.

Not only losing money but several of its most talented players to NBA teams and losing Erving might be one more loss. As you are aware the Doctor did wind up in the NBA but it would be the Sixers and not the Bucks. The 1972 NBA Draft witnessed the Bucks drafting Erving in the first round with the 12 pick. Erving decided to sign a contract with the Hawks but he was prohibited by the NBA from playing for them because the Bucks owned Erving’s draft rights. How Erving eventually arrived in Philly is another story for another time which will be covered later.

Expanding again

A few years ago the Big XII Conference was on life support in my view. The departed commissioner appeared unsure what was going on, he reported every school was fine and then BAM. Texas and Oklahoma announced their intention to depart for the SEC, talk about getting caught with your pants down. Entering the picture a new commissioner and the conference has righted itself. Coming on board are BYU, Cincinnati, UCF and Houston, I cannot comment on the football but the basketball most certainly will be improved. Now there are reports circulating UConn is exploring a move…to the Big XII.

UConn has been a member of the Big East Conference forever, could this rumor be valid? In addition there have been reports one, two or more Pac-12 members might be interested in joining the Big XII Conference. Gonzaga’s also been mentioned as coming on board as this commissioner is looking toward conference teams in all four time zones. A segment of this account is rumor, however a portion of it could indeed occur. As you can see from the confirmed additions and the rumors surrounding others, the Big XII Conference might become the strongest conferences in the nation, especially in football. As for the basketball based on 2023 standings it ain’t too bad either, so with this closing what do you think?

Hall of Fame lineup

This ever occurred to you…you know something but had to be reminded of it? That was the case for me after reading the information which I’m about to impart to you. Individually I was aware the 1970 NBA Champion Knicks had an outstanding roster; I was aware they were enshrined in the halls of fame but I  didn’t realize all five starters were accorded the honor.

C-Willis Reed – Naismith Hall of Fame & College 

PF-Dave DeBusschere – Naismith Hall of Fame & College 

SF-Bill Bradley – Naismith Hall of Fame & College 

PG-Walt ‘Clyde’ Frazier – Naismith Hall of Fame & College

SG-Dick Barnett – College Basketball Hall of Fame

Even more interesting the college each attended, I realize that was then versus now but none of the starting five maturated at a major college or university. As an example Reed and Barnett from HBCU’s Grambling State and Tennessee A&I (now Tennessee State), DeBusschere attended Detroit Mercy (now the University of Detroit Mercy) and Frazier Southern Illinois University. Despite the evolution of time we are made aware once again basketball talent exists everywhere, it’s just a matter of the proper fit and place in time.

Mizzou’s Big Man

Although it was late in the process Mizzou was able to finally secure the Big Man coach Dennis Gates desperately sought. 7-foot 5-inch 227-pound Connor Vanover decided in favor of Mizzou over several other programs across the nation, I’m going to look ahead to what I hope the team’s acquired. I’d like to point out what I don’t expect from Vanover. I’m not expecting him to arrive and dominate the paint ala Kareem or Shaq, that is not the role I believe is envisioned despite his height, Vanover is not an offensive presence in the paint.

This is what is expected from Vanover, his offensive game is limited however he did score at 12.7 ppg clip at Oral Roberts. I realize that’s Summit League action but Vanover’s played at Arkansas in the past so he realizes what is required of him. Video indicates he can be utilized on pick and roll and lob passes in scoring, he’s an above average but not great rebounding the basketball. Depending on the minutes played he should be capable of 7-9 rebounds a game. The key is Vanover’s defensive prowess, we see evidence last season detailing his defensive effort in the paint blocking shots and intimidating the opposition.

A couple of additional notes on Vanover, generally Big Man are poor he from the free throw line not Vanover. He shot 81.4% from the line and only committed 1.4 fouls per game both good for a Big Man. From another source, it claims when Mizzou plays an up-tempo pace expect to see someone else occupying the post position. On those occasions a half-court game is implemented expect to see Vanover in the middle of the action. Vanover will only be at Mizzou through the 2023-24 season, as a transfer portal player his eligibility will end as the close of the basketball season.

