Not a hater
I read a very interesting piece in the Columbia (MO) Tribune on Phil Pressey. It was a detailed conversation of his adjustment to the NBA during Summer League play. The Celtics announced they signed Pressey to a mult-year contract. After going un-drafted Summer League play led the Celtics to sign Pressey as a back-up to Rajon Rondo. With the Celtics in a rebuilding mold this might be an opportune time for Pressey. If it appeared I was critical of Pressey I hope it wasn’t construed as malicious.

I failed to understand what I consider a higher than normal amount of unforced turnovers. He also exhibit poor shot selection at times during a number of crucial games. I found it interesting reading Danny Ainge and Brad Stevens discussed “east-west” turnovers with Pressey, northbound are headed toward the basket. The unfortunate issue is Pressey’s failure to understand fully comprehend this while at Mizzou. We can only guess Ainge and Stevens were able to reach him something Frank Haith was unable to do at times.

Part B
This is the second portion of a Friday story, we discussed the name change the history but that’s about all. How about the team colors? I believe the teal color of the Hornets might be headed east to Charlotte too; my statement is not based on fact pure speculation. 

1. There’s been no announcement from Charlotte other than to acknowledge the pending name change.

2. The Bobcats have an established color scheme; despite the name change the franchise may chose to retain the color.

Take into consideration the criteria
Most football fans might not be familiar with Percy Snow, he was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame over the summer.  Most football fans might not be familiar with his name, his NFL teamate certainly is better known.  Briefly over the summer the Kansas City Star headline read; (I paraphrase) “Snow elected ahead of Derrick Thomas.” Due to an injury at the start of his career Snow had a less than spectacular career while playing for the Kansas City Chiefs; of course Thomas was elected to the NFL Hall of Fame after his death.  . My point, the same misapplied concern occurs in basketball too. Fans (and newspapers) tend to forget selection is based on the level of the competition; be it collegiate or pro. In 2011 Ralph Sampson was inducted in the Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame and emails complaining about the selection began. 99% of them questioning how Sampson could be elected “based” on his NBA career. The critics failed to take into consideration his collegiate record. Injuries indeed curtailed his NBA career; Sampson was selected based on his college record. During his tenure at Virginia Sampson was a 3X Naismith Award Winner, 2X Wooden Award and 1^st team All-American 1981, 1982 and 1983.

“I hope my feet don’t fit on that limb”
Now and then it probably serves me and you to repeat my mantra. I write from different perspectives, most of the time it’s plain reporting of basketball news. Other times it’s the basketball world as I see it. In neither instance do I think my view alone is correct and right for everyone. This is written due to my concern regarding many in today’s media. I often thought they “were just reporting the news.” Often their reporting (print or broadcast) is meant to stir up as much confusion and controversy as possible.

I see the “bad” in the world of basketball however I seen no need to write or discuss it 24 hours a day 7 days a week. My bias on some issues, players and teams often cause me to write time after time on the same story. I will not “Jason Whitlock” you on anything I write, for those unfamiliar with the term allow me to explain. The Fox Sports.com columnist has been known to embellish a column to persuade you to his point of view. I often will exchange stories with friends and associates to determine their perspective; my intent is just to provide information, if you agree okay, it not that’s okay too.

“It’s good to be the King”
For movie buffs and fans of Mel Brooks the line is from his 1981 movie “History of the World Part I.” I don’t remember the scene in detail; memory says Brooks in the role of the king performed a role an ordinary citizen couldn’t. The Bobcats have been pathetic on the basketball court. Former owner Bob Johnson and current owner Michael Jordan have come in for their share of criticism over the years. The team has floundered under owners, bad draft choices, bad trades and bad coaching hires. MJ promoted his older brother Larry to director of player personnel, he will report to the president of basketball operations Rod Higgins and general manager Rich Cho. Naturally the promotion produced an avalanche of emails complaining on the promotion. MJ’s response; “it’s good to be the king.” MJ is not the only owner to employ relatives, the criticism is directed toward MJ because the team has not attained any sustain success.

The Bzzzzzzz is back, well not yet but soon
I rack my brain to figure out if this has occurred previously in sports history. A team (Charlotte) locates to another city (New Orleans) years later chooses a new name (Pelicans) their former name (Hornets) is then adopted by the replacement team (Bobcats). This series of events has now concluded, the NBA Board of Governors approved a name change which takes affect in 2014-15.  The Bobcats name will disappear from the NBA being replaced by the Hornets a name Charlotte appears to love.  The Hornets originally came into existence as an expansion franchise for the City of Charlotte, later the franchise moved to New Orleans but maintained the Hornets name. Enter new owner Tom Benson, this owner wanted a name more reflective of New Orleans and the State of Louisiana. The Hornets will be re-born as the Pelicans for the 2013-14 season. For reasons too numerous to detail Charlotte fans always believed the Hornets name belonged to them, it was just loaned to New Orleans.

The new arena
Warriors’ management released a revised design of the arena to be built on Piers 30-32 in San Francisco. To update you the planned arena will seat 18,000 versus 19,596 in Oracle Arena; a practice facility will also be part of the complex. Why a new arena you ask, Oracle is now one of the oldest arenas in use having opened in 1966. Oracle was renovated in 1996-97 now 16 years ago. The arena architectural and design team is Snøhetta and AECOM, the latter company is a Kansas City sports design firm. Kansas City based architectural firms have designed over half of the NBA arenas in use currently.

Research
My intent is to provide as accurate information as possible, opinions or views is a totally different matter. You might not agree with a position I take and that’s okay, providing correct information is far more important to me. With that statement out of the way allow me to delve into this story. A few weeks back I indicated a SI.com writer stated Bosnia-Herzegovina had produced the most foreign born NBA players. With Canadian Anthony Bennett drafted number one in last months NBA draft I decided to conduct my own research. According to Wikipedia thought the 2012-13 NBA season our northern neighbor Canada has produced the most players. Canada leads the way with 24 players; the nation I thought might be the leader France has produced a total of 20 while Serbia is number three with 18. Australia and Spain with 13 are tied for fourth while Nigeria and Croatia finish fifth with 12.

I’m glad
The Knicks have signed Metta World Peace to a 2-year contract, now his journey is complete. He arrived in Los Angeles as Ron Artest; he came to the Lakers with a highly volatile athlete. His reputation preceded him based on past incidents while a member of the Pacers and Kings. As a Laker all he spoke of on arrival was “helping Kobe win another ring.” Artest later to change his name to Metta World Peace did just that, his crisp defense and timely offense aided the Lakers in 2010. Artest as he was then known scored 20 points and sunk a clutch 3-pointer against the Celtics, the shot and his defense enable the Lakers to win their 16th NBA Championship.  It distressed me to read the Lakers intended to amnesty MWP in order to save money, sad to see him leave but agreed with management it was time to re-tool this team.   

Despite the desire for a championship ring MWP auctioned it off almost immediately. It was MWP’s desire the proceeds from the auction be donated to a local mental health facility. Viewing the Knicks game on NBA TV Walt Frazier was discussing the acquisition of MWP. He claims the then Ron Artest playing at St. Johns was visibly upset at the 1999 NBA Draft, he was passed over by his hometown Knicks.  They selected 7-2 Frederic Weiss with the 15th pick and were followed by the Bulls selecting Artest with the next pick.  Weiss never left his home country of France for the NBA and might be better known for the Vince Carter dunk.  The 6-6 Carter on a break rose up and over Weiss (it's available on YouTube) for the slam.  Get ready New York and Queensbridge----MWP is on his way home.   

A change at the point
He might not be as slick a passer as Phil Pressey but he’s got at least two advantages. I’m referring to Tulsa transfer Jordan Clarkson; he’s gone on record indicating he wants the job. It’s the middle of summer, who becomes Mizzou’s point guard is yet to be decided. The advantages height, Clarkson is 6-5 while the diminutive Pressey stood 5-11 maybe. For every sharp pass Pressey dished out his shooting frustrated most of the Mizzou faithful. Clarkson’s last season at Tulsa saw him shoot 44% from the floor and 16.5 ppg.

As for Pressey he scored at an 11.9 ppg clip which isn’t bad but shoots an anemic 38% from the floor. I know this might appear I’m trashing Pressey that is not my intent; he was certainly talented enough to lead Mizzou to a number of victories. The problem, unforced turnovers and poor shooting exuberated itself last season. In fairness to him maybe he felt pressure being the only point guard on the roster after Michael Dixon Jr. was dismissed. Pressey’s signed a free agent contract with the Celtics and with the Celtic housecleaning this might be an opportune time for Pressey to gain a roster spot.

The intent was to reduce speed
My intent was to reduce the number of publications during basketball’s “off-season.”
I’ve discovered there is still basketball being played and stories to report. It appears the flow of activity will slow during the month of August; at that point publication may be reduced to once or twice a week.

How about this story
Creighton All-America Doug McDermott will be a “walk-on” when school begins in August. It’s not as bad as it might first appear, Grant Gibbs an injured teammate was granted a 6^th year of eligibility. Gibbs return was a good thing however there was no scholarship available for him. McDermott relinquished his scholarship in order for Gibbs to play this upcoming season. According to The Sporting News McDermott’s tuition will total $34,000 for the year. I’m sure McDermott will have plenty of disposal income to re-pay his dad once he begins receiving NBA checks.

