Basketball from a fan’s perspective

Does the NBA remain  

You might recall the name Emoni Bates don’t you? He was projected to be a budding NBA superstar while in high school however there might be questions regarding that belief now. Bates was a surprise late second round draft choice by the Cavs in 2023. Once drafted he played fairly well in Summer League for the Cavs but management believed he needed seasoning, Bates spent the balance of the season in the G-League. He averaged 19.8 ppg which detailed his talent, the 38.7% shooting from the floor told another story. Shooting at that level indicates Bates has difficulty deciding what’s a good shot versus a bad one.

Let’s go back to the early days, the youngster was anointed a genuine talent as a high school freshman, his numbers had many comparing him to past and present NBA greats. They made this comparison despite the fact Bates was still in high school. Gatorade Player of the Year as a high school sophomore everything in life was on an upward trend until a number of obstacles presented themselves. The first, his father decided to pull his son from public school to play in a prep school he help found. At the end of the year he reclassified graduating high school one year early. He announced Michigan State then it wasn’t, later it was Memphis and his freshman year was full of further obstacles including an injury which sidelined him for a time. Bates then decided to return home and enroll at Eastern Michigan, this would prove to be a good move on his part, to a degree he returned to the form witnessed from his high school days.

Despite the positives Bates game remained a work in progress, there were elements requiring a fix. With an ESPN+ subscription I managed to see practically all his games at Eastern Michigan. I concluded Bates should remain in school at least another year but that was my view and me Bates. He declared for the NBA draft, evidently he was impressive enough at the NBA Draft Combine for the Cavs to decide to take a chance. They would make Bates a second-round pick, it is clear he’s at a crossroads in his professional career. He must improve his work ethic according to scouts and be able to effectively identify a good shot. Finally the question is asked, does the NBA remain in his future?

The shoes

Recently I wrote of Victor Wembanyama’s first shoe made by Nike on the market. I also mentioned the price tag of $170, despite the huge price the shoe sold out within minutes of being placed on the market. Also mentioned in the past was Michael Jordan and the Air Jordan brand, I noticed an original model selling for $92 on Amazon. As for other models of the popular brand they sell for a much higher amount. You might wonder where this is headed, it’s on the way to economically priced basketball shoes and the story of Shaquille O’Neal.

You are familiar with The Big Aristotle however maybe not his shoe history. Shaq’s first shoe was manufactured by Reebok and this is the reported story. He indicates a mom caught him in a store one time and begin to criticize him over the high-priced shoes Reebok produced under his name. He claims in 1998 he cut ties with Reebok and had his shoes produced by another manufacturer. In addition to this move his shoes would be priced more moderately and be available at Wal Mart. I cannot vouch for anything related to the shoes, in addition I have no clue how these shoes compare to Nike, Air Jordan and other manufacturers. Shaq is giving back to the community a promise he made to his mom.

1976

After sharing my thoughts with a few others I have gained a unique perspective. 1976 is the year the Nuggets, Spurs, Pacers and Nets moved from the ABA into the NBA. History says it was a merger but as I’ve pointed out it was never a merger, the proper term would be “expansion.” The basis for expansion was economics over anything else. Far too many years have evolved to check the journals to discover the truth but this is what I believe. The more teams and players added the more the finances must be divided. “If we add the most financially secure teams and their rosters there will be far less money to be split.

In addition the expansion teams will pay an indemnity fee to join the NBA.” The conversation just read was certainly more detailed than just presented for you but rest assured it went somewhat along those lines. While the majority of ABA teams were in dire financial straits at least two franchises were financially sound. That would be the Kentucky Colonels and the Spirits of St. Louis, what occurred for them? Both teams went out of business with only broken dreams of joining the NBA. As per usual economics were the decider for the NBA and would become the winner. All of what you read could be termed fiction, I have no method to document it as the truth however it sounds somewhat correct based on what I was able to uncover.

Who are you

Growing up I would often become my favorite basketball player on the court. I really can’t say I copied their moves or even their game I just became them. I’m sure this story played out in the minds of every little kid and still does today. Youth of today emulate Steph Curry, Ant Man and others I might fail to mention. The player they don’t emulate is the three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, he doesn’t fit the mold of many. Jokic is “mechanical” in his moves around the basket, this even extends to his unorthodox shooting style with the exception of his 3-point shot.

The two areas his game resembles and often exceeds others is rebounding the basketball and dishing out assists. He is quite adept at dishing out assists to cutting teammates or those who might be streaking down the court. There is almost a guarantee the ball will be delivered precisely by Jokic to that teammate. I’m sure there are kids in Serbia who become Jokic on the basketball court, meanwhile in America there is a smaller number willing to make that claim. If this appears as a negative toward Jokic that is not the intent, he’s a guy who manages to get the job done no matter how unconventional he might look at times on the court.

Basketball from a fan's perspective

Carmelo Anthony, owner

No, it’s not an NBA team but he will become owner of an NBL team. For those who might be unfamiliar the NBL is the 9-team professional basketball league in Australia. Over time a number of NBA players began their professional careers in the NBL. To name just a few, LaMelo Ball Hornets point guard who arrived from Australia and became NBA Rookie of the Year started his pro career in Australia, so did Ousmane Dieng and Josh Giddey current members of the Thunder. Of course,  Anthony hopes one day to see his name and have NBA Governor behind it.

Hollywood at work once again

Have you seen the video teasers for Clipped or maybe you’ve seen the series, this is a fictional account of Clippers history on F/X/Hulu. The series has an interesting cast, Ed O’Neil plays former owner Donald Sterling, Laurence Fishburn appears as Doc Rivers. Both actors have outstanding resumes but that’s about all I can state positive about the production. It’s clear someone or somebody was influenced by HBO’s Showtime series about the Lakers. Unlike the HBO series many viewers of the Lakers at the period covered were yet to be born or were youngsters, the fiction of Showtime became reality for them. 

This production is different, the series of events portrayed occurred as recently as 2014, its fresh in everyone’s mind young and old. I find this production to be a “filler,” in the summer months television is in full-scale rerun mold. There is little in the way of updated content for viewers, why not place something before them brand new? In addition, there are elements of the story that scream loudly for some, see me. Although I didn’t have HBO at the time I saw several episodes of Showtime. I didn’t believe it was worth my time based on the complaints registered by Jerry West and others. My recommendation, you can skip Clipped, I have serious doubts if it is worth your time. On the other hand if you have time and have nothing else on your agenda check it out.

He's a big dude

The latest from Rock M. Nation Mizzou’s fan website contains a story on Josh Gray and his arrival at Mizzou. He signed his paperwork on Monday so he is now official but what does the future hold for him and the program? Dennis Gates is excited and indicates “He fills a role for us.” Standing 7 foot and 265 pounds he certainly would appear imposing to the opposition but I need to see him in action. The reason I’m not as enthralled as the coach is simple, in 4 years at South Carolina Gray was never a starter. That makes for a gigantic question on my part.