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Why go there?

Stephen A. Smith, ESPN’s resident expert on everything, was a guest on Rich Eisen’s radio show. He made a statement about Ja Morant that still has me shaking my head in amazement. You can locate the story on the internet read it and make your own judgement. Smith claimed and this is his quote word for word, “People in NBA circles fear Ja Morant might be dead in 5 years.” That certainly sounds drastic if true, however this makes for a question.

Smith specifies “NBA circles”, thus far he is the only one making a statement of this magnitude. Who are these folks making such a dire expression? Back to the main topic, I believe the forthcoming suspension for Morant this time will be major. The suspension is not likely to be season long, however at a minimum I believe it to be 25 games, on the top end perhaps as many as 40 games. Don’t expect a slap on wrist punishment this time, we are way beyond that based on a second gun incident and other reported stories circulating.  

NBA Summer League 

There is one more important date to circle on your calendar. In addition to the NBA Draft there is this key event of the early summer, it’s NBA Summer League play. For those who might be unfamiliar with summer play, all 30 teams are participants. The teams are comprised of rookies, sophomores and G-League athletes. Although rare on occasion a veteran who might have missed a major portion of the season due to injury might be included on a team’s roster.

The California Classic will be played July 3 and 5 in Sacramento, in addition Salt Lake City will host games July 3, 5-6. The main event is held in Las Vegas at the Thomas & Mack Center July 7-17, the end date a Summer League Champion team will be crowned. The Spurs first will be in the California Classic. “NBA commissioner Adam Silver said the league doesn’t have a preference regarding the site of (Victor) Wembanyama’s first game with the Spurs.” This is an interesting announcement; it says to us the NBA is aware the advent of this generational athlete will have the nation tuned into the game.

Interesting Comment

Who do you believe is the better basketball player the Lakers Austin Reaves or Warriors guard Jordan Poole. This account is based on who is making the claim, many of you might be familiar with Austin Rivers son of Doc Rivers. Rivers now plays for the Wolves which becomes team number 6 as he’s moved throughout the NBA and that’s the point. It’s the truth, Rivers is a journeyman player with the number of NBA jerseys he’s worn but its more than that, he’s been a part-time starter throughout his NBA career.

In addition how can Rivers provide me or anyone insight into shooting with a career 8.5 point per game average. It can be more than simply scoring the basketball, there have been a number of valued reserves who were employed strictly due to their shot making skills, let’s check the numbers for Rivers. For his career its .419 which isn’t terrible but it’s certainly not great, in his 11-year career the highest shooting percentage for Rivers was 2016-17 when he shot .442 from the floor. Two areas we are unable to check are defense and ball handling skills. Bottom line, I wonder why basketballnetwork.com sought him out for this assessment. It would seem to me they would have contacted a more proficient player…just my thoughts.

We are still unsure…maybe?

What to make of Mizzou’s 2023-24 roster is extremely difficult at this point in time. Through a great deal of off-season effort the roster appears solid. I cannot determine the viability of my statement until they tip off the basketball in that first game. The Transfer Portal has witnessed 5 incoming players, 3 shooting guards and 2 power forwards although late addition Connor Vanover might be projected in the post. Incoming freshman, 1 point guard and 1 center along with 1 power forward. Based on those who decided to remain rather than leave along with the newcomers, Mizzou should be okay despite what a few of the experts project. Okay in the sense I believe they will be competitive, beyond that is anybody’s guess including me.

I hoped Kobe Brown, who was the glue that held this team together would remain, that will not be the case. The point/forward’s received “word” that he will be drafted even if it’s in the second round. Mizzou finished in 4^th place during the regular season after being seen as a pre-season 14^th place team. So all that is necessary is for Mizzou to exceed expectations once again. As this was being completed came word 7-foot 5-inch Connor Vanover late of Oral Roberts University would sign with Mizzou. Vanover had good numbers (12.7 points & 7.2 rebounds) this past season, hopefully he can come close to similar numbers with Mizzou. A website, southboundanddown.com projects Mizzou at 6 in the SEC two notches below their 2022-23 record. To me that should make for another 20+ win season and a return to the NCAA Tournament for the second year in a row. A conference finish and a participant in March Madness would certainly please me.