He never received the praise due him
During a discussion of the all-time top NBA player the range of responses you receive will vary. For those age 30 and younger most likely will name LeBron James others might choose Kobe Bryant. The next generation might state its Michael Jordan, Larry Bird or Hakeem Olajuwon. Those in their senior years will name Dr. J., Oscar Robertson or Bill Russell. Few cite Wilt Chamberlain in the conversation; we can point the finger of blame at Russell. His Celtics won 10 NBA Championships during Chamberlain’s career while Chamberlain won only one. Chamberlain said; “Russell played on better teams than I did.” When asked the question who the best player he ever faced Russell has always been quick to name Chamberlain.

Every time this topic is discussed a number of you want to point out the NBA had less teams in the Chamberlain-Russell era. The statement is certainly fact, there were probably 8-16 teams then by comparison to the 30 today. I offer this gem, it’s my belief there are a significant number of players in today’s game who might not have played in the ‘50’s and ‘60’s. It’s not a talent issue almost everyone realizes today’s athletes are better conditioned. A smaller NBA meant numbers of outstanding players were on some of the worst teams. League expansion has allowed a larger number of athletes an NBA career. Rather than take my word consider video of a 1957 Chamberlain which surfaced on YouTube this week. The 20 minute video details Chamberlains final five games that season. Check it out and see first-hand the dominance of Wilton Felton Chamberlain.

A package deal?
The number one and two prospects in the Class of 2014 may become teammates in college. Jahlil Okafor and Cliff Alexander are both from Chicago; Okafor plays at Whitney Young High School and Alexander at Curie High School. Unconfirmed reports indicate the two will possibly become a duo at a major university. Alexander will change positions once in college, he’s a 6-8 225 pound center and Okafor is 6-10 and 265 pounds. At this early date we have no clue of their school of choice or if they confirm this report.

They might do the same thing
Road mileage between Philadelphia Pennsylvania and Brooklyn (NY) is at most 101 miles. The mileage is city limit to city limit distance. Despite the distance Class of 2014 prospects in each city have indicated they too might become a package deal. Isaiah Washington is a Rivals 5-star prospect from Brooklyn; he’s a 6-4 170 pound shooting guard. His prospective “partner” is 6-3 180 pound point guard Ja’Quan Newton a Rivals 4-star prospect.

Bits n Pieces
Tony Kornheiser co-host of Pardon the Interruption in a discussion with co-host Mike Wilbon made this comment on Steph Curry of the Warriors. “We have moved into an era of scoring point guards, Curry belongs with Chris Paul, Tony Parker, Rajon Rondo and others.” I would add the names Deron Williams and Russell Westbrook to his “others.” We can concur the day of point guards with limited scoring ability are over and has been for awhile.

As I stated earlier I thought Andrew Wiggins would choose Florida State, it now becomes somewhat clearer to me why he chose Kansas. Kansas had the second best recruiting class in the nation (per ESPNU) however they lose five starters. The incoming freshman plus returnees should allow the university to be competitive in the Big XII once again.

Wiggins would become the “man” at Kansas, no requirement for him to compete for shots or PT he would if he’d chosen Kentucky. North Carolina certainly has the credentials, for reasons I was unable to determine the Tar Heels appeared to be on the outside. As for Florida State (his parents’ alma mater) the roster might be too limited for Wiggins to display his talent, just speculation I have no basis for my theories.

I tire of listening to the constant Kobe bashing provided by Stephen A. Smith, Jason Whitlock, Colin Cowherd and others in the media. All three continue to sing in the same key. “It’s Kobe’s fault Howard didn’t stay, its Kobe’s fault for not taking a pay cut in order to sign additional players. It’s Kobe’s fault the team was allowed to age, in addition he’s also responsible for the air pollution problems of Southern California.” I have a question for the above trio and several others---why are you not involved in basketball operations for an NBA team? It’s easy for you to look over another’s shoulder and determine how they should operate. I’m sure you have bosses at ESPN and Fox Sports; I wonder do they stand over you critiquing every move you make.

The sky is not falling despite dire predictions by several respondents to this news release. Bill Rafftery longtime college basketball analyst is leaving ESPN for Fox Sports 1. Among the events planned by the new Fox Sports Channel will be telecasting Big East basketball. Color Analyst Rafftery “cut his broadcasting teeth” covering basketball. An email respondent indicted this is “the beginning of the end for ESPN losing its broadcasting crew.” I hope this gentleman is not holding his breath on the demise of the network.

Interesting development, former Laker and 76er Andrew Bynum apparently will sign with the Cavs after playing 0 games for the 76ers. Anybody remember his problems with Mike Brown when both were in Los Angeles? Bynum took 3-point shots at inopportune times and apparently paid little attention to the coach during a number of timeouts. We must presume Bynum’s season long injury plus $$$$ have allowed him to become Brown’s BFF!

I had a Twilight Zone or Bizzaro World moment. ESPN’s NBA page on July 12 contained a joke, it read; “Simmons: 10 Steps to Fix Lakers.” Noted Celtic Fan, Clipper season ticket holder Bill Simmons wrote of his suggestions for the Lakers to become competitive again. You think I’d bother reading anything Simmons writes on the Lakers? Truth is I don’t read anything of Simmons other than this headline.

I plead guilty, I speed read headlines sometimes. Often you are forced to re-read it because you misunderstood it. This is what I read; “Cauley-Stein and boot.” My first thought when did the former metro area player and Kentucky center sustain an injury? I reasoned (incorrectly) Cauley-Stein was in a walking boot. The actual story involved a parking boot rather than a walking boot. Cauley-Steins’s automobile had been “booted” for illegal parking on the Kentucky campus.

The Bibby’s
We could easily see the family Bibby is a basketball family. Grandfather Henry played at UCLA where he was a key contributor to three NCAA Championships. Henry had a 9-year NBA career
and currently serves as an assistant coach with the Grizzlies. Son Mike won an NCAA Championship at Arizona and had an NBA career most of it spent with the Sacramento Kings. Mike’s son is beginning to develop his game; Junior is a 5-11 point guard who will be entering his sophomore year. Interesting, grandfather, father now the grandson all basketball players. I did not, repeat did not state Junior had a future NBA career; it would be interesting if it did occur.

Howard’s side of the story
I found it fascinating listening to Stephen A. Smith pontificate on the Howard to Houston move. Smith on ESPN’s First Take claims he was relating the conversation he held with Dwight Howard; the following is a brief portion of that conversation and condensed. “At the time Mike Brown was fired he (Howard) went to Laker management and asked them to hire Phil Jackson.” Several in the media have claimed Howard had an issue with D’Antoni’s offense. Howard’s problem with the offense may be true however that’s Part A. of the Howard puzzle.

Part B. is from former Laker center Shaquille O’ Neal, his comment came during a radio interview. Briefly the quote was; “he (Shaq) was no fan of Phil Jackson’s triangle offense but he tweaked it and so did Kobe.” Many Laker fans might remember the “young” Kobe clashed with the coach over the offense and Kobe in the early days often deviated from the offense. I’m sure many reading this will claim its sour grapes on my part that is not the intent. Smith and others are claiming the Lakers made a mistake in allowing Howard to leave; I refuse to buy into that view.

Bits n Pieces
Two date only two NBA players have emerged from the Caribbean nation of Haiti. There just might be a third at some point in the future. Be sure to remember the name Skal Labissiere. Labissiere is a 6-10 200 pound center in the Class of 2015 prospect; he’s awarded 5-stars from ESPN Recruiting Nation and 5-stars from Rivals. He attends Evangelical Christian School in Memphis.

Which African nation has produced the most NBA talent? If you guessed the West African nation of Nigeria you are correct, to date the number of athletes developed is 12 through the 2012-13 season? “Basketball without Borders” is a key contributor to develop talent on the African continent. Wikipedia

Negus Webster-Chan departed Mizzou for the University of Hawaii, despite his leaving the number of our northern neighbor Canada remains the same. 6-11 small forward Stefan Jankovic is entering his sophomore year. New to the program mentioned earlier is junior college 7 footer Keanau Post. Jankovic is from Mississauga, Ontario while Post calls Victoria, British Columbia home. Both are in the weight room for different reasons, Jankovic to become stronger in the post area without adding to his 242 pounds. Coach Haith’s desire is for Post to trim down from his 268 pounds.

Do you believe the NBA has changed and there is no longer a need for big men? Think again the demand for big men is still a requirement, someone once stated; “you can’t teach height! “ I offer proof, two often injured centers Greg Oden and 76er Andrew Bynum appear to have attracted a number of potential suitors. NOTE: Bynum will sign a 2-year contract with the Cavs.

The Associated Press reports the 2013 draft had the second highest audience since ESPN began broadcasting the event. I find it interesting to point out once again the experts stated this was a “weak” draft; evidently there was still a high degree of interest by NBA fans and others.    

“Dwightmare” is finally over at last
My wife and I along with a number of my neighbors family were guests at a 4^th of July outing. My neighbors’ son-in-law (a Heat fan) derives great pleasure in giving me the blues regarding the Lakers. The last statement as he was leaving his father-in-laws home; “don’t cry when (Dwight) Howard signs someplace else. “ I informed him “this team is the Lakers; there is no need to place banners begging anybody to stay!” I never read if the Lakers were the responsible party for the building banners however it certainly concerned me. If Howard is not pleased with Los Angeles or the Lakers maybe it is best he play somewhere else. Behind Howard on the depth chart was Pau Gasol and 2^nd year man Robert Sacre. The Lakers are over the salary cap, there is little wiggle room to allow for major roster additions. My view unlike a letter I read on the Laker fan website; this is not the time to trade Gasol. Gasol had an up and down season under D’Antoni’s system, even with his limitations I don’t believe he will repeat last season again. As this story was being completed the Lakers signed former Clippers/Mavs center Chris Kaman to a 1-year contract. Kaman won’t make anyone forget Howard but should be adequate at the center position, over his NBA career his numbers read 11.8 ppg and 8 rebounds a game.