Check out just a portion from the coach, *“With our last opening, we sought out a player with a physical presence who can provide rim protection. Not only is Josh capable of filling that role, but with his four years of SEC experience, he has proved to be a top rebounder in this league. He has immense size and is a prototypical SEC big that will complement our roster perfectly in 2024-25.” As you can see the coach is ready for the season to begin immediately. The number of returnees plus the incoming crop of transfers and freshman Gray is the only one who leaves me with questions. Oh well, I’m not the coach so I am going to shift that responsibility over to coach Gates.

*Rock M Nation 6/3/2024

His shoes are homage

Did you notice his shoes, these are the basketball shoes worn by Kyrie Irving during the playoffs. They are to honor his family ancestry. His father is African American however his late mother was African American and Native American, she was a member of the Standing Rock Lakota Tribe, Irving’s mother passed away at the age of 29 from a skin disease.   

                                     

                   

They fooled us

Anytime an athlete is drafted it’s never truly known if they will be successful. This account is a little different because of what is attempted. Beginning in 1990 there have been players named NBA Rookie of the Year who flamed out. Their rookie season was the highpoint, keep this in mind injuries aside. There are Rookie of the Year winners such as Brandon Roy (2007) injuries would not allow him to continue play. As for the others it was a far different matter, before continuing consider this fact. If a player has a mediocre career but is paid NBA money for 10-12 years can we truly question the degree of success? In any event here goes. The 2000 winner was shared between Elton Brand and Steve Francis, our focus is Francis.

After winning ROY with the Rockets in 1999 he managed to play for two other teams before closing out his NBA career in a return to the team that drafted him, Francis was active 9 seasons. Next up Emeka Okafor drafted by the Bobcats (Hornets), he earned ROY in 2005. What is most interesting during his 14-year career he never approached the numbers of his rookie season. Tyreke Hill is only 34-years old, he could be playing at the end of his NBA career but that is not the case. After winning ROY in 2010 he's been out of the league since 2019 due to violation of the NBA’s drug policy. Michael Carter-Williams was ROY in 2014 for the Sixers, by 2023 he was out of the league. Similar to others mentioned the high-water numbers were experienced his rookie season. There are two others I will reference, both remain active…Andrew Wiggins (2015) and Ben Simmons (2018). Is it the system or something else, both appear far more talented than the numbers they exhibit to date.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Performance without substance?

The title is certainly misleading but allow an explanation. I have this almost constant discussion with myself and friends around me, I don’t want a performance what is desired is substance. We are in the age where the guy on television or radio tosses about a bunch of stuff, he or she wants to discover what resonates with you. There are likely many instances when the information gained and dispensed is more important than performing for a television or radio audience. The view of the distributor of information is crucial but only to a point, you cannot convince me something is important unless I am able to see it for myself.

George Marcus was his name

I never heard the name George Marcus prior to last Friday evening. As my usual habit of research I came across another story from the past that cannot be documented, despite that issue it’s easily found on a search. George Marcus is reported to be the name Wilt Chamberlain once utilized, are you confused, allow a further explanation? According to reports Chamberlain played under the name ‘George Marcus’ while in high school. This occurred between his 16th and 17th birthday but why did Marcus operate in stealth mode?

Chamberlain played basketball under an assumed name because the team was a semi-pro one, he would have received payment which would have impacted his amateur status. He did not want to create an issue with the NCAA and wanted to play college basketball. Reports indicate at that youthful age he dominated the men he competed against as a teen. Taking this one step further it’s also reported when questioned later Chamberlain always denied he was George Marcus. Could this chapter occur as described, certainly not in 2024 with ESPN, several social media outlets in existence. By my calculation ‘George Marcus’ would have played for this team in 1953, it was a much different time, did this event occur? I have no proof nor offer any but believe it could have occurred due to the period.

Often its more than lack of talent

It helps to have a great QB (Patrick Mahomes) but a key reason for Chiefs success? It’s been head coach Andy Reid and GM Bret Veach, they have worked hand in hand to assemble competitive teams. It’s been my belief for a time when a team lacks success often its more than simply the coach or roster, the front office is key. For that reason alone it appears the latest move by the Pistons is to address the lack of wins might be attributed to the front office. Tom Gores wanting to correct the team’s losing ways hired Trajon Landon as the team’s GM from the Pelicans.

One of the issues concerning to me hearing reports head coach Monty Williams was on the hot seat. My first thought “this team was bad when he was hired, he's supposed to turn it around in less than a year…doesn’t make sense.” In any event it appears for now Williams is still employed and will begin to work with Landon, it should be of note the new GM compiled a good record while he was GM plus he’s had additional employment with the Nets. Without checking the stats I believe the Pistons might average the youngest age team in the NBA. I’m a fan of Williams, given time plus working with Landon the Pistons should improve I believe this upcoming season.

Things might change but I doubt it

The NBA season closed with the Lakers and Clippers on the outside, neither team came close to playing for the championship. In the fall as both teams prepare for the 2024-25 season the Lakers will be at Crypto.com arena and the Clippers in their brand-new home…the Intuit Dome. I have concluded without offering a shred of proof Los Angeles will always be a Laker town. The Clippers might win the NBA Championship in 2025 and it will still be a Laker town…why? The Lakers were first (1960), in addition its difficult even with one championship to successfully compete with a team with 17 NBA Championships in their trophy case.

It’s not just Los Angeles the same scenario likely exists for New York City. The Knicks are the institution in the city, the Nets arrived then left and arrived again this time taking up residency in the borough of Brooklyn. What occurs if they win an NBA Championship, the borough of Brooklyn would be happy, I wonder about Brooklynite Spike Lee? Los Angeles and NYC are the only two locations with two NBA teams. Los Angeles has two NFL teams, I’m unsure if there is any favoritism there. There are also two baseball teams however the Dodgers are light years ahead of the Angels in the eyes of most of the population. In Chicago we have two baseball teams but the Cubs are the declared winners of the hearts and minds, the White Sox a distant second.

Basketball from a fans perspective

The second wave (or third)

Commissioner Silver mentioned the NBA possibly expanding to Montreal Canada late last year. Also mentioned but not in the same conversation was the NBA perhaps returning to Vancouver one day. If that expansion should occur that would create a Canadian NBA rivalry…Montreal, Vancouver and Toronto. All of us are aware Seattle and Las Vegas are in first place in the NBA regarding expansion. Because I’ve mentioned three teams we might question this account just how many NBA teams is too many?

Let’s check out some of the other professional sports leagues. If we look at baseball there are 30 MLB teams, it’s appears relocation rather than expansion is the precedence. The A’s have a planned move from Oakland that will locate them in Las Vegas eventually. As for the NFL at present there are 32 teams, the same for this professional sport no expansion plans that I’ve read. In hockey there are also 32 teams in the NHL and the same story there no expansion plans. If Mexico City is tossed in for expansion and the Canadian cities that would make for 34 teams, is that too many teams? In my view that’s not too many, as you see that’s only two more teams over the current NFL and NHL.