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Part B

Game 2 proved quite interesting to me; the Heat got up off the floor after being slapped around in Game 1. The Heat won a hard-fought victory 111-108 despite the mile high Denver altitude. Although Kevin Love only scored 6 points, he certainly was a key to the Heat victory pulling down 10 points and playing tough defense. Truth is Love was the only starter in single figures, the other starters played improved defense over Game 1. The Joker came to play with 41 points and 11 rebounds but Jamal Murray’s 18 points looked good but he was somewhat ineffective at times.

It wasn’t Murray alone, Michael Porter Jr. only scored 5 points as well. Certainly a key to the Heat victor was the team’s 3-point shooting, it was a blistering 48.6% from the floor. In addition to the shooting the Heat played improved defense over what was played in Game 1. Although I predicted the Nuggets to win in 6 games, I’m not so confident in the number nor the fact the Nuggets would win. We now head to South Beach for the Game 3 match. Nugget coach Mike Malone might have been outcoached in this game by Erik Spoelstra. Bottom line, the home team came out flat for some strange reason in addition they failed at times to play adequate defense.

NBA Draft

Thursday June 22 at 7:00 p.m. Central Time begins again the annual NBA Draft. I can inform you ahead of time the first pick will be Victor Wembanyama the 19-year-old French youngster. Everybody and their siblings are well aware the Spurs will pick Wemby, if the Spurs don’t choose him then who? That’s another story for another time, place and space…what about this draft? It’s difficult to access a draft, most often we must wait two or three years from the date however on the surface 2023 appears deep. In this draft there might be help for all NBA teams at least through the first 20 or so picks.

Beyond Wemby who is picked 2 through maybe 10 is unclear weeks ahead of the draft. NBA teams are inviting prospective draft choices into their facilities for workouts but even that is no clear indication of a team’s intent. That’s the exciting part of the hold process. My Lakers have invited a number of players to their facilities, most of which I’m only familiar with by name. Although many of the names have been utilized in trades the Lakers scouting staff always manage to uncover a relatively unknown talent. I’m a youth drive fan, my hope is always to keep the youngsters and integrate them into the lineup.

Convince Me

We read and hear two names bandied about who might become Lakers in the off season. Surprise, I am not in favor of either of them wearing Purple and Gold and I will explain. First up is Myles Turner, presently a member of the Pacers, he’s 6 foot 11 and 250 pounds and a capable center. Notice I said capable, I remember the problem Anthony Davis had with Andre Drummond at center. Turner appears to be a more talented version of Drummond, which on the surface says he might occupy space AD is accustomed to utilizing.

Scratch one upgrade for me…no Myles Turner addition. The second name is one we heard while the Lakers were still battling in the playoffs…Kyrie Irving. If we used a scale to measure, I’d definitely say Irving is a more talented player than Turner but then the dilemma. Remember back to the Russell Westbrook acquisition? LeBron James petitioned the front office to acquire Westbrook and we know how that turned out. If LBJ is in the middle of this so, be it let’s just say Larry Laker doesn’t like this potential move, scratch two no upgrade for me…no Kyrie Irving addition. This is what I believe needs to acquire through the draft or free agency add talent that hopefully doesn’t rock the boat. 

The forgotten man

In recent years Knick fans have not had a great deal of joy. Their teams have not had the success of those championship teams of the 1970’s. For unknown reasons the names of Reed, Clyde, Bradley and Monroe fall off the lips of Knick fans easily. Most don’t realize that the first championship (1970) contained a key member most have overlooked or maybe don’t remember. Dick Barnett is now 86-years old he was the shooting guard on that first championship team. That 1969-70 team won 60 games during the regular season and Barnett with his timely scoring and defense was certainly one of the keys. Barnett arrived in the NBA from Tennessee A&I (now Tennessee State) an HBCU school. It should be noted his Tennessee A&I team won three consecutive NAIA Championships.