Just to toss out a few numbers at you Howard led the Lakers (and the league) in rebounding at 12.4 per game. In addition he scored at a 17.1 ppg clip blocked enough shots to finish 5^th in the league. Howard accomplished all this while recovering from back surgery and a shoulder injury during the season. That’s the good news; the bad news was the seemly unending drama that revolved around Howard all season long. Former center Andrew Bynum was a good free throw shooter for a big man; I thought I’d never witness a Laker big man as horrible from the line as Shaq. Unfortunately I did, no way to get around it Howard was atrocious at the free throw line; he was so bad I often felt sorry for him at the line. Although the offense surely want run through Kaman he is 74% from the line years ahead of Howard. Of course Laker fans will miss Howard’s rebounding, scoring and blocked shots. As for the Howard drama I’m pleased it is over. My neighbors’ son-in-law thoughts are similar to a number of Laker haters; they can’t upset me although they seem to believe they can. I checked Wikipedia for Laker history, since 1960 (the year they arrived in Los Angeles) they have finished below .500 only 7 times. That’s quite an accomplishment for 53 years of basketball in The City of Angels.

He didn’t say that!
I’ve believed for a number of years there are a significant number of folks who dislike Kobe Bryant for a variety of reasons. It’s okay if you have issues with Bryant, once again there is not intent on my part to force you to like the guy. My concern is don’t become a “Jason Whitlock!” Fox Sports Whitlock invents stuff to justify his dislike of Bryant; his facts are often based on supposition and not fact. The following is a statement reported by ESPN, Fox Sports and other media sites, “let me teach you how to be a champion”? The statement or one quite similar had been attributed to Bryant. The statement was reported to have been made by Bryant as an inducement for Dwight Howard to re-sign with the Lakers. Dwight Howard when questioned about the statement indicated Bryant never said it.

Glass half full rather than half empty
The headline read Stevens’ exit hurts college” and we might ask why? Matt Norlander of CBS Sports.com wrote a column detailing the Celtics hiring the former Butler coach. He also attempted to point out this was bad for college basketball. Was the Brad Stevens hire a surprise, I think most of us can respond in the affirmative? As for the hire of this 36-year old coach Butler University might be hurt worse than college basketball. Every young college head or assistant is certainly not a contender for an NBA position. It details for us the “recycle coaching hire network” is not always at work. Veteran coaches such as George Karl, Lionel Hollins and others were omitted from the search. Just in case you wondered about success or lack therein. We can look to Rick Pitino, John Calipari and Lon Kruger. All were unsuccessful at the NBA level but returned to success at the collegiate level. Brad Stevens should be able to do the same should he fail at the NBA level.

It’s the official move day
The “new” Big East Conference became officially “official,” that’s not grammatically correct I know. As for many of the conferences former members they became the new American Athletic Conference. Locally the University of Missouri-Kansas City moved from the Summit League to the Western Athletic Conference. July 2 was the date the new affiliations, new team movement became official. Other than UMKC and perhaps a few others most of these moves are made and the basis for the move is financial in nature. That was the primary basis for Mizzou moving from the Big XII to the SEC. As consolidation continues we might see the day where four or five “super-conferences” might emerge along with a lesser number of smaller conferences.

It’s not too early
Maybe Goodluck Okonoboh becomes that athlete; the 2014 McDonalds All American team will not be announced until next spring. It’s possible 6-9 215 pound power forward. Okonoboh is might be on the McDonalds team. Currently he’s listed as a 5-star ESPNU Class of 2014 prospect, Rivals awards him 4-stars. To jog your memory I mentioned one of the local sports radio host stated; “(Frank) Haith needs to sign that first McDonalds All American.” He was pointing out the coach and staff has done a good job of recruiting but signing the first McDonalds player would certainly be noteworthy.

Okonoboh is from Boston (MA) however if you are wondering about his last name his parents emigrated to the U.S. from Nigeria. As for the name Goodluck that requires a further explanation. Goodluck’s father drove a taxi upon his arrival here; the father was shot in a robbery attempt. The shooting was serious enough his father was placed on life-support. His father recovered within a period of time and Goodluck’s mom was pregnant with him. His father said; “my son has brought good luck to me.” Goodluck attends Wilbraham & Monson Academy a prep school in Wilbraham, a suburb of Springfield (MA). Hopefully he might be headed to Columbia.

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!

Bits n Pieces
Jason Kidd becoming a head coach is not a real surprise after all he operated as a point guard during his NBA career. I’m sure we could imagine him as a head coach prior to his Nets hire. There are other former players it’s hard to imagine them in the same position. My observation has nothing to do with intellect it’s more the ability to communicate in an effective manner. Many of us were witness to what a terrible coach Magic Johnson made. I could add the names of Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan to my short list. Why not draft your list.

One surprise and one I figured, any idea what Euro nation has produced the most NBA players? I’ll save you research in fact I didn’t do any research either but SI.com did. They claim a tie exists between France and Bosnia Herzegovina. For me France was not surprising Bosnia Herzegovina was. If I had taken a guess I would have figured Germany or Russia. The column went on to point out the most populace nation of the world India is yet to produce an NBA player.

I discovered listening to Dan Patrick’s morning show Doc Rivers is no fan of Bill Simmons either. If you hadn’t heard the story Simmons stated “Rivers had quit on the Celtics.” This is a paraphrase of Doc’s response; he said “we can debate Simmons value to the (NBA) broadcast. You know I don’t respond to these statements.” Later I saw video from draft night where Rivers informed ESPN’s Doris Burke; “I’d like to call him (Simmons) an idiot.” Please don’t tell anyone, this might be considered heresy. Larry Laker admires Doc despite his Celtic and now Clipper connection.

Free agent signings and trades in the NBA are not official until July 10. How come we are bombarded with signings and trades that haven’t “officially” occurred? One of those questions for you to ponder. Every time a story is reported on Dwight Howard I either change the channel or mute the sound. Of course I’m not reading anything either.

Don’t wish to shock you but this Mizzou fan is hoping Kansas fans are patient. There is no doubting the talent of Andrew Wiggins but success on the court is the concern. Kansas has no returning starters and Wiggins is expected to lead them to another successful season.

NBA Summer League begins next week; Orlando is the site from July 7-12. The games then move to Las Vegas from July 12 through the 22. A number of recent draftees and 2^nd year players will be on display. If this is your first opportunity to view summer play don’t set your expectations too high. The teams are not always cohesive having come together so recently. Occasionally you will see a “diamond in the rough.” Last summer was my first opportunity to witness the play of Damian Lillard 2013 NBA Rookie of the Year.

The Celtics continue to surprise, take that back shock. Doc Rivers is being replaced by 36-year old Brad Stevens former Butler coach. Stevens certainly has an outstanding collegiate record but can he translate that success to the NBA? Only time will provide that answer.

He is officially history
The promise of an All-Pro career was never fulfilled, that was the promise of second pick Darko Milicic. He was the second player chosen in the 2003 NBA Draft, chosen ahead of him was LeBron James, behind him Carmelo Anthony. The next few players chosen were Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade. Of the first five players chosen in the draft four have distinguished themselves the exception of course is Milicic. 7 feet tall and 275 pounds it appeared Milicic had the tools that would lead to All-Pro career. After failing to crack the Pistons lineup he drifted to the Magic, the Grizzlies, Knicks and Wolves. Eventually Milicic landed in Boston where it was hoped he could resurrect what was left of an undistinguished career. He spent but one month with the Celtics and requested his release in November 2012. That was the last of Milicic’s NBA career; recently he made it official he is through with the NBA.

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He played under the nickname “Tiny”
I’m unsure who bestowed the moniker of “Tiny” on him; he was taller and heavier than later NBA players Spud Webb (5-7) or Muggsy Bogues (5-3). Wikipedia claims he was 6-1 and weighed in at 150 pounds. The weight might be correct but I have my doubts if he was really 6-1, my guess 5-10 or 5-11. Nate Archibald holds a distinction unique to his name and one perhaps no other NBA player will ever duplicate not even LeBron James. A number of players have led the NBA in scoring or assists; none has managed to accomplish the feat in the same season. The 1972-73 season would prove to be monumental for Archibald.  Playing for the Kansas City-Omaha Kings he led the NBA in scoring at a 34 point per game clip, he also dished out 11.4 assists per game.  

The only problem the Kings had few offensive weapons besides him that year; the team finished 10 games under .500 with a 36-46 record. This Hall of Fame player had a 14-year NBA career compiling an 18.8 per game scoring average along with 7.4 assists. He tasted further success as a member of the NBA Champion Celtics in 1981. Archibald fell short of graduating while at Texas-El Paso so he completed an undergraduate degree prior to his NBA retirement. He later attended Fordham University graduating with a Masters Degree. *“He began long-distance correspondence work toward a doctorate from California Coast University in 2000 but ceased his studies because of "his lack of funds and the motivation to complete a long-distance correspondence curriculum." He has stated his hope to complete the degree in the future at Fordham.” *Wikipedia

I have no clue
There are countless questions facing the Lakers in the 2013-14 season, fans are unsure what to expect from our favorite NBA team. They have questions on and off the court and that don’t include the coach. Just a few of the questions, the Kobe injury, 40-year old point guard Steve Nash and the possible departure of Dwight Howard. Can Pau Gasol recover from his disconnected season? In addition a number of Laker fans still resent the D‘Antoni hire as head coach. The end of the Lakers playoff run and the 2013 draft waited. Would it be a point guard, small or power forward or maybe a center chosen? The pick turned out to be power forward Ryan Kelly of Duke, Kelly could aid the Lakers in one area at least, becoming a younger team. He has the size (6-11 and 230 pounds), he won’t become a starter however it’s my belief he’ll gain a spot on the roster.