He is an unusual guy

I read an article and thought a brief revisit was necessary with Mark Cuban. I must admit at one time I thought he was a knucklehead, he was always making noise about his Mavs with David Stern. I have no idea the number of times Cuban was fined by the commissioner, most of the Cuban complaints revolved around officiating. As he’s aged Cuban has mellowed, he’s not as volatile as he once was but the mind is just as sharp as ever. If we look at the basketball only I will offer proof, he’s no longer the majority owner of the team. Cuban sold his 73% share of the Mavs to Miriam Adelson for $3.5 billion late in 2023.

Cuban purchased the Mavs in 2000 for $285 million, I’m unsure of the appreciation but I’d say he made quite a profit. Despite the sale of the team Cuban retains ownership of 27% of the team. This is the interesting part, he remains the acknowledged leader of the Mavs for a couple of reasons. Cuban remains the Mavs Governor so in essence he can vote up or down on any decision the NBA might choose. In addition in his “new” role Cuban can decide who comes or who goes on the Mavs roster. One more bit of information there is talk of an arena to replace American Airlines Arena, the building opened in 2001. With Cuban still in the operations mode I tend to believe a new arena will open at some future date for the Mavs.

Free throw makers

This is going to be a different take, often in the past the focus of this might be the guys who shoot bricks at the free throw line you know who they are, i.e., Wilt, Shaq and a host of others. The only issue for me making light of their poor shooting such as Shaq who once said “I make ‘em when they are needed” or something similar. That statement is far from fact, over the course of his NBA career 62% (2002-03) was the best he ever accomplished. How about Mr. Automatic, these players are fouled and rarely miss from the line. Opposing teams certainly don’t wish to foul these guys, keep in mind the NBA players listed below have played major minutes in order to qualify for this list:

  

  1.Klay Thompson Warriors 92.7%

  2.Dame Lillard Bucks 92.4%

  3.Steph Curry Warriors 92.4%

  4.Bogdan Bogdanovic Hawks 92.2%

  5.Anfernee Simons Blazers 91.6%

  6.Derrick White Celtics 90.2% 

  7.Paul George Clippers 90.2%

  8.Lauri Markkanen Jazz 89.9%

  9.Kawhi Irving Mavs 89.8%

10.Devin Booker Suns 89.2%

Rick Barry enshrined in the College and Naismith Hall of Fame would complain loudly regarding players unable to shoot free throws. Many (including Shaq) refused to use the underhand method Barry perfected while playing (1965-1980). During Barry’s career, which includes a stint in the ABA, he shot 89% from the line. Former players Steve Nash (.9043) and Mark Price (.9039) shot even higher during their play in the NBA over Barry.

There is an explanation for an athletes inability to shoot from the free throw line effectively, it’s like anything else…practice…practice and more practice. I remember reading this years ago, one of the all-time great high school basketball coaches in KC said this. “Whenever we are not running drills and I allow my team free time this is what occurs. Instead of practice shooting free throws they are at the 3-point line taking shots.” It’s my belief an athlete can become so focused at the line they believe they cannot miss. Believe me, I’ve heard all the excuses for poor free throw shooting and none are viable; “My hands are too big” or “I’m too nervous if the game is on the line.”

Laker pick

There were bunches of draft choices and players exchanging addresses with the arrival of Anthony Davis to the Lakers, it’s now 2024 and the Lakers still owe the Pelicans draft choices. 2025 was understood to be the last year the Lakers would give up a draft choice however there is a change. 2024 would be an option year for the Pelicans, they chose to take it. The Pelicans will defer the 17th draft choice until next season. The Lakers will be able to make the pick in 2024, this could be good or bad thing. The draft guru’s claim unlike last season 2024 will be a weak draft, that is the bad.

As for the good drafting just outside the lottery they could strike it rich with the correct pick. It could be Carlton Carrington a 6-5-point guard from Pitt or Isaiah Collier 6-3 point from SC, it could be Yves Missi 7-foot center from Baylor. Just who does that pick become, well I will inform you I hope it’s not Bronny James. Two websites had the Lakers choosing Bronny in the second round which caused me to scream loudly NOOOOOOOOO! With a first-round pick and number 17 I would be okay drafting Bronny in the second round. From pick 17 through 30 there are plenty of “names” to choose from. I cannot provide a name other than Bronny James, hopefully rational minds are at work and if the Lakers take him it’s in the second round. 

Basketball from a fans perspective

Kristaps Porzingis

We are here June 1, the NBA draft will be held June 26 and 27 in New York City. Although you might note the headline the Celtic center is only a small portion of the story. In the 2015 draft a certain bombastic ESPN media person questioned the Knicks drafting him although he indicated no knowledge of Porzingis. Later in Porzingis’s rookie season this media person was forced to admit Porzingis indeed had skill to play at the NBA level. For yours truly it was a different matter, I had no idea if Porzingis could play in the association but at least I was familiar with his name.

It’s important for me to scrutinize mock draft sites for international players because we don’t often know their names in this country. I knew Porzingis was from Latvia, the same could be said for 2024 pick Alexandre Sarr. No, Sarr’s not from Latvia he’s from France and 2 of the 3 mock draft sites I utilize list Sarr as the number one pick in the 2024 draft. I’m going to begin at the present and work his timeline backwards, Sarr just completed his “rookie” season with the Perth Wildcats of the NBL. Prior to that he spent two years in the U.S. playing for YNG Dreamerz and Team Overtime. Sarr is 7 feet tall and 224 pounds and just like fellow countryman Victor Wembanyama he’s only 19-years old as he approaches the draft. Now you are prepared for draft night and are familiar with his name, it's Alexandre Sarr.

The NBA is different

Jason Kidd is no longer the top-notch point guard we witness play, he’s moved into another role. That role is NBA head coach however the road contained plenty of potholes. In 2013 the Nets hired Kidd despite zero experience coaching at any level. I was not critical of the move however I did have a question taking over a team the with no coaching background. What occurred, the Nets finished with a 44-38 record and the Bucks must have believed he was ready. In 2014 the Bucks decided the time must have been right however in four seasons the team never improved and Kidd was eventually fired.

Kidd would then spend time as an assistant coach with the Lakers and was part of the 2020 NBA championship team. In June 2021 Kidd was hired as head coach by the Mavs. The balance of the story is history, let’s fast forward to the present-day, Kidd’s Mavs team will now play for the 2024 NBA championship and a portion of it I believe is due to his coaching. Although Kidd had an outstanding NBA career adjusting to the role of a coach caused some difficulty however he’s made the jump. It would have been great if the Lakers had managed to hire him since he was already on staff but that is wishful thinking at this point.