Barnett was drafted by the Syracuse Nationals and played with them for two seasons before a brief time in the American Basketball League (1961-62), a court order by the Nats prevented him from further play however the league went out of business anyway. The 1962-63 season would see Barnett playing alongside Jerry West of the Lakers, in 1965-66 season Barnett was traded to the Knicks where he concluded his NBA career. His bio indicates he now has a Ph.D. in Education from Fordham University, Barnett retired in 2007 from St. John’s University where he taught Sports Management. He’s been enshrined in the College Basketball Hall of Fame, Dick Barnett a name from the past Knick fans especially should take note.

Bits n Pieces 

Mizzou’s Kobe Brown is remaining in the NBA Draft, that’s good for him not so good for the program. Remaining in place he must have been assured by someone or somebody he is going to be drafted. That’s the good, the bad is Mizzou loses one of the best players it’s had in quite a number of years. The transition year between Martin leaving and Gates arriving could have been a disaster. Thanks to Kobe Brown the first season under a new bench coach was uplifting. As Mizzou Nation might say thanks very much and good luck Kobe in this new quest.

It would appear Celtic coach Joe Mazzulla has a job for now. Reports had been circulating for a few weeks that the coach might be on the hot seat based on the play of the Celtics. Needless to say that appears to be incorrect. On Friday Brad Stevens announced to the world Mazzulla would return and head the team in the fall. Part of the reason there was speculation regarding Mazzulla has to do with time. Coaches are given less and less time to lead their teams for NBA play. We can look no further than two teams winning an NBA Championship and fired within three days.

Frank Vogel has a new job; he’s been hired as head coach by the Suns. Vogel replaces Monty Williams who was fired after the Suns playoff loss. A 5-year contract will be given to the long-time veteran coach, after being fired by the Lakers Vogel was on the sidelines for a year before taking on this job. This becomes his 4^th hire having served as head coach with the Magic, Pacers and Lakers and now the Suns. Vogel will forever be remembered by this member of Laker Nation; he was able to lead them to the 2020 NBA Championship. I hope he does well in Phoenix except against my Lakers.

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Part A

By the time you read this account the Nuggets will have a 2-0 lead or tied 1-1. Part A is a report on Game 1, the Nuggets ran the Heat off the floor, whether it was Denver’s 5,276-foot altitude or something else.  The final score of 104-93 fails to detail the blowout, truth is I changed channels at a point because the lead was so huge for the Nuggets. Game 1 witnessed the Nuggets running around and through the effort put forth by the Heat. We had two “point guards” Jamal Murray who really is a point guard and The Joker the Nuggets center.

Interesting in the Jokic’ had more assists (14) than Murray (10), it was not only offense because the Nuggets demonstrated they are a competent defensive team. That was Thursday evening, will the Heat return to form are will they succumb once again to the scoring of The Joker and Murray? As for the altitude question, it does become a problem for visiting teams during the regular season. They arrive for a single game and then depart for the next scheduled game. The Heat experienced a 7-game playoff run to reach the finals; they arrived in plenty of time to adjust to the altitude. Were the Heat weary from their match against the Celtics, that could have been the case plus poor shooting? The assessment for Part B or Game 2 will be presented in the Tuesday morning edition.

I’d bet Pat Riley still hates the Celtics!

A portion of what you are about to read is speculation on my part. As I arrive at the point, I will announce this is not fact only my belief. Pat Riley is president of the Miami Heat, he once served as head coach (1995-2003) (2005-2008) but stepped down permanently allowing Erik Spoelstra to run the team. Prior to his tenure with the Heat Riley coached the Knicks during Patrick Ewing years. His Knick teams often faced the Celtics since they too are Eastern Conference teams. Riley wanted to beat the Celtics in the worst way, this probably goes back to his youth. Born in upstate New York, Rome is closed to Syracuse but I’d bet money he was no fan of the Syracuse Nationals who in 1963 would move to Philly and become the Sixers we’ve known for all these years.     