Can Kelly play, Duke and the ACC is not the NBA so don’t misunderstand my statement. According to scouting reports the one area he lacks is rebounding skill. Kobe is Kobe, he will return in January or February somewhat tentative but will return and play at Kobe level. It’s my belief youngster Darius Morris will allow Nash to play fewer minutes at the point. Despite the doom and gloom of the experts it’s my belief the Lakers might be somewhat better if Howard leaves. As for Gasol he’ll recover and if he is not traded will adjust to the D’Antoni system. If reports are true the D’Antoni offense is not going to change over the next few weeks Howard might as well go somewhere he can be the alpha dog. D’Antoni has never won an NBA Championship but keep this in mind; he managed to win consistently in Phoenix without a topnotch center. If it appears to be positive and upbeat that is the point, the Lakers might not make the playoffs but they will compete. Of course this assessment will not be complete until the middle of the NBA season.

Just in case you thought it was just me
My desire was to point out someone besides me has issues with the Champion Heat. Charles Barkley is that someone, when questioned on the team this is his statement last week. *“He told Dan Patrick on Friday (June 21) that even though Miami has the best player, Indiana and San Antonio have better teams. “That team is very flawed," Barkley said. "They're old and slow. They've got to break that team up. "Unless they do something, LeBron is not going to stay there. He's smart enough to know if he has to play like he plays now, it's going to shorten LeBron's career. You think Karl Malone and I would be licking our chops playing the little Miami Heat?” *Barry Jackson, Miami Herald

This is not official
I had to discuss the Celtic-Nets trade due to the pure shock of it. I think most of us were aware change was probably in the wind but certainly not this drastic for the Celtics. They were a playoff team this past season however I don’t think anyone considered them serious contenders for an NBA Championship. Ever played the game where you stacked dominos on end? You push over the first domino and all others lined up fall in succession, that’s the Celtics. The first domino to fall was Doc Rivers, was it the Rondo factor or the fact of a non-contending team or something else? Most of us thought Celtic Paul Pierce would retire in green, same for Kevin Garnett. The trio of Garnett, Pierce and Allen were key contributors to the Celtics 2008 NBA Championship.

Allen left last year for South Beach; Pierce and Allen along with Jason Terry are headed to Brooklyn. Because the trade is not official the names are subject to change. According to draft night reports the Celtics will receive Gerald Wallace, Kris Humphries, Marshon Brooks, Kris Joseph, Keith Bogans and first round picks in 2014, 2016 and 2018. Once again the trade cannot become official until July 10 however it’s a done deal. Last week I wrote of contenders for the Eastern Conference Championship in 2013-14. Listed were the Pacers, Bulls and I indicated the Nets were on the outside of contention. I tried to point out trades and free agent signings could improve a team’s position, the Nets are in the category of contenders with this trade.

Mizzou recruiting
Frank Haith and staff received their first 2014 commit last weekend. Chris Sandifer announced a verbal commitment while visiting the Columbia campus. Rivals.com rates Sandier a 4-star prospect while ESPN Recruiting Nation awards him 3-stars. Even more confusing is the position he plays and his size, he’s either a 6-6 190 pound small forward or a 6-4 180 pound shooting guard. Stats aside it proves one again Mizzou can attract athletes from everywhere. Sandifer is from Gardena (CA) near Los Angeles. As stated earlier Sandifer is yet to sign on the dotted line however he states his commitment is binding, no requirement for other schools continuing to recruit him. Rick Pitino lost a player from his NCAA Championship team. Zach Price is leaving Louisville headed to Columbia Missouri. *“Never found a regular spot in coach Rick Pitino's rotation as Louisville made its run toward the national title.” Price is a 6-10 250 pound center who would be entering his junior year. According to PowerMizzou.com Price will sit out the 2013-14 season and have two years of eligibility remaining. Mizzou has two remaining scholarships for the Class of 2014. *St Louis
Post-Dispatch

The ESPN website read, “Surprise, Surprise”
Their description of last night’s NBA Draft. Through the first five picks Nerlens Noel and Ben McLemore were seated watching the proceedings. All season long most mock draft sites had the pair listed either first or second. The fact their draft stock dropped is a little surprising however there might be an explanation. Noel possibility dropped due to recovery from injury. In addition his offensive game is limited, at 206 pounds is lacking weight at the center position.

As for McLemore reports were there were concerns about his lack of aggressiveness. Finally with the 6^th pick the Pelicans of New Orleans choose Noel. McLemore was chosen immediately after with the 7^th pick headed to Sacramento. There is no doubt in my mind there was no mock draft anywhere with the order chosen. Perhaps the biggest surprise of the evening (although not official) was the Celtics trading Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce to the Nets for Gerald Wallace and others plus draft picks. After 4.5 hours of Bill Simmons would somebody please explain to me his role on NBA telecast?

Did you hear this?
ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas says; “there is 0 probability Victor Oladipo will fail in the NBA.” The only disclaimer he added; “I’m not saying he’s going to be All-Pro or he’s the next Dwayne Wade. Whatever team drafts him he will make better.”  You might remember I pointed out I had tuned into an Indiana game last season hoping to view a Cody Zeller show. This 6-4 213 pound shooting guard led Indiana to a victory over Michigan State.

Will he make an NBA roster?
Is Gal Mekel too old for the NBA at age 25? That might be the first question regarding this player; he played two years at Wichita State leaving in 2008. Since then Mekel’s played for a number of pro teams most of them in Israel. He was selected Israeli basketball Super League MVP in 2011 and 2013. He’s worked out for the Bucks last week and will work out for the Mavs this week. He wasn’t drafted last night but could wind up on an NBA Summer League roster. Mekel certainly has good size at 6-4 at and 190.

I fell into the trap
Prior to the recent NBA Championship series Jen Floyd Engel of Fox Sports.com wrote a column that trapped me. It caused me to ask the question why she wrote it. The title of her column was; “I’ll take Pop over Phil any day.” Her intent (other than to stir controversy) was to provide us proof why Popovich was a better coach than Phil Jackson. Jen is certainly entitled to her opinion however once again why is this comparison even necessary? Jackson’s teams (Bulls and Lakers) have won 11 NBA Championships. The Spurs under Popovich have won 4 NBA Championships. Critics of Jackson claim he inherited a team (MJ, Pippen, Shaq and Kobe) which is true however there is another element. A team whatever the sport must have a quality leader--despite Jen that statement fits Phil Jackson.

What do you think?
The ESPN.com NBA page is always my first read, I’m unsure if other NBA websites are making the same statement. ESPN questions whether the Lakers should amnesty Kobe Bryant. I admit I am unfamiliar with all the components of the amnesty clause so I consulted Wikipedia. *“Each team is allowed to waive a player without having their salary count toward the salary cap or luxury tax. One player can be waived prior to the start of any season from 2011–12 through 2015–16. It can be exercised during the seven days that follow the July moratorium.

Each team is restricted to one "amnestied" player during that time. Only players signed prior to 2011–12 are eligible. Teams can claim an amnestied player at a reduced rate, with the waiving team responsible for paying the balance of the contract. The team with the highest bid acquires the player. If unclaimed, the player becomes a free agent. Teams over the salary cap can only acquire an amnestied player if he becomes a free agent, and the offer would be limited to the veteran's minimum contract."  We are not in the position of general manager Mitch Kupchak or owner Jim Buss; we are not in a position to make the call. Neither am I so after reading this I will allow you to come to your own conclusion. (*Wikipedia)

He will refuse to write this story
The NBA has no monopoly on feel-good stories; the league certainly endures negative news reports. If you read Jason Whitlock of Fox Sports you might be led to believe only NBA players make the police blotter. This week Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez was arrested and charged with murder. At this point I am not going to assume guilt or innocence but I do intend to report this fact. According to an NBC News report Hernandez is just the latest of 27 NFL players this off-season charged with criminal activity. Rather than write about the NBA's problem it might serve a purpose if Whitlock checked his own site occasionally. The Fox Sports.com website of June 27 contains 22 photo pages of NFL players charged with criminal activity. Don’t misunderstand it’s not my intent to indict professional football. My problem in this instance is the writer who loves to focus on negative NBA news and virtually ignoring the NFL.  Next time you read him and its negative toward the NBA remember this.

We have no idea if he can coach
Long-time assistant coach and former player Brian Shaw has been hired. He will succeed George Karl as head coach of the Nuggets. It seems Shaw interviewed for just about every open NBA coaching position over the last two years. For reasons unknown none of the franchises would hire him, no explanation was ever given. Shaw will inherit a competitive and very talented team; the Nuggets were a Top Five Western Conference team. Will Shaw’s Nuggets team implement the Triangle Offense he was a part of as a player and coach.

It might be all about the money
I made it clear earlier I was okay with the direction the Lakers chose, they could re-sign Dwight Howard or simply allow him to walk. I was aware the Lakers were in a position to offer Howard added assets over other NBA teams, I didn’t realize the depth of a Laker max contract. At the conclusion of the Laker playoffs series stories began circulating the Mavs and Rockets wanted to sign him. Both teams had an advantage over the Lakers, no state tax in Texas. I’ve changed my mind after reading a column by Sekou Smith NBA.com. If you pay attention to numbers you might be aware of what I just discovered.