What does the future hold

In 2020 the NBA set up Team Ignite in its G-League, this team would be to develop high school basketball talent to eventually matriculate to the NBA. A quick count indicated at least 9 players from its founding date up through 2024 managed to make the jump to the NBA, this number includes the latest Scoot Henderson with the Blazers. The 2024 NBA draft will likely contain at least two additional Ignite players but there will be no more after this.

The changing basketball landscape has caused the NBA to re-think this effort, the conclusion there is no requirement for the team to exist. That’s one down, but what about the other…OTE or Overtime Elite? OTE was founded in 2021 by Dan Porter and Zack Weiner and it’s intent was the same to develop basketball talent. Porter’s bio indicates he’s an American internet entrepreneur while Zack Weiner is listed as an influencer. OTE took in high school players to develop and in addition to paying them a salary they were also provided studies to complete their high school education. The league has 8 teams and is headquartered in Atlanta Georgia. OTE just completed its third year of operation, the biggest names thus far are the Thompson twins, Ausar finishing his rookie year with the Pistons while Amen has done the same with the Rockets.

Similar to the G-League there will be at least two OTE players in the 2024 draft, but the question remains what does the future hold? Rest assured a primary reason Team Ignite ceased operations was Name, Image & Likeness. With college basketball players able to earn salaries equal to or exceeding those of Team Elite that might have been the basis for “closing shop.” I certainly have no inside information however it would appear OTE might be in operation longer due to the manner of its operation.

I did them a disservice

It was unintentional but I might have given you the wrong impression. I may have pointed out the Mavs would not have been able to continue play without the efforts of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. That is mostly true however there are additional members of the Mavs who were key contributors allowing them to compete for the NBA championship. At the center position is 6-foot 10 234-pound Daniel Gafford, he arrived in a trade with the Wizards in February 2024.

Gafford played his college basketball at Arkansas. The steady power forward is PJ Washington obtained from the Hornets in February 2024, Washington played his college ball at Kentucky and is 6 foot 7 and 230 pounds. August 2023 saw Derrick Jones Jr. signed with the Mavs as a free agent, he is the starter at small forward Jones Jr. played his college ball at UNLV. These are the players who receive the most playing time with the Mavs. There are other Mavs receiving minutes however the bulk are Luka-Kyrie and those named.

Basketball from a fans perspective

There are no bad guys

After seeing the Wolves dismantle the defending champion Nuggets I was solidly in their corner. It’s not the fact I disliked the Mavs prior to the series start it was my belief the Wolves were the better team. All the Mavs had going for them was the Luka-Kyrie combo, of course it was more than this duo. They had a good starting five plus adequate reserves. As for the conclusion of Game 5 you may have seen more of the final than me.

I changed channels with most of the 4th quarter remaining, I said to myself “No way are the Wolves coming back from this.” Doncic got off to a fiery beginning from the three, he must have hit every shot he took although I do remember him missing one. At a point in the game the Luka-Kyrie combo scored or slightly exceeded the point total of the entire Wolves team. The final score read Mavs 124 Wolves 103 as the Texas Twins scored 36 points apiece. Someone said “This (Mavs) team might have the best backcourt in the NBA.” I’m unsure if I am ready to make that claim however they are certainly talented and really good. The “twins” for the Wolves managed to match one another with 28 points but that was about it, KAT and Ant Man were unable to lead their team to victory.

The most compelling factor, the Wolves a good defensive team couldn’t seem to compile enough offense during this series, they couldn’t easily score the ball when required, in addition there were a number of forced and unforced errors which became a contributing factor to the Wolves loss. The Mavs will play the Celtics for the NBA championship as for the Wolves they will access this series loss and return next prepared to succeed and win. Wolves fans are naturally disappointed but consider this fact, you have a young team for the future and one that will contend for a championship in the future.

Is a 3-peat even possible

I’m unsure if we truly realize the significance of UConn’s back-to-back NCAA championship. UConn becomes the first to accomplish the feat since Florida did it in 2006 and followed again in 2007. Before that, the last team to duplicate this effort was Duke in 1991 and again in 1992. From 1967 through 1973 UCLA won the NCAA championship every season but wait there is more interesting news. Joe Lunardi the bracketology guru for ESPN claims the UConn Huskies have the opportunity for a 3-peat in 2025.

In this age of one and done and transfer portal athletes it’s difficult to imagine a team having the ability to even think 3-peat, if any team is capable UConn would be a prime candidate. With all the variables in place I always never say never however if Lunardi believes its possible I will go along with his observation. As you might remember reading a time ago I’m a fan of Dan Hurley and have been for a time. In my view provided UConn has a talented enough roster he’s one of a handful of coaches who are capable of coaching a 3-peat.

Too smart for the NBA

If you’ve heard the story regarding the Celtics Jaylen Brown you can stop at this point. I never heard the story until now but it’s amazing, one GM suggested “He might be too smart for the NBA.” Graduating high school in Atlanta it could have been Duke, North Carolina or some other basketball power. Brown decided on Cal-Berkley known more for academics over sports. After all when you play chess that would be one of the schools in your circle to choose.

*“(An unnamed) NBA assistant general manager also said Brown’s high level of intelligence and inquisitive nature could intimidate some general managers and coaches,” Spears explained. “He added that (Brown) is a good kid who doesn’t fit the mold of a so-called basketball player.” “He is an extremely intelligent kid,” the NBA assistant general manager continued. “He took a graduate school class at Cal in his freshman year. He is a person who is inquisitive about everything. Because he is so smart, it might be intimidating to some teams. He wants to know why you are doing something instead of just doing it. I don’t think it’s bad, but it’s a form of questioning authority. It’s not malicious. He just wants to know what is going on. Old-school coaches don’t want guys that question stuff.”

So that gives you an idea of what Brown faced regarding the NBA draft, and on top of that the guy plays chess too. Did a team or teams pass on him because of the questions raised regarding his intellect? We don’t know however it appears that could have occurred. At times it would appear he is overshadowed by teammate Jason Tatum however as cerebral as Brown is it probably fails to register with him. He was shocked to hear he’d won the Larry Bird Eastern Conference MVP after his team’s sweep of the Pacers. Expect to continue to see outstanding play from intellect Jaylen Brown now and into the future.

*Marc Spears-The Undefeated

Officiating

I find it interesting, of all the professional sports we hear the most complaints it seems regarding basketball officiating. In baseball umpires and in football referees get it wrong constantly, even with benefit of replay basketball appears to garner the greatest number of complaints, by the way I have no stats to back my belief. Let's check out a couple of facts which might impact officiating. In baseball and football fans are seated some distance from the action, in basketball fans are often seated right on top of the action. I'm unsure if this is the case it sure seems that way, television coverage has increased over the decades. We probably have more cameras operating at major league events than ever in history. 