I have no method to prove this next statement however it’s my belief Riley was a Knicks fan growing up that’s why it might have been easy for him to become head coach. During the recent Heat-Celtics series the television camera briefly caught a shot of Riley in the stands, he looked as intense as his coaching days. I’d bet money he cornered Spoelstra giving him coaching advice most of which said, “We can’t lose to these guys.” This mindset goes back to coaching the Showtime Lakers and the many skirmishes the Lakers had with the Celtics over the years. I don’t remember the year but the story is fresh in my mind. The old Boston Garden visitor locker room must have been registered 90+ degrees one year during the playoffs. I bet those Larry Bird Celtics had air conditioning in their locker rooms. Every season in the 80’s it seemed the two teams were fighting one another to determine an NBA Champion. Yes, it’s my belief (unproven) Pat Riley still hates the Celtics after all these years.

Victor Wembanyama News

You might have read reports indicating there is no sure thing the Spurs draft the French youngster. Don’t kid yourself with those stories, Gregg Popovich flew to France days after the Draft Lottery. There are numerous sites in France that attract tourists to see in the nation, however I have serious doubts this was Pop’s intent. Have you continued to read letters indicating the youngster will be an NBA bust? These letters are probably written by guys whose basketball expertise consist of recreational basketball and watching the game on television. They say, “He’s far too thin, NBA opposition players will push him around on the floor.”

No opposing argument from me, his reported weight is between 209-215 pounds. I can agree with the cynics, for someone standing 7 foot 5 in shoes Wemby is quite thin. That fact alone remains the only area of agreement I have with the pessimists, to claim he can’t play at the NBA level is pure speculation on their part. The pessimist could be correct, Wemby might be unable to adapt his game to the NBA but how can they be so sure in June that is the argument against much of the caw-caw they are dispensing. I want to see Wemby in action on a basketball court against NBA players prior to drawing any conclusions. Even at that we can only gain a thumbnail sketch of his ability during a rookie season in the NBA. For Peter Pessimist it’s okay, continue to exist in your world I intend a wait and see approach for me.   

You Don’t Say

If you are an NBA historian you are aware the Bulls are Chicago’s third NBA team. The expansion Bulls began play in the NBA in the 1966-67 season. The games were played in Chicago Stadium built in 1929, in 1994 the Bulls moved to United Center where they remain to date. It’s often been stated Michael Jordan and his sparkling play were contributing factors in building the 23,000 seat United Center. Team number two still exists however Washington D.C. is now home and they are the Wizards. This Chicago team was also of the expansion variety having been founded in 1961, they were nicknamed the Packers. Year two saw a name change as they became the Zephyrs, by year three they were on the way to Baltimore. The problem was twofold, poor play on the court led to poor attendance sealing their fate in Chicago.

The Baltimore Bullets morphed into the Capital Bullets who became the Washington Bullets after moving into the city. In 1997 they underwent another name change, becoming the Wizards their present name. Chicago’s first team was actually a Basketball Association of America team. The Stags were original members of the BAA beginning play in 1946. The team became a member of the NBA in 1949 when the BAA and NBL merged. The Stags went out of business in 1950 and again money was the basis. I uncovered this as to why the Stags ceased operations; the commissioner dissolved the franchise. “Maurice Podoloff commissioner acting on behest of a group of other NBA owners, foreclosed on the Stags due to their inability to repay a $40,000 loan that enabled them to finish the 1949-50 season in first place.” There have been other professional basketball teams in Chicago however they were not connected to the BAA/NBA as the three named.

The Band Aid Man

There are special characters in basketball be they college or the NBA. There might have been more than one character for Mizzou but Derrick Chievous is certainly at the top of the list. The fact he’s from Queens New York is not that unusual, however he might have been among the first to journey across the Hudson River west to Mizzou. In addition to his basketball talent the band aid’s also became a trademark. The story of the why is unconfirmed but this is the story I heard. Chievous had a scrape somewhere on his body requiring a band aid to protect the injury. The very next game he appeared with a band aid in a different but visible location on his body.