Smith claims the Lakers can pay Howard $30 million dollars more than any another team. Outside of the tax issue I’m sure Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston could offer Howard commercial opportunities outside of basketball. We cannot project the commercial dollars earnings, it’s an unknown amount. Its possible commercial endorsement opportunities in Los Angeles may be equal to or even exceed DFW and Houston. Howard could still sign with either of these teams or maybe another. If we check out the big picture it might be difficult for him to leave should the Lakers offer him a max contract, what do you think?

Win some, lose some
Hopefully folks won’t read more into this story than is there; Mizzou announced two freshman players had left the program. Guards Dominique Bull and Negus Webster-Chan left for an opportunity for more playing time. Of course starting point guard Phil Pressey has departed for the NBA. There is still a question as to whether he will be drafted this week, despite Pressey leaving Mizzou’s backcourt should still be in reasonably good shape. Not surprising news to those who follow the program, Pressey and Coach Haith seem to clash at times. The backcourt next season will change however I believe it will be 6-5 Jabari Brown at the two joined by 6-4 combo guard Jordan Clarkson. The Kansas City Star reporter who provides coverage of Mizzou foresees 6’0” freshman point guard Wesley Clark as the starter. Clark is a Rivals 4-star prospect Class of 2013. Unless Clark demonstrates his skill from day one I cannot imagine a freshman starting at the point. A late addition is Rivals 3-star prospect Shane Rector a point guard. The backcourt will also contain 6-5 shooting guard Earnest Ross.

A question mark on his play and late addition Deuce Bello has been added. Bello is a 6-4 shooting guard transferring from Baylor. Naturally this “new” backcourt will require adjustments (particularly at the point) but it certainly should be satisfactory. As for the frontcourt we’ll discover early if 6’11 260 pound Keanau Post can make the adjustment from junior college ball to Division I. Waiting in the wings is 6-9 240 pound Tony Criswell who spelled Alex Oriakhi at the center position last season. Stefan Jankovic at 6-11 230 pound returns for his sophomore year. He saw limited minutes as a freshman; he even displayed 3-point range. Two other returnees 6-9 and 6-10 saw limited playing time. There are two incoming freshman power forwards; one 6-8 and 6-9 which should provide additional frontcourt depth. It’s not just me tossing out superlatives; MaxPreps CBSSportsline.com subsidiary ranks this incoming crop of Mizzou athletes 18^th in the nation. ESPNU rates them 21^st in the nation which ain‘t to shabby. As you can see the recruiting is there, it’s up to Haith and the assembly to translate the skill to success on the court.

College is better
First of all I have no stats proving proof of my statement. It’s my belief it is far easier for a visiting NBA team (unless it’s the Bobcats) to win on the road over a collegiate team. There is one exception to my theory, it‘s Oklahoma City which retains a college atmosphere for the NBA Thunder. As for colleges visiting teams are intimidated playing in Rupp Arena, the Dean Dome or Allen Fieldhouse. In collegiate football fans are often referred as the “12^th man,” I could utilize the same phrase for basketball. In several of the vociferous arenas the fans become the “6^th” man on the court.

Bulletin
An account written earlier (below in Bits n Pieces) might be a portion of the basis for Doc Rivers leaving Boston. It’s been reported the Celtic coach is headed to Los Angeles and the Clippers. I was wrong, wrong and wrong; I thought tightwad owner Donald Sterling would never meet Rivers salary demands. In the past Sterling has been notorious for his failure to pay coaches.

Change is in the wind
The Heat are NBA Champs for a second season, they are to be congratulated for repeating. I had this thing all figured out, I said to several friends it would be a 7-game series. The only problem I picked the wrong team, I thought Duncan and crew had one more run left in them. Despite the playoff run the future might not be bright for the Spurs. The following is a projection for next season it’s only my best guess, trades or free agent signings could change the picture for each of the teams. Unless someone in San Antonio manages to inject “youth juice” into Manu Ginobili he’s through. He’s been an outstanding player for the Spurs franchise however it appears to be retirement time. “The Big Fundamental” Tim Duncan has one or two more seasons left. Tony Parker played at a high level should have several good years left. The balance of the Spurs team looks pretty average except Kawhi Leonard, Danny Green and Gary Neal. The question becomes can that trio become the new Big Three for the Spurs?

The Heat is NBA Champions however questions remain about them too. These questions have little to do with LeBron; he will play at his usual peak level. The supporting cast is my question. 0 points in a 7^th championship game for Chris Bosh ain’t gonna cut it. Based on his contributions he is overpaid, besides the fact he is not a center. As for Dwayne Wade has the grind of the NBA worn him down? Can he continue to play at a high level or only periodically? The Heat need a center as mentioned, they need somebody to rebound the ball and the bench needs improvement. I have no ability to peer into the future I can only reflect on the history. LeBron was quoted this championship was more difficult to win than last season, think its going to be any easier next season?

We never know playoff match ups until teams meet. The Heat faced the Bulls and Pacers which they were able to overcome; can they do it again next season? Next season the Bulls with a larger front line will have Derrick Rose in the lineup from day one. The Pacers who physically dominated the Heat with Roy Hibbert and Paul George will have a growth year behind them. It remains to be seen if 21 ppg (over the previous three seasons) Danny Granger is retained or traded. If the Pacers decide to keep George and Granger their bench becomes more potent. The young Pacer team should be even better next season. The Knicks, Nets or Hawks could be lying in the weeds waiting for an unsuspecting Heat team to take them too lightly. You state it will never occur, how about the 1994 NBA Playoffs. *“The biggest upset (in NBA history) came in the first round, when the Denver Nuggets came back from a 2-0 deficit to beat the Seattle Supersonics in game 5, marking the first time in NBA history that an 8th-seed had defeated a #1 seed.” *(Wikipedia)

Another NBA draft story
Drafted on potential and not actual play, it’s always easy when you are 7 feet tall. That is the case for Dwayne Dedmon of Southern Cal. His journey was profiled in Sports Illustrated, *“He was raised by a strict religious single parent mother.” It’s not the fact Dedmon did not make an effort he made his high school team every year but his mother forbade him to play. Finally at age 18 and a senior he played but rode the bench all year long. His high school point total 2 points.” After beginning as a freshman at Antelope Valley Junior College Dedmon is now a junior at Southern Cal, his numbers are only average however he’s grown to a height of 7 feet and weighs 239 pounds. A far cry from the skinny 6-10 190 pound high school body he once possessed. To top it off both draftexpress.com and NBADraft net have Dedmon on their list of draft potentials. Of course your name on a mock draft list guarantees nothing. A question might be when is the last time you’ve seen a 7 foot player with average numbers on the NBA’s radar? No response is necessary, thought so. (*SI.com)

Bits n Pieces
Read what you will into this, it’s reported Kobe Bryant claims the Lakers need to re-sign Dwight Howard. A number of stories circulated during the season regarding the two players, most of them indicating there was animosity between the two. So much for all the talk of them not seeing eye to eye, do we really ever know?

Here’s hoping Kansas guard Travis Reliford makes it to the NBA. This Kansas City (Mo) native has two qualities the NBA loves. He is big for a guard (6-6 210 pounds) and Reliford plays hard-nose defense. One of the barbers at the shop I get my haircut said; “I could see him being a Bruce Bowen type player.” He can shoot the ball he just sacrificed offense for the teams defensive profile. If he fails to latch on to an NBA team there is the possibility of a Euro career.

Remember the report of Celtics Rajon Rondo-Ray Allen feuding? That was the basis for Allen wanting out, now word of another clash. This time Doc Rivers and Rondo were about to go to blows after Rondo cursed at Rivers. No date and time but Rivers had to be held back from going after the point guard. This might be a reason Doc wanted out of Boston and we continue to hear Rondo trade stories.

Heat fans are coming from everywhere; it seems the nation has become obsessed with this team. I have a question, I wonder if many of these folks could be categorized as fans prior to three years ago? The franchise had won an NBA Championship in 2006 however it appeared they gained but a few fans. Are you familiar with the term “bandwagon”?

A departure
Words eye view is 99 and ¾ basketball in its various components; this is a departure from the norm. Wednesday evening media sites announced actor James Gandofini died of a heart attack while vacationing in Italy. For millions of fans he will be remembered forever as mob boss Tony Soprano on the HBO series “The Sopranos.” Tony Soprano was a ruthless driven boss of a crime family, Gandofini allowed us to witness the often conflicted side of Tony Soprano. For that reason alone we rooted for Tony although we knew he was an unscrupulous criminal. Many of us felt a loss with the concluding episode of the series. Once upon a time there was discussion of a Sopranos movie it certainly will not occur with the death of Gandolfini. James Gandofini is the only person who was and forever will remain Tony Soprano--gone far too soon at age 51.

Surprising if it becomes true
To be chosen the number one pick in any draft is certainly a mark of distinction. This certainly applies to the upcoming NBA Draft to be held June 27. The June 19 edition of NBADraft.net and DraftExpress.com contains different names. NBADraft.net placed Maryland’s Alex Len in the number one position while Nerlens Noel of Kentucky remains a solid number one on DraftExpress. Reports indicate the 7-1 255 pound Len’s prospects have risen after workouts for teams. In addition this Antratsit, Ukraine native possess offensive skills Noel lacks. At 225 pounds Len should be able to hold his own in the middle while bulking up. As for Noel he’s got work to do in the weight room varying between 208 to 215 pounds. Will the Cavs chose Len over Noel June 27, we can only guess at this time. In addition there is always the possibility of the Cavs trading the pick.