In addition the picture quality is vastly improved as well. Standard definition (SD) was the traditional television picture for years, picture quality sometimes suffered. Rabbit ears and in some instances outside antennas helped improve an often fuzzy, grainy picture. Along comes cable/satellite which increased the picture quality and then a few years later high definition (HD) became the standard. Picture quality has improved to the point you can sometimes see grass clippings on the baseball or football field. Complaints regarding officiating will not cease with this little exercise. The purpose of this exercise is to share a few thoughts, the last consideration we must take into account we have human being officiating these games. The human eye can miss a play or call it incorrectly, it occurs there is no method to circumvent that sometimes even with instant replay.  

 

  

Basketball from a fans perspective

This is not difficult

As this is written the Finals will be the Eastern Conference Boston Celtics facing the Western Conference Dallas Mavs. As this is written the Mavs are yet to close out the Wolves, even if that doesn’t occur on Tuesday or whenever I have no doubt they will prevail. As for rooting for the winner that’s easy, I have no connection to the Mavs but I will be rooting for them in this series. I have more than one reason why I want the Mavs to win. As a long-long card-carrying member of Laker Nation someone must twist my arm violently in order for this Laker fan to root for a Celtic team.

My dislike for the Celtics runs quite aways back and over the years has not mellowed. As for those in Green I have no issues with any of the players. I like Jayson Tatum and Jaylin Brown…it’s too bad they wear the wrong jerseys. The secondary reason I’m rooting for the Mavs is NBA Championship history. The Lakers and Celtics are tied for the most championships in the leagues history, I cannot have the Celtics eclipse my Lakers in that department. If you say I’m hatin’ on the Celtics I am going to agree with you. Mine has validity although I am sure some will disagree with my take on this matter. In any event enjoy the Finals as I will.

We didn’t know

I came across the name Bill Jones while researching an unconnected story. Allow me to set the stage for this narrative, America in the 1940’s had strict rules in place regarding race. At that time baseball was the most popular sport in the nation, in 1947 Branch Rickey decided Jackie Robinson would be the ideal black man to break the racial divide that existed in baseball. Larry Doby would soon follow in the American League. In the minds of most American professional basketball ranked behind other sports of the era, a black man playing the game would cause little of the fanfare and notoriety of a Jackie Robinson or Larry Doby. In 1950 Earl Lloyd became the first black player in the NBA when he began play for the Washington Capitols, Chuck Cooper became the first player to be drafted when the Celtics chose him April 25, 1950.

That same year the Knicks signed Nate ‘Sweetwater’ Clifton to a contract. I’ve given you the history behind several names but excluded Bill Jones mentioned earlier. Jones holds a unique distinction, he actually preceded all of them in breaking down the color barrier. He’d played his college basketball at Toledo University, the 1942-43 season Jones would began play for the Toledo Jim White Chevrolets of the National Basketball League. Of course you know the history the National Basketball League and Basketball Association of America merged in 1949 becoming the NBA we are familiar with today. The Toledo Jim White Chevrolets didn’t last exceptionally long, the team disbanded early in the season. There is little information as to his career after the Toledo NBL team broke up except mention of his play for barnstorming teams and the Harlem Globetrotters. Jones died in 2006 at the age of 92, most of us have no idea of his mark on professional basketball history.

What does it appear

I have accentuated this in the past, Top 25 teams are really a beauty contest. The season ending record doesn’t usually follow the path laid out yet it’s exciting to look ahead to the 2024-25 college basketball season. We take a look at a few polls, the first one is ESPN. They list Kansas at 1., Houston 2., Gonzaga 3., Baylor 4. and Iowa State 5. Four of ESPN’s list contains 4 members of the Big XII so that certainly should make for a wild and entertaining conference race.

The CBS poll has Kansas at 1., Houston 2., North Carolina 3., UConn 4., and Iowa State 5. Yardbarker.com places Duke in its top slot followed by Houston, Iowa State, Kansas and Gonzaga. Although placement varies we note the same college teams in somewhat similar positions. The dust has settled, the coaching merry-go-round has come to a stop. The teams including those mentioned above have finalized their roster, more than likely there will be little if any change occur between now and the start of the season. I’ve talked to both groups, those fans who claim they only follow the NBA and those who gravitate to the college game. For me, I am a fan of both I anxiously await the start of both.

Bits n Pieces

There is one pleased individual in Clipperland, that would be coach Ty Lue. The Clippers signed him to a contract extension on Wednesday which takes him through the 2028-29 season. As usual I’m not mentioning $$$ because they sometimes color our view of a situation or issue. The downside of this issue and strictly my opinion, Lue has only ‘touched’ on his skill with this Clipper team. Whether it’s injury or something else this team has underachieved. We can only conclude management is pleased with the performance they see thus far from Lue.

Almost any time a player chooses a number there is always a story behind it. That is the case here and why Mavs guard Luka Doncic’ wears number 77. Doncic’s favorite player while playing in Europe was Vassilis Spanoulis, the Greek baller wore number 7. In 2018 when drafted by the Mavs Doncic intended to wear the number 7 of his hero Spanoulis until he discovered Dwight Powell already wore it. The 7 worn by Spanoulis and the 7 worn by Powell became 77, unusual story of how this became Doncic’s number.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Not shocking or even surprising

News outlets were informed on Wednesday that Bronny James Jr. would forego college and remain in the NBA draft. I hope he proves me wrong so many of you can laugh at me, laugh for this reason alone. I don’t believe Bronny is ready for the rigors of NBA play despite having an all-time great for a father. I would feel a degree more comfortable if he’s played significant minutes during his freshman season. We are aware why Bronny was on a minutes restriction and a reserve.

I remember back to Kyrie Irving, he’d played but 9 games for Duke before declaring himself ready for the 2012 NBA draft. Not only did Kyrie prove me wrong by having an outstanding rookie season he was named 2012 NBA Rookie of the Year. Kyrie got me twice, maybe that will be the case for Bronny as well. Please note one issue before I close, in 2011 I didn’t claim Kyrie had no talent. I can make the same statement in 2024, Bronny is certainly talented and may indeed prove me wrong. In any event the closer we arrive at the draft the more liquid it becomes. Some sites indicate Bronny will be a lottery pick while others claim it’s the second round.

Is it true

Many in the media now claim recruiting is not as important as it once was. They maintain the transfer portal has allowed non-competitive teams to register immediate improvement. On the surface it certainly makes sense your school recruits an athlete who is well acquainted with basketball at this level. That fuzzy faced freshman might be a McDonald’s All American but he’s got no idea what is required at the collegiate level. While that last statement might be true I continue to believe vital recruiting must occur in both areas, HS seniors and in the portal.