From that second game on it became the norm, Chievous would have a band aid placed someone on his body. That was the character part, this Queens guy could play the game. This was the 1980’s, the days when the majority of players remained in school for four years. Although we are in 2023 Chievous continues to hold Mizzou’s individual scoring record with 2,580 points. Chievous was a second team All American in 1987 twice all Big 8 Conference in 1987 and 1988. For unexplained reasons he was never able to play at the same level in the NBA as he did at Mizzou. Chievous was made the number 13 pick in the first round of the 1988 NBA Draft. The 6-foot 7 guard/forward only lasted 3 seasons in the NBA, despite this fact Chievous remains a legend in Columbia. In 1996 the Band Aid man Derrick Chievous was enshrined in the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.

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Bits n Pieces 

Remember our discussion regarding recycled coaches, well we can add the name of Monty Williams to the conversation. Late Wednesday evening Adrian Wojnarowski announced the Pistons would sign him to a 6-year contract which Woj claims is the largest $$$ in NBA history. Williams inherits a talented but youthful team, my guess the Pistons (17-65) might be among the youngest teams in the NBA. I would imagine Williams is prepared for the difficult task ahead in teaching and coaching this Piston team to an improvement in play.  

I admit to you I’ve not read the stories, only the headlines. It seems to me every other day a headline pops up on the internet regarding Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan. The headline details for us Pippen’s terrible teammate Michael Jordan. In all this time I’ve never heard MJ defend himself from these attacks. I don’t have Instagram or Twitter so I have no idea if MJ is offering a defense. The question for me and others, why now? I don’t remember all the details of the documentary Last Dance, was it something MJ said that has riled Pippen to this degree?  

We probably didn’t realize the degree of Duke basketball; I’m not talking on the court. This discussion centers in the front office of NBA teams. The players have moved from the court into leadership roles, after all most have Duke degrees. Who are these guys you might ask, after several front office stops holding several positions, Trajan Landon was named GM of the Pelicans in 2019. We also have Elton Brand who serves as GM with the Sixers. Mike Dunleavy Jr. did the same as the others, after his playing days were over, he moved to the front office. Today he is vice-president of basketball operations for the Warriors. Danny Ferry is no longer working in any teams front office but also held a number of positions throughout the NBA, Ferry is in-between jobs as they might say.

Tick-tick-tick, this ain’t the 60 Minutes clock however the time is that of commissioner Adam Silver. He indicates a decision has been reached regarding Ja Morant but a notice as to the punishment is pending. The commissioner indicates an announcement will be made after the NBA Finals. We could have an idea at the very earliest this could be Friday June 9^th, the latest Sunday June 18^th. We can wait, we are not being punished but I might imagine this is weighing heavily on the mind of Morant. All we can do at this point is speculate on his punishment.

The best

There have been hundreds of arguments who was the best Big Man in basketball. Most claim it’s Kareem Abdul Jabbar while others say Wilt Chamberlain based on the amount of records he owns. A number of folks name others besides the two above but what about the smallish player? Basketball has become a game for taller players but it’s not always been played in that manner. Who is the best ever, I submit two names for you to consider is Nate “Tiny” Archibald and Allen Iverson. Although they played in different eras, they might have been the forerunner of the combo guards we see in much of the NBA of today.

Archibald is most associated with the Celtics, however prior to that he was the offense of the Kansas City Kings. In 1972-73 he accomplished a feat which is likely to never occur again. Archibald led the NBA in scoring (34.0 points) and assists (11.4 assists) in the same season, never duplicated since that time. If we look at Archibald’s bio it indicates he is 6 feet tall but don’t believe it. I claim Archibald stood 5 foot 10 and maybe 150 pounds. Despite this outstanding season the Kings still finished below .500 with a 36-46 record. Archibald is enshrined in the College and Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. The second name for you to consider is Allen Iverson a.k.a. The Answer or A.I. as he was nicknamed. At barely 6 feet in height he was expected to be a point guard when he arrived in the NBA.