Totally stupid discussion
I turned on my television late this morning near the end of an amnesty discussion on Mike & Mike. The discussion I heard centered on NBA amnesty and I heard Kobe Bryant’s name mentioned. It’s my belief there are two words that don’t belong in the same sentence, amnesty and Kobe. We all realize he‘s injured and likely to not play until December. Kobe is the face of the Laker franchise it’s silly to me for his name to even be mentioned, below are basics of the clause I was able to locate:

*Amnesty Clause Basics
- Each team is permitted to waive 1 player and have 100% of the player’s salary removed for Cap and Tax purposes
- Once a player is waived under the Amnesty Clause, they are placed in a modified waiver process available only to teams under the Salary Cap.
- Teams with room under the cap can then submit a claim on players by bidding to pay a portion of the player’s previous salary
- Once part of a player’s salary is claimed by a new team, the old team will continue to pay the remaining amount (though it won’t count against the Cap or Tax).

If I understand the clause and I claim no legal knowledge it would set up this potential scenario. The Lakers amnesty Kobe and Team A under the salary cap claims him. If Kobe wants to play he signs with Team A which pays a portion of his salary while the Lakers play the remaining amount. Do you believe pigs can fly? The purpose of amnesty is to clear cap space; it’s utilized for inflated contracts. It is utilized for players who provide limited capability to their team. I could be wrong, it might be December or January but Kobe will return. Some of his skills will have eroded (some due to age) but the “fire” will still burn in him. *(http://www.faniq.com/blog/Explaining-the-NBAs-New-Amnesty-Clause-Blog-42532)

Bits n Pieces
Marvin Bagley III could be described as a project, he‘s a 6-7 (or 6-8) 175 pound talent from Arizona. To date he’s received a scholarship offer from Northern Arizona and is likely to receive one from Arizona State his grandfathers’ alma mater. Oh, I forgot to mention Bagley is 13-years old and in the 7^th grade, Class of 2018.

Did you hear this? ESPN’s Paul Biancardi claims Glen “Doc” Rivers picked up his nickname at Marquette, he arrived at camp wearing a Doctor J. t-shirt.

Another son following in his father‘s footsteps. Reggie Theus Jr. a 6-6 180 pound guard has signed with South Carolina. His dad played in the NBA from 1978 through 1991 including the Kansas City Kings. Reggie Theus Sr. has served as a broadcaster, in addition he’s had collegiate and NBA stops. He will assume the role of head coach at Cal State Northridge in the fall.

Mizzou made an offer to Malek Harris a 6-7 190 pound forward. Harris is from Orland Park (IL) a Chicago suburb and a Class of 2014 prospect. Both Rivals and ESPN rate him a 4-star prospect.

I wish I had learned to talk smack. For those who might be unfamiliar with the term this is one of the definitions according to the Urban Dictionary. “Disrespectful comments made toward or about someone” The comments are always directed at the teams I root it’s never personal. I listen patiently to the individual state their case, I state mine and it ends. No jockeying back and forth trading insults on the others team.

I doubt any occur
The rumors circulating on the internet are probably just that---rumors. I cannot begin to imagine many of them becoming actual fact. The Lakers trade Dwight Howard for Blake Griffin and Eric Bledsoe. The only issue the two teams have never traded with one another. As for the Doc Rivers and Kevin Garnett to the Clippers I doubt that one too but for different reasons. Griffin has limitations on his game however he’s only 24-years old. The Clippers have made a succession of bone-headed front office moves in years past. Would they be willing to trade a young Griffin for a 37-year old forward? As for Rivers that might be a different description of events. Rivers he might be exiting Boston on his own terms. (I was about to publish when ESPN reported it dead, I still question if it was valid). As for Dwight Howard and Chris Paul teaming up I doubt that one as well. The last one is a Laker sign and trade deal with the Rockets, the Lakers trade Howard and receive in return 7-foot center Omer Asik and point guard Jeremy Lin.

“Things that make you go hmmm!”
The above line was first uttered I believe by Arsenio Hall on his television program, later it was turned into a pop tune. In this instance the phrase is utilized in a story regarding the University of Missouri-Kansas City. The Kansas City Star reported the school is attempting to gain visibility in the metro area by providing sports apparel in stores. Prior to last week unless you were an athlete at UMKC there was not a single store you could purchase the schools merchandise. Even more interesting the store never provided UMKC apparel although Mizzou, Kansas and Kansas State was available. Interesting the schools mentioned are 150, 50 and 121 miles from the metro area. This certainly details for you the identification problem with the school. The university specifically the athletic department bares a portion of blame for this oversight.

The Kangaroo’s have never sniffed an NCAA berth since leaving the NAIA for Division I basketball. I researched these next facts, the university began Division I play in the ‘86-‘87 season. Since that period UMKC has only finished above .500 twice. They were 20-8 in ‘91-’92 and 18-11 in ‘01-’02. How bad has UMKC been you ask? An athletic director no longer on the scene fired the basketball coach the assumption was he was to hire his guy. The only problem his hire left after one season for an NBA assistant coach position. Providing a winning team on the basketball court is just as important as the merchandise. Of course the other portion is the school moving from the Summit League to the Western Athletic Conference. As detailed in the past the school’s basketball program has been lacking. (Wikipedia)

I know it’s not me
A number of former players and coaches serve as print or broadcast analysts for collegiate and NBA games. I’m unsure your intent mine is to gain information to become more informed. Often I’ve asked myself is the analyst entertaining us or is the desire to provide fact? Several with journalism credentials appear to become entertainers; they seem to revel in creating or promoting controversy. Who are these folks, no list of names needs to be provided. Just note those media types who become lighting rods for controversy or desire to hear their own voices spout rhetoric. Just to be clear former players and coaches fall under the microscope too. The difference is there appears to be little requirement for them to artificially inflate their egos.

Around these parts
Mizzou has a new rivalry with Arkansas, others claim it will only exist as Mike Anders coaches Arkansas.  I say the rivalry should be a natural; the two States (similar to Kansas) share a common border.  For those who might be geography challenged the the Missouri-Arkansas border runs in a parallel line until we reach the Bootheel portion of the State.  This portion was so-named due to it's resemblance to a boot.  This bit of history courtesy of Wikipedia.  *"According to an apocryphal story in various versions, the bootheel was added because of the request of some Missourian to remain in the state "as he had heard it was so sickly in Arkansas;" ""...full of bears and panthers and copperhead snakes, so it ain't safe for civilized people to stay there over night even." Another folktale has the adaptation made by a lovestruck surveyor to spare the feelings of a widow living 50 miles south of the Missouri border, but unaware of it. At one time, the area was known locally as "Lapland, because it's the place where Missouri laps over into Arkansas". If you boarded a flight in Columbia (MO) you could land in Fayetteville in under an hour. At the time Nolan Richardson was at Arkansas and Norm Stewart at Mizzou the schools played a home and home series. The series begun in 1986-87 lasted for 10 years.  (*www.sportsreference.com)

  

Who wins tomorrow night?
I have no idea who wins---do you? This NBA Championship has been most unusual in several aspects, 114-104 was the final score in game 5 Spurs win. This game had Danny Green versus Jesus Shuttlesworth. Green was 6-10 from the three-point line scoring 24 points and breaking the 3-point record established by Jesus Shuttlesworth. Remember hearing what I heard? Many in the media (and a few former players) claimed this Heat team might go down in history as one of the all-time great NBA teams.  The Heat are a good team, a third consecutive trip to the NBA Championship provides proof.  I doubt the comparisons to the MJ Bulls, Bird led Celtics, Showtime Lakers or Bad Boy Pistons. What do you think?  

The Doctor
Did you realize at age 63 Dr. J. can still dunk a basketball? I didn’t realize it until last week, I hope you had an opportunity to view “The Doctor. “ The documentary focused on the career of Julius “Doctor J. “ Erving. The program was only available on NBA TV; maybe it will eventually make its way to ESPN with its much larger audience. The story unfolds skillfully and well worth the hour and a half time frame.

Mr. Irrelevant
My reference is meant to detail the history of an outstanding NBA player most fans have either overlooked or just ignored. He scored over 20,000 points pulled down 14,000 plus rebounds and was a 4-time NBA All Star. This 6-11 center was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993. In 2006 he was elected to the first class of the Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame.  He played for a number of NBA teams the first being the Chicago Packers who were re-named the Zephyrs in their second year.  In any event I figured the Packers (or Zephyrs) would confuse, the NBA added an expansion team in 1962 the Packers.  

For once a name change might have been seriously required.  According to reports the name Packers was associated with cattle packing houses. Cattle were slaughtered in these packing houses thus odors emanating from them were certainly not very pleasant. In any event the team only lasted 3 years in Chicago, they moved to Baltimore where they were re-named the Bullets. A much later move to Washington D.C. and they would eventually become the Wizards. Have you guessed the name of our mystery Hall of Fame athlete? One more hint, he played at Indiana University and was a second team All American in 1961. Quit racking your brain, the player was Walt Bellamy who managed a successful career at a time the NBA had several prominent centers. Bellamy experienced nightly battles under the boards with the likes of Chamberlain, Russell and Nate Thurmond. (dates & history, Wikipedia)

It serves no purpose
Those of us viewing Thursday nights Game 4 witnessed the flop of Chris Bosh. Bosh sold the flop to an official who promptly whistled an offensive foul on Tim Duncan. The following day after reviewing tape of the game the league office fined Bosh $5,000. I have no solution for flopping, a next day fine resolves nothing except increase the coffers of the NBA offices.