With that said we’ll look at both areas as described by media sources. Sidebar here, now you see why I’m so excited about the outlook for Mizzou basketball in 2024-25. The basketball program was never ranked very highly in recruiting going back years. The legendary Norm Stewart (1967-1999) was once asked, “Does Missouri have any McDonald’s All American’s?” The coach responded, “No but we eat at McDonald’s.” There may not be immediate improvement however it’s exciting for Mizzou Nation to see the basketball team this highly rated on both polls. These might have changed by the time this is read however not substantially, 247Sports ranks the best incoming classes in this order:

  1. Duke

  2. Alabama

  3. Arizona

  4. Rutgers

  5. Mizzou

On the other hand using the same source 247Sports the following are the Top 5 transfer portal classes plus one:

  1. Arkansas

  2. Indiana

  3. St John’s

  4. West Virginia

  5. Kentucky

12. Mizzou

Maturity or something else

Some of you remember what occurred, Kyrie Irving and LeBron James were able to blend their talent and produce an NBA championship for the Cavs. It seemed like shortly after Kyrie said something to this effect, “I want to build (or play) for an NBA champion I am the leader” or similar words. He would depart for the Celtics but encountered issues there, next up the Nets but they were found wanting as well. This basketball journey took him in a trade last season to the Mavs. My first thought “boy I hope he is able to adjust in Dallas after all this was Luka’s team and not his.”

With ball dominate Luka Doncic’ how would this blending of talent work out was questioned by everyone including yours truly. There were a few bumps in the road last season but the 2023-24 season has been a completely different version. Although the Mavs were losers on Tuesday evening against the Wolves they will eventually play for the NBA Championship. A portion of this can be attributed to Kyrie adjusting his game and no longer believing he must dominate the ball. At age 32 Kyrie still has plenty of gas in the tank and its hoped by Mavs fan’s he will help the team to win another championship. As for the headline, Kyrie has always marched to the beat of a different drummer, I’m going to attribute his basketball growth to maturity and just leave it there.

I wrote it

Sometimes your memory might betray you, I’m unsure if that’s the case however this is fact. The Nets are an afterthought for most of New York City and there is a reason why. The franchise began life as an American Basketball Association team, they have moved quite a bit. They began life as the New Jersey Nets and the dates and moves follow:

New Jersey Nets 1967-1968 Teaneck NJ

New York Nets 1968-1976 (ABA) Long Island NY

New York Nets 1976-1977 (NBA) Long Island NY

New Jersey Nets 1977-2012 East Rutherford NJ & Newark NJ

Brooklyn Nets 2012-present

I was almost correct, the team remained in the NYC Metro however over the years the Nets franchise has made 5 moves playing in a number of different arenas around New Jersey and New York City. Barclays Center in Brooklyn their current home is perhaps the most superb arena the team’s called home in its nearly 60-year history of existence.

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

Sometimes stuff happens

The Sunday edition of Off the Dribble was late, in fact it wasn’t posted until late Sunday afternoon. The story is simple, we had a tremendous wind and thunderstorm hit the metro Kansas City area. Power was out along with internet service. My family was fortunate we didn’t lose our power however with no internet I couldn’t publish. I couldn’t publish despite the fact the Sunday edition was ready and in place to be issued. I could have waited until Monday and publish however I felt an obligation to you the reader. You were treated to two editions in the space of 12 hours or so and the explanation is simple, sometimes stuff happens you have no control over, that was the weekend for me.

Sometimes you hear stuff that’s difficult to believe

I’m driving to work this morning and the hosts are discussing the death of Bill Walton. Both acknowledge the fact they don’t remember seeing him as a player, I thought okay taking into consideration their age. The part I failed to understand was the wow factor of Walton’s life based on the numbers of players, coaches and media people making comments about him. One of the host seemed to marvel with the fact “President Obama made a comment on the passing of Walton.” The two went on and on and on how they had no idea the depth of followers of Walton.

Just a couple more comments on Walton, former Laker James Worthy said Walton took him to breakfast when he was a rookie. Worthy said they talked love, life, happiness and peace and the conversation didn’t touch basketball. Walton always had a social conscience which began quite early, he was arrested while in college protesting the Vietnam War. I’m sure his arrest did not sit well with coach John Wooden. Although the Pac-12 has ceased to exist during his telecast Walton was always promoting the conference. It would really be worthwhile if these talk radio sports guys would spend a little more time researching a subject rather than discussing something you are clearly out of your league.

It certainly didn’t hurt

Celtic fans will read this and say, “You hatin’ on my team,” that is not the case I’m simply pointing out the series events that occurred in the three series leading to the Finals. The Celtics faced the Heat with no Jimmy Butler available, next up it would be the Cavs and Donovan Mitchell would be missing. Finally it was the Pacers and no Tyrese Haliburton available. I realize, the Celtics had to play the games but with these valued team members missing or playing limited minutes, it certainly didn’t hurt.

Another draft story

There is an issue which requires a fix but who performs it, the subject is identifying potential talent of Euro players in the NBA draft. Unless your name is Kristaps Porzingis, Luka Doncic or maybe Victor Wembanyama we don’t know you. Those are the names of the most identified Euro players in recent years, their names came to us prior to the draft but little else from a scouting standpoint. For Wemby it was totally different, although he was not universally known he played in the states prior to the 2023 draft. The other question is the assessment issue, as an example we are able to view scouting ratings for college and G-League talent.

That fails to take place for the majority of Euro players. Zaccharie Risacher is generally believed to be the top choice in the 2024 NBA Draft, nbadraft.net provides us a scouts view of his potential impact on the NBA. On their big board they give Risacher a 96, I believe 100 is the maximum score a prospect can achieve. Alexandre Sarr also from France is listed as the number 2 draft prospect and is awarded a 94. Several other potential first round picks are also awarded a number but as we move into the second round that becomes less and less prevalent. I would imagine by now you are saying, “Is this really an issue of importance?” It depends on your perspective, it is for me but maybe not for you. There are American players we had a “500-page novel” written and they failed to earn a roster position in the NBA.

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

He was more than basketball

Late Sunday afternoon I read a Yahoo news story indicating Bill Walton died. They once called him the redhead but the hair had turned gray he was after all 71-years old. The report indicated Walton had died of cancer, few of us were aware of his condition. We noticed his absence from ESPN’s college coverage this past season. It’s difficult to describe his role as an analyst, let’s just say there was no other like him. It’s a shame a generation or two only remember him as this over-the-top basketball analyst but he was more.

A friend of mine described Walton in this manner, “I’ve always thought of Bill as the NBA’s Renaissance man.” A 3-time All American at UCLA, drafted by the Blazers he managed to lead them to the 1977 NBA Championship their only one to date. They beat an exceptionally talented Sixer team who in my opinion believed they would “mail the championship” ahead of time. It’s unfortunate, injuries would limit and shorten his NBA career. In 1986 he was named Sixth Man of the Year while playing for the Celtics. His inspirational play off the bench was a key factor in a Celtic championship. This short soliloquy does him no true justice, Bill Walton is that special person that is born to distinguish himself in something (basketball) but there was more to the man than the game of basketball.