A.I. might have been the first combo guard proficient in scoring and assists. How good was he, Larry Brown his coach at the time decided to “move” him to shooting guard. Talking about a fearless competitor, that was his tune, I don’t believe there was any player in the NBA who believed was superior to him on the court. Like Archibald he played for a number of NBA teams but is probably best known for his time with the Sixers. A.I. or The Answer is enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame. There might be others, however these two are the best of the best in my view.     

Southern Cal basketball

I’ve not followed Southern Cal basketball in the past much. The school has produced its share of NBA talent but it seems those of us living outside of Los Angeles only “see” UCLA. After all UCLA has produced great numbers of NBA talent, much more than across town at Southern Cal. Perhaps we have been blinded by this fact, in any event all that might be changing. I have no idea who returns but Southern Cal finished last season with a 22-11 record and it appears they have reloaded, Rivals top prospect in the Class of 2023 point guard Isaiah Collier committed to Southern Cal.

More recently shooting guard Bronny James son of LeBron is also headed to the school. A week or so ago DJ Rodman, the son of Dennis announced he was transferring as well, what do these moves entail you might ask? It’s actually an unknown at this point, allow for an explanation. Although Collier and James are highly touted, they are still freshmen who must learn on the fly to adjust their high school background to the collegiate game. In addition Rodman didn’t set the world on fire in the three years he played at Washington State. We must wait and determine what coach Andy Enfield is able to accomplish with this incoming group of prospects plus those holdovers.

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A new team for him

By now you are aware Nick Nurse late of the Raptors has been hired to replace the fired Doc Rivers. How about that fact a nurse replaces the doctor who was in charge, just a bad joke on my part but let’s explore the hire a little further. Nurse played his college ball at Northern Iowa, from 1989-2013 he served as assistant or head coach at a large number of stops throughout the basketball world. In 2013 Nurse was hired as an assistant coach by the NBA Raptors and in 2018 he became head coach.

In 2019 his Raptors were NBA Champions and from that point on his team traveled a somewhat uneven road. The Raptors finished the 2023 season with a .500 (41-41) record which resulted in Nurse being fired. Nurse certainly is a proven NBA coach but can he succeed were Doc Rivers fell short with these Sixers? That is an unanswered question which will remain until the end of the 2023-24 NBA season. Nurse joins Mike Budenholzer formerly of the Bucks, both men with recent NBA Championships on their resume yet they were terminated.

Not wanted

This evening two NBA teams, Heat and Nuggets will begin the series to determine the 2023 NBA Championship. Despite the fact both defeated higher seeded teams this is not what the ABC Network wanted. Now to someone unfamiliar with my writing the first thought “This guy is nuts.” This is no slam at either of these teams but the network wanted a different matchup. Who did the network want, my guess is a Laker-Celtics series, Warriors-Celtics or Bucks-Warriors.

From a market or viewership standpoint neither team is close to the above-named teams previously mentioned and would command a much smaller television audience. Despite what I just wrote, the 2023 NBA Finals tonight the best team will win it all. In this instance I will attempt once again to provide you with an answer in advance. The winner will be the Nuggets, it will probably be 4 games to 2 or 4 games to 1. The Heat could win after all they have turned out to be a worthy competitor however, I don’t believe that will occur.

Transfer portal

I have a friend who loves the transfer portal, it’s his belief a coach is recruiting a player accustomed to playing the college game. They don’t often make the same mistakes as a fuzzy faced freshman walking onto the floor for the first time. That freshman is often playing before 10-15,000 rabid fans after playing in front of perhaps as many as 1,500 in a high school gym. All that is true but what about the downside, we have a portal guy who knows how to play the game at this level but…you only have him for one maybe two years.