“Just do it!”
The NBA Championship is yet to be decided with the series tied 2-2. The tag line of this story is no longer used by Nike. Just do it was the phrase used by Nike in its commercials to say make an effort, there is no need to inform us of your intentions.  After a poor performance in game three LeBron James in the post-game press conference promised he’d play better.  Hey LeBron, no need to inform us "just do it!" 

Change the name???
NBA name changes for several franchises must be in the wind, the Hornets would become the Pelicans. The Bobcats will soon become the Hornets and it’s reported a name change might be in the works for the Raptors. There are several teams that could have undergone a name change in the past. New Orleans indirectly has been responsible for much of the confusion. The Jazz name traveled from New Orleans to Salt Lake City at the time the franchise moved. I wonder how many jazz venues exist in Utah’s capital city. We should include the Grizzlies in this account. Grizzlies’ are native to the Northwest Pacific States and Southern Canada. It should be pointed out the franchise was an expansion team for the city of Vancouver British Columbia and re-located to Memphis.

As for others how about the Magic? We know what magic is and it ain't a basketball team. We suspect they are given a pass on the name due to the franchise being located in Orlando Florida. Of course Orlando is home of Walt Disney World and Universal Studios. I wrote previously the Wolves receive a pass too with a state name rather than city. The thought might have been to not offend either Minneapolis or St. Paul at the time the baseball Senators located there and became the Twins. Later the NFL Vikings followed their lead and adopted the state name rather than city. I think we realize there are few lakes in and around Los Angeles. Of course Lakers refers to the Land of 1,000 Lakes Minnesota and the Minneapolis Lakers.

Team USA will never ever accept silver medals
I listened to Doug Collins describe the controversy surrounding Team USA’s 1972 Olympic team. First realize in that day Team USA was comprised entirely of collegiate athletes, no NBA players. There is a great quantity of specifics available for you to read, examine the details for further insight. It was a different era and world politics may have played a role in the 51-50 victory by the former Soviet Union. After losing the game and later losing an appeal Team USA voted to never accept Silver Medals. 41 years later the medals remain in the possession of the International Olympic Committee. Collins mentioned one of his team members has a stipulation in his will; his children are to never accept the medal.

Every coach deserves another opportunity
I will admit up front I haven’t paid a great deal of attention to the Hawks. I wrote a few weeks back it’s my belief Atlanta problems are more than the coach. Larry Drew was “fired” before he was officially let go. A number of media outlets were reporting he was history prior to the teams’ official notification. I guess Drew probably felt the pressure as he interviewed with Milwaukee which needed to hire a coach. As soon as the Hawks announced their new coach the Bucks announced Drew had been hired to guide the Bucks. Drew’s record with the Hawks, 128-102 .557 percentage, in his three years the team twice won 44 games. He led them into the playoffs every year under his leadership. Drew from Kansas City Kansas played his college ball at Mizzou.  (stats Wikipedia)

Speaking of coaches
In a move that defies logic the Grizzlies chose to not renew Lionel Hollins contract. The Grizzlies are a good team; good teams need a good coach who replaces him? In other moves it appears Maurice Cheeks has been hired by the Pistons. Unlike the Hollins case the jury is still out as to Cheeks ability to lead a team to success. Drew Sharp, Detroit Free Press pointed out “the Pistons have gone through 7 coaches in 10 years.” Maurice Cheeks the player a thumbs up, Cheeks the coach has a mixed record. The Pistons require a name coach to turn this team around, I’m afraid it’s not Cheeks. His Blazer team finished above .500 his first year at the helm, over the next seven years with the Blazers and 76ers his teams never finished above .500.

In a surprise move too many Jason Kidd let it know he wanted to become a head coach. Even more surprising the Nets will allow him the opportunity a return to the team he once led at its point guard. Junior is unhappy, Patrick Ewing Jr. who indicated displeasure at the Kidd hiring. He wasn’t upset with Kidd it was the fact I pointed out awhile back. For reasons unknown Ewing Sr. has been unable to secure a head coaching position except in the D-League. Maybe even more surprising is Glen “Doc” Rivers. He is making noises as if he might be through coaching. Finished in Boston but maybe not just finished coaching. The Celtics like their long-time Laker rivals require a re-build. It’s my belief Doc subscribes to the Phil Jackson outlook on coaching in the NBA, “I don’t build teams I coach teams made up of veteran players.”

“Who are those guys?”
The above quote is from the 1969 Western “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.” The quote was utilized throughout the movie as Outlaws Cassidy and Sundance were chased by lawmen.  The Heat might be asking the same question regarding the Green-Neal combo or is it Neal-Green? The duo of Danny Green and Gary Neal combined for 51 points leading the Spurs to a 113-77 blitz of the Heat. Former Coach Doug Collins is on “Mike and Mike” this morning offering his view on the Heat winning this series. He is correct, A 2-1 lead means nothing a team must win 4 games.  The first team to win 4 games wins a Championship.

A change of plan?
19-year old Dario Saric from Croatia has withdrawn his name from the 2013 draft. It's not yet official however his agent indicates the 6-10 225 forward has decided against the NBA this year. There is an up and down side to the decision he's made. The up side, Saric will only be 20 next year and could still be considered a prime prospect. The down side, several draft experts have pointed out the 2013 draft is weak. If NBA scouts indicate you are under serious consideration 2013 would be the year rather than the following year. If Saric’s game doesn't improve in the off-year what guarantee is there he will be drafted?

He was that good
I was reading a story on the late Drazen Petrovic, the writer pointed out how vital Petrovic had been to the NBA developing a European footprint. That was the path laid out by this Croatian native when he was drafted in 1988. The first successful foreign born player might have emerged from Brazil rather than Europe, that honor might have been bestowed on Oscar Schmidt. We sometimes object to the inclusion of a particular Hall of Fame selection, I think there are few who question Schmidt’s inclusion. This 6-8 225 pound shooting guard was one of the smoothest shooters in basketball history. Schmidt was to play professionally but never in the NBA. The 1984 NBA Draft was significant for the number of all-time greats chosen.

Technically Nigeria born Hakeem Olajuwon might have been the first foreign born NBA player. Olajuwon played college ball at the University of Houston and was the first pick in the 1984 draft. 1984 was also the year of the Michael Jordan-Sam Bowie draft in addition future Hall of Fame players Charles Barkley and John Stockton were also chosen in that draft. It was also the draft of Oscar Schmidt chosen by the New Jersey Nets for reasons unclear he never chose to play in the NBA. Schmidt might have been the driving force for the inclusion of pros in the Olympics. He was playing for pay yet allowed to enter the Olympics as an “amateur.” His honors are far too numerous to list, just two will be highlighted. Schmidt was selected as one of FIBA’s 50 greatest players in 1991. Unofficially he is considered the games all-time leading scorer with 49,737 points. (Wikipedia)

Mizzou versus Kansas
If you've read Words any length of time you realize my allegiance lies with the Mizzou program. This is not an attempt to pick a fight with my friends across State Line Road. I'm writing this based on column written by a new Kansas City Star reporter. I think living on the St. Louis side of the state he failed to comprehend the serious nature of this 100 year sports rivalry. He suggested the schools should begin play similar to the current Illinois basketball series. The same could be applied in football as well, pundits wish to point renewing the series only benefits Mizzou. Untrue, in basketball Kansas is the clear leader but not so in football. The driving distance between the two campuses is 164 miles, 2 hours and 40 minutes reasonably close. How near are the two teams to play again? About 238,900 miles (384,400 km) the distance between the earth and the moon.

The Big 8 conference existed from 1907 through 1997. ESPN's Jason King chose an
all-time Big XII men's basketball team. The list is short in my view due to the time frame he established. Mitch Richmond of Kansas State, Kansas Danny Manning both began their NBA careers in the late '80's and were excluded from his list. Numbers never indicate the true worth of an NBA player however number 10 on King's list should be honorable mention. King placed Mario Chalmers of Kansas in the 10 slot. He did this based on his winning shot in the NCAA Championship and his NBA Championship with the Heat. Stanford's Mark Madsen has two championship rings, am I prepared to list him on an all-time PAC-12 team? King placed Desmond Mason an honorable mention. If we just look at the numbers (which is sometimes unfair) his numbers are certainly better than Chalmers.

Ponder this
Spurs fans consider this a semi-apology on my part. I’ve always disliked the Spurs, part of this dislike they always were in contention with the Lakers in the Western Conference. I was critical of their offense; I said they had three speeds slow, slower and slowest. They can run when necessary although unlike the Heat it is not critical to their offense. Their style of play leads to few turnovers; they finished Thursday’s game with only four. Spurs pass the ball efficiently and are very strong defensively.

Between ESPN, ABC and NBA TV I’m unsure who made the following statement. Whoever it was said; “(Tony) Parker doesn’t get credit for being the player he is because he plays in San Antonio.” Many of us have been watching Tim Duncan so long we fail to realize Parker is now in the drivers’ seat. This is not a slap at Duncan he is still invaluable, he’s seated on the passenger side now. This is written Friday morning and will not be read until Monday, I have no idea who won on Sunday. Regardless of the outcome of this series I have gained an appreciation for Coach Pop and the Spurs team.