Scholarship math

I suppose if a ‘Kobe Bryant’ or some other phenom indicated a desire to attend Mizzou he would be added somehow to the existing roster. That statement is made despite the fact the cupboard is full, there are 18 roster members on the basketball team who will arrive on campus in August. The composition of this Mizzou team is 5 graduate seniors, 2 seniors, 2 juniors, 4 sophomores and 5 freshman. This is written in late May, at this point it would appear only freshman Annor Boateng is likely to see time on the court.

On the other hand should the 5 graduate seniors and the bulk of the roster develop in a cohesive manner Mizzou will not suffer a repeat of the horrible last season. My chief concern is the underclassmen, will they be disappointed in the lack of playing time? It’s easy for me to sit here and claim patience your day will come. There are two concerns at this point, the Mizzou won-loss record improves in 2024-25 and the underclassmen have patience. As for the latter, we are in rarified air, according to 247Sports Mizzou is in 5th place nationwide in its recruiting class.

Build the team in this method

My view on building a championship NBA team has changed over time, if you have a ‘LeBron James’ who decides he wants to join your team you sign him. Other than an athlete of his caliber I continue to believe in constructing a team through the draft. As an example the Thunder have been eliminated but check out the composition of the team, other than SGA the roster is draft picks. I could make the same statement regarding the Celtics, Jrue Holiday has been an outstanding addition. Despite this fact Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are the foundation of the team and clearly the leadership.

Although the Pacers are 0-3 in their series against the Celtics the foundation of the team was built through the draft. We could make the same statement about the Wolves, other than Rudy Gobert and Mike Conley they have been built through the NBA draft as well. The Nuggets 2023 NBA Champions have also been built through the draft with the exception of KCP. This exercise offers no proof, of all the teams named the Nuggets are the lone championship. As for an example of how to not build a championship we can look at the example of the Los Angeles Clippers. Kawhi Leonard, Paul George along with Russell Westbrook are free agent signees while James Harden was acquired in a trade. Creating through the draft might be the protracted manner to build a championship team it might still be the best method.

He’s how old?

A few of you may have seen the video circulating of Dabone Mohamed Samsoundine floating around. The headline of the video claims Mohamed is “12-years old”, friends I didn’t fall out of bed and bump my head. After seeing him in action in and around the basket I said to myself “This is no 12-year-old.” I repeated this later to a friend who sent me the video. “There is no way this youngster is that young so I decided to conduct a little research. This is what I discovered on a FIBA website, Mohamed is actually 16-years old he’s from the West African nation of Togo. Just because something is out there doesn’t always make for accuracy or the truth.

Nobody remembers

The 1976-77 Minnesota Gophers team finished the regular season with a 24-3 record. There was no post season for them because they were on probation, the record is listed as 0-27 if you check the NCAA archives. How good were they, they had a junior center Mychal Thompson (father of Klay). Thompson led them in scoring with 22.9 points and 8.9 rebounds a game, he would later be drafted by the NBA Blazers. It was with the Lakers Thompson would distinguish himself aiding the team to win championships during the Showtime era.

Also in the starting lineup for that team was the late Ray Williams, he would be drafted by the Knicks and for a time play for the KC Kings. The team had a freshman forward named Kevin McHale who later played for the Celtics, he’s now in the Naismith and College Basketball Hall of Fame. The starting point guard on that team was the late Flip Saunders, Saunders had no NBA career as a player but was a longtime coach of the NBA Wolves. Here’s the interesting part, Mark Landsberger and Mark Olberding aware Minnesota was going on probation left school early, both players had extensive NBA careers. The team nobody remembers although it certainly contained a number of players who distinguished themselves later in the NBA.

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

He still has a fight going on (in his mind)

Nuggets coach Mike Malone is one person I show no favor, I don’t like or dislike him. Despite his rating by me there is an issue he’s raised I’d like to address. It’s clear to all he’s got a problem with LeBron James and the Lakers and this is the part I fail to understand. Anytime you are on the winning side as Malone has been in the recent past why is it necessary to continually stoke the fact you beat the Lakers. On the other hand is there something else going on we fail to realize. Understand this, his Nuggets swept the Lakers in last season’s playoffs, a few weeks ago in the playoffs they met again this time the Lakers were able to win one game.   

With that record he’s clearly proved for his team is better yet there is a question why the Lakers remain in the hippocampus temporal lobe of Malone’s brain. If you remember in the Nuggets series against the Wolves Michael Porter Jr. had a terrible series against them. MPJ must have mentioned his poor play on social media, at that point Malone’s got his back. The coach claimed if MPJ hadn’t played so well against the Lakers the Nuggets would have not been…blaa…blaa…blaa…blaa…blaa. Malone’s propping up his player (which is okay) but using the Lakers as the example is a stretch for me. Defend your player Mike without allowing LeBron and the example…we all know what occurred in that series. On the other hand it could be the enemy occupies plenty of space in your mind.

It's over

You might remember I argued Victor Wembanyama should be named NBA Defensive Player of the Year despite the fact this past season was his rookie year. I only did this after checking the numbers he registered during his apprentice season in the NBA. I have no vote only an opinion which I shared with you. Rudy Gobert’s Wolves team registered a better record over Wemby’s Spurs. If we checked the regular season numbers between the two they were pretty darn close. It’s been pointed out Wemby led the NBA in blocked shots the second rookie behind Manute Bol in 1985-86. The NBA did not track blocked shots with the arrival of Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain. One or both could have accomplished the feat in their rookie NBA season.

In any event back to the subject, seeing Gobert and Wemby in action who do you believe to be the better defender? On May 7 Gobert was named NBA Defensive Player of the Year for 2024, this would become his 4th time winning the award. I said, okay and accepted the fact Gobert was the winner. I found someone on my side, former NBA Defensive Player of the Year and Naismith Hall honoree Kevin Garnett. Garnett nicknamed ‘The Big Ticket’ agrees with my take, he lists a number of reasons why the award should have gone to Wemby. Wemby led the league with 3.6 blocks a game, Garnett said, “And we ain’t seen that kind of effect on defensive end since, who? David Robinson, Dikembe (Mutombo). Man who guards-Dream (Hakeem Olajuwon)? Who guards the rim like that bro?” Of course he is referencing Wemby, his comments alone don’t make it so however its clear Garnett believes DPOY should not have been awarded to Gobert.

It’s difficult to examine the play of an individual such as Gobert in a playoff series such as this. Despite this fact I’ve got to believe the NBA should immediately begin an investigation, the league needs to determine how Gobert was awarded the DPOY, it’s now become a mystery to me. Does Gobert have one blocked shot in this series, that I’m unsure of. A quick research project and this is presented for your reading, I cannot account for the accuracy having received this from another site. It’s claimed the Mavs shot 55% in the paint when Gobert was on the floor in Game 3.

Z Man

I located information on Zach Edey I wish to share, it was mentioned after his junior year at Purdue he was unlikely to be drafted. His play during the season and Purdue’s NCAA play improved his stock, he went from never being drafted to likely. His work out and play during the NBA Draft Combine saw his stock rise even more, just a few stats to provide you. Purdue listed Edey at 7 foot 4, measured at the combine in shoes he stands 7 foot 5 and weighs 299 pounds.