That high school player (unless he is outstanding) is liable to be enrolled for up to 3 years, maybe 4. One other factor to consider is that incoming freshman is pledged to the coach from the beginning. This is unlike a portal player, as an example I read of an athlete who will begin play this fall for his 3^rd coach in 4 years of college play. So you decide which prospect is better for a program, I happen to believe both can be valuable depending on the coach and the basketball. Mizzou’s Dennis Gates and staff are out currently scouting 2024 high school prospects. The best college basketball roster could contain a mixture of transfer portal and high school talent, on the other hand I could be wrong.

Is that the mark of a champion?

The Suns eliminated in the Western Conference playoff cost Monty Williams his job. The Suns roster contains Kevin Durant who’s won an NBA Championship and Chris Paul who’s failed thus far. So once again Paul failed to be measured for a ring? At age 39 (May) the clock has speeded up, 2023 might have be his last opportunity for a ring. A number of All-Time greats have left the game over the years minus a championship. In some instances there are outstanding players who were on bad teams, teams with bad coaches or something else denying Paul and others from a championship.

Is it fair, is a championship the only barometer of measurement to determine a players success or lack thereof? We could run a list of players, some in the Naismith and College Hall of Fame without a championship to their name. Most visible might be TNT analyst Charles Barkley, Barkley was an outstanding player in his time who failed to win it all. The great Elgin Baylor of the Lakers might be at the top of our list along with Allen Iverson, John Stockton, Patrick Ewing and others. So the question is posed once again, is winning an NBA Championship the mark of true success in the NBA?

Looking ahead

I have mentioned a friend who believes in the transfer portal. He claims its better than high school kids because portal players are acquainted with college basketball, they arrive ready to contribute immediately. On the other hand freshman must adjust to college play. My friend is correct, however recruiting high school talent is still a priority. After checking a number of pre-season polls and seeing Mizzou missing, I thought I’d check a few recruiting sites.

Because these sites are not associated with the school, I believed it was paramount to discover what they supposed Mizzou’s 2023 recruiting compared to other programs across the nation. With that, here goes, rivals.com claims Mizzou has the 33^rd best recruiting class in the nation. Another site, 247Sports.com, places them at number 25 while On3.com also has Mizzou at 33. What does this exercise divulge to us, I can say absolutely nothing. For the first time in quite a while it appears Mizzou is actively attempting to recruit talent.

Future NBA prospects?

Matas Buzelis is a 6-foot 9-inch small forward, he’s from New Hampshire but plays at Sunrise Christian Academy in Kansas. Buzelis was a highly thought of prospect in the Class of 2024. His name was on the prospective list of several college programs across the nation. For Buzelis it wouldn’t be college rather it would be a pro career, he’s signing with G-Team Elite and will begin play in the fall. He plans on his next stop being an NBA team, here I offer the disclaimer. Buzelis is one of those prospects we become familiar with all due to the hype surrounding them, that is the case here. If that appears negative that is not the intent, I’m just unsure of his possible impact with G-League Team Elite or perhaps an NBA team.

Ron Holland is a 6-foot 8-inch power forward from the elite Duncanville (TX) team. This 5-star Class of 2023 prospect was committed to Texas but changed his mind apparently with the firing of Chris Beard.  Holland de-committed intending to play elsewhere. That elsewhere was reported to be Arkansas, a Duncanville teammate is enrolled at the school. Holland might have thought Arkansas at a point but that’s not where he is headed. On Wednesday came news he intends to play for the NBA G-League Team Elite. There is no assurance this story is the final outcome although that is believed to be the case

I’m going to close this out with an introduction to some, his name is Thierry Serge Darlan. Darlan is a 6-foot 7-inch point guard, not that unusual. He’s also not American, that remains not uncommon. What distinguishes him from others he’s a guard from the Central African Republic? Consider this fact, we’ve witnessed a wealth of NBA talent emerge from the African continent but up to this point its been strictly Big Men. You know the names, Hakeem Olajuwon, Joel Embiid, Dikembe Mutombo and so forth and so on. Darlan hopes to become the first guard from the continent to earn a position in the NBA. Darlan is an alumnus of NBA Africa and he too is headed for NBA G-League Elite.