Three mock draft sites, one places Edey as the number 13 choice the other at 30 in the first round, the last one has him 35 in the second round. It’s always been my contention and I will repeat it again, mock draft sites are projections. Information is being accumulated by scouts, front office and media members, it is not intended to be 100% accurate. Despite the disclaimer this I find most interesting, Edey has progressed tremendously between his junior season at Purdue and now. I believe he will be drafted however it’s likely to be a surprise team…one we don’t expect.

I’ve grown tired of implied threats

This is a football/baseball account but could easily be basketball because of history. Kansas City undertook building Sprint Center (now T-Mobile) without an NBA or NHL franchise in place, it was hoped at least one would be forthcoming. That didn’t pan out in the manner hoped and today the arena sees more college basketball than of the NBA variety. The purpose of this exercise is to report a blackmail attempt, owners of the Royals and Chiefs twisting the arms of Jackson County citizens to build a downtown baseball stadium and a refurbished design for Arrowhead. Needless to say this “flawed” proposal was placed on the ballot, it was overwhelmingly rejected by those who voted in the election…the vote wasn’t remotely close to being passed.   

After the defeat of the people what do the Royals and Chiefs do, they appear resolved to the fact “They must move somewhere other than Jackson County.” Reports indicate a location in adjacent Kansas City Kansas, Nashville, San Antonio and St. Louis have been mentioned as possible new homes for the Royals and Chiefs. This is the portion I fail to understand, rather than all parties coming together and working on a revised plan they have allowed these reported moves to be mentioned often in the media. We have one idiot local talk radio sports guy who continues to fan the flames with his “sky is falling” approach to the issue. To my knowledge he’s yet to mention the county and sports ownership work on a revised package. There you have it, most sports fans want the Chiefs and Royals to remain here but not at the expense of voting for a flawed tax incentive. Other portions of the country have been more developmental in their attempt to build a new arena or stadium over here in Kansas City.

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

109-108 Dallas

Despite having home court advantage the Wolves now find themselves down 0-2. Once again the Wolves managed to “snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.” The final score appears close but it was more to the game than the score, the Wolves after clearly demonstrating they were the better team over the Nuggets have laid an egg. They managed once again to lose a game they could have won, not easily but a win. Luka Doncic of the walking wounded, there were apparently aches and pains all over his body.

At a point, the television camera caught him walking like a 70-year-old man during a time out. Despite the achiness of his body Luka would take a clutch 3-point shot which turned out to be the game winner. What I find most interesting with seconds remaining in the game this was the strategy. The Wolves decided in favor of having the 7-foot Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert guard Luka. Luka took a few jab steps and then took the shot from the top of the key. The shot didn’t hit the rim and roll in, it didn’t bounce around and then drop. As they might say the shot was nothing but net. “He’s long (Gobert). He can’t move. I can’t move fast, but I can move faster than him.”

The Wolves Naz Reid emerged from the bench and played a brilliant game, despite this fact his desperation 3-point shot missed as time expired. As for Luka of the walking wounded it was 32 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds as he “willed his Mavs team to the win.” This series is clearly not over but I am stunned, headed into the series I expressed my belief the Wolves were the better team. This was based on their performance against the Nuggets. At this point I am not so sure they are the better team.

I told you I was a bit confused

The landmark agreement reached late last week between the NCAA and the Power 5 Conferences. Rather than student/athletes the role will become that of an employee and employer. The portion most confusing to me the agreement was reached with the Power 5 Conferences. This is The Big Ten, SEC, Pac-12, Big 12 and ACC, the additional question does the Pac-12 actually exist? In any event the continued confusion for me, an athlete attending Ohio University or Montana State fails to qualify?

Those schools named and dozens of others are Division I programs however they don’t compete in Power 5 Conference programs. I will await “additional dust to settle” before I can comprehend how this works beyond the Big Boys and how Division II sports are impacted. I believe this next portion to be correct, Division III programs offer no scholarships so the guess is they may not be included in this agreement. The question is also asked regarding NAIA programs which do offer scholarships. Some of you will miss this next portion Google it, as Vinny Barbarino once said, “I’m so confused.”   

What

I’m sure there are folks who claim I’m a little weird, they haven’t made the statement directly to me but I’m sure it’s occurred. Allow me to touch on an issue I heard a local radio sports talk host admit recently. The discussion centered on Inside the NBA on TNT going away after the new television contract was in place. This proved quite interesting in more ways than one, rarely do I hear the NBA being discussed locally. That’s okay we don’t have an NBA team so it’s understandable. What the co-host next stated almost caused me to lose the grip on my steering wheel and drive upon the sidewalk. “I don’t watch the NBA but almost always watch Inside the NBA,” he went on to discuss the entertainment value of Barkley and crew.

All this time the wheels are turning for me, “He doesn’t watch the NBA yet admits he tunes into Inside the NBA, what is that all about? The program is a critique of the recently played game and the crew make it interesting BUT! How can he be entertained regarding something he didn’t see? The basis for Inside the NBA is due to its emphasis on basketball and the game just completed. I’ve seen it because my wife has turned to it while I was in the room. Entertainer Andy Cohen interviewing Real Housewives members, discussions are held regarding aspect of past programs including video. I’m listening to the debate and seeing video and am not quite sure what may have occurred. The same goes for Inside the NBA, how can you be entertained without being aware of all of the details of a subject?

The Lakers need a center

Anthony Davis made it known, he’d prefer to avoid playing center. If pressed by the coach he would do it although he’d rather not, this leaves me at a point of confusion. In 2021 the Lakers acquired Andre Drummond, 6 foot 11 and 279 pounds, they didn’t need him to score the basketball they had guys for that. They need a center to grab a few rebounds and play defense especially on Jokic. This would occur later, AD made it known Drummond inhibited his movement around the paint. Could these issues have been worked out in training camp, possibly but we never got the chance as Drummond was a free agent and left later in the summer.

The Lakers need a Jokic Stopper, someone who can bang with the Nuggets center and that ain’t AD. AD contributes to the Lakers in other areas, so how is this issue addressed? Look inward first, determine if present roster members are capable. On the roster as this is written is 6-foot 10 250-pound Colin Castleton, 7-foot 220-pound Jaxson Hayes. The Lakers staff needs to determine if either is capable of battling Jokic full time. There are a number of potential centers in the 2024 NBA draft, naturally the Lakers will not be in a position to draft all of them however the following are just a few names. The downside to drafting any name below requires time, they must become accustomed to the rugged play in the NBA.

Oso Ighoudaro 6-11 235 Marquette

N’Faly Dante 6-11 265 Oregon

Adem Bona 6-10 245 UCLA

Yves Missi 7-0 235 Baylor

Ulrich Chomehe 6-11 225 Cameroon

Zach Edey 7-4 300 Purdue