Changing opinions
I promise to not force you to read anymore stories written defending Mizzou’s Frank Haith. As this is written the Miami probe remains open with no resolution in sight. The key reason I’m taking the new stance is based on another coach, John Calapari at Kentucky. Calapari is a lighting rod to all it seems excepting Big Blue Nation. The complainants we read and hear have common themes and have no validity but they continue to be expressed by Calipari haters and Kentucky basketball.

* Calapari recruits only one and done players. His players all leave for the NBA.
* The athletes Calapari recruits only attend class during the fall semester, they don’t bother with spring classes since all headed to the NBA.

Hopefully you understand where I’m going with this. The outcome of the proceedings don’t matter, there will remain a number of people pointing fingers. They will half read or fail to read any portion of the proceedings. They have their minds made up from the Yahoo story three years ago. Certainly Calipari‘s resume is more extensive than Frank Haith however they still point fingers at him too. From this point forward as for Mizzou basketball I will attempt to concentrate on court action not the court of public opinion.

Who is it?
“Dwightmare” has begun once again, you remember back to last season. You remember all the drama surrounding Howard leaving Orlando. The Lakers traded for free agent Howard intending to sign him to a long range contract. Now the talk is “he’s exploring signing with the Rockets.” There are no issues if that’s his choice the problem once again becomes is it Dwight Howard or the media stirring the pot? The Lakers rest in the best position; they can pay him more than any other team if he resigns. At the same time there are no state taxes in Texas which would counter a Lakers offer. Counter to that is potential endorsement money Howard could earn in Southern California.

Endorsement dollars would be available in Houston or Dallas but they would not be comparable to Los Angeles. Money aside if we just look at personnel of the teams Dallas is in the same situation as the Lakers, they are an older team too. Despite what you might have heard or think the Houston Rockets not the Golden State Warriors are the youngest team in the NBA. In addition Houston is coming off a 45-37 season; they might appear to be the most opportune destination for Howard. As for the Lakers resigning him that’s their call, I’m unsure if he is worth all the drama surrounding him. We are unsure of Howard’s issues. I could be Kobe, D’Antoni or something else but just maybe its time for him to move on.

American Athletic Conference
Is the name of conference of schools formerly representing the Big East. The 7 Catholic schools which left the Big East were able to retain the name. The American Athletic Conference or “old” Big East is now a 10-team conference. Schools in bold are new members, the others are former Big East Conference members.

Cincinnati
UConn
Houston
Louisville
Memphis
Rutgers
Southern Methodist University
South Florida
Temple
University of Central Florida

George Karl
I was never a fan of Karl but I thought if any coach was safe he would be the one. The Nuggets had won 57 games during the regular season a record, after a promising regular season they were eliminated in the playoffs. Karl requested a contract extension and we must guess management didn‘t place great value on him. He might be a good regular season coach as for the playoffs that’s another story.

This story dropped on us out of the sky
At his introductory press conference new Raptors GM Masai Ujiri hinted the team might do a name change. A fan responding to the story wrote; “Toronto Huskies.” I thought for a moment on his suggestion. *“The 1946-47 BAA season was the Toronto Huskies’ inaugural season. The NBA’s first game was played at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto on November 1, 1946. The New York Knickerbockers defeated the Toronto Huskies 68–66 at Maple Leaf Gardens. The teams were part of the Basketball Association of America, the forerunner to the NBA. The Huskies finished last in their division and folded after one season.” It seems at times the NBA is all about nostalgia wonder why they didn’t adopt Huskies in ‘95? *Wikipedia

He’s in his first final
I was aware the Spurs had released veteran Stephen Jackson, I didn’t realize his replacement.
16-year NBA veteran Tracy McGrady replaced Capn’ Jack on the Spurs roster in mid-April. T-Mac played in China and when the season concluded return to the U.S. just in time to be signed by the Spurs. Veteran Mitch Richmond received a championship ring his last season in the NBA. I’m just saying I ain’t calling anything for the Spurs.

Told you so didn’t I?
The Hawks seem to change coaches frequently. I wrote of this awhile back, I believe there is a front office problem too with this team as well. I offer this proof, the team sends out letters to potential ticket holders. The letters mention the names Chris Paul and Dwight Howard a big fat
NO-NO. This is considered tampering, discussing a free agent not under contract. Anyone could understand the Hawks desire to improve the team but this is just plain stupid. Who’s working in the front office oh, I forgot the same folks who fired Larry Drew after 3 consecutive playoff off appearance.

Who wins?
I'm not exactly sure of the Heat-Spurs Championship series. I have a real dilemma this year, neither of these teams is a favorite of mine. I certainly intend to view the series however for the first time in awhile I have no preference for a winner. All the experts are picking the Heat, me I’m not completely sold on them winning. My gut says the Heat should win but we witnessed the Miami “Cavs” during the series with the Pacers. This series boils down to Miami’s Big Three versus the “old” Three of San Antonio. Dwayne Wade is age 31 however James and Bosh are in their late 20’s. As for the Spurs their leaders are all south of 30, Tony Parker is 31, Tim Duncan is 37 and Manu Ginobili 35.

Part of the problem with gaining an accurate assessment neither team faced the other will a regular lineup; we have no real idea of the matchups. Remember when Popovich sent his key players home after an extensive road trip? How will Kawhi Leonard matchup against James? How about Wade versus Danny Green? Will Bosh come alive in the Championship series and dominate Tiago Splitter? The one area I think the Spurs have the advantage is head coach. This is not a knock on Eric Spoelstra it’s just my belief Greg Popovich has endured a tad more crucial game decisions. I’ve given you all this information and have not picked a winner, unlike others I’m not blessed with the ability to peer into the future.

Bits n Pieces
I’m going to paraphrase a Mike Greenberg quote from his “Mike and Mike” program on Monday. “I don’t know how (Roy) Hibbert will play tonight. His comment (the gay slur he uttered at the post game press conference) and fine (by the NBA) might affect his play tonight. I don’t know him but he seems like a nice guy.” I would guess if Hibbert had a child or parent with health challenges I could understand his play being affected. Making a dumb statement he made which he issued an apology shouldn’t be a game changer.

Why are members of the media indicating LeBron is headed back to Cleveland? We realize he will become a free agent in 2014 but Cleveland? A great deal of the animosity over LeBron leaving has dissipated with time but why must he return? Dan LeBatard Miami Herald made this claim two weeks ago. “This team (Heat) could play for a championship with just Wade and Bosh in the lineup, didn’t say they could win.”

Who should we believe--with their latest statement the Clippers “tossed” Paul under the bus? The initial account from the Clippers office indicated Del Negro was fired and Chris Paul played a role. Later Paul was reported to have objected to the story; he claimed nothing to do with the head coaching charge. The Clippers then retreated from their initial press release saying Paul played no role.

On Monday I wrote on Grant Hill’s retirement, Hill had retired over the weekend. I wrote Hill was Co-Rookie of the Year in ‘94-’95; he shared the award with Jason Kidd. On Monday Kidd announced his retirement too; both are destined for the Hall of Fame in Springfield (MA).  Kidd’s resume contains one line Hill was never able to accomplish NBA Champion.  Kidd was a member of the Champion 2011 Mavs. 

Darn, I’m reading the Clippers have nixed hiring Jeff Van Gundy. Looks as though I’ll be forced to continue using the mute button on my television.

He shatters the Georgetown blueprint
Otto Porter is not really that different, he’s an extremely talented sophomore and led the Hoyas in scoring and rebounding. He shatters the image of the school that only produces NBA big men. Porter is a 6-8 205 pound small forward expected to be chosen early in the first round of the 2013 NBA Draft. The basketball history of Georgetown is rich in producing talented big men; Patrick Ewing, Alonzo Mourning, Dikembe Mutombo and Roy Hibbert are a small number.

Porter should have attended Mizzou, Porter’s home town of Sikeston (MO) is a 3 or 4 hour drive from the Columbia (MO). Porter was on everybody’s radar in high school except then Coach Mike Anderson, for reasons only known to Anderson they failed to recruit Porter. You might find this even more interesting The Washington Post in a column claims Porter might become the Cavs choice rather than Nerlens Noel, interesting.

Wally Pipp?
I have been a fan of Pacers forward Danny Granger since he left New Mexico and became a regular for the Pacers. Over the course of his 7-year NBA career he’s aided the Pacers to become an improved team. Unfortunately we didn’t see much of Granger this past season, injured he played in only 5 games and surgery forced him out of the lineup. Granger has been an 18.1 point per game career scorer with a high of 25.8 during the 2008-09 season. How would the Pacers adapt without this valuable player in the lineup?

Coach Vogel inserts Paul George in the lineup to replace Granger; the move would appear to be quite successful. George scored at a 17.4 point per game clip while pulling down 7.4 rebounds becoming a vital component to the success of the Pacers. Anybody remember the story of Yankee 1^st baseman Wally Pipp? Pipp asked for a day off which the manager granted. The manager wrote in Lou Gehrig’s name and Gehrig would go on to play 2,130 games and a Hall of Fame career.  Pipp never had the opportunity to "take himself" out of the lineup again.  I’m not “firing” Granger I just think the starting small forward next season for the Pacers will be Paul George.  I would be pleased to have the 30-year old Granger replace Metta World Peace, probably never happens I suspect.

Bits n Pieces
After 19 NBA seasons 40-year old Grant Hill has decided to retire. Hill played 29 games for the Clippers this past season suffering another injury plagued season. You should have seen the Grant Hill I remember the Duke 2-time NCAA Champion. The co-NBA Rookie of the Year, a 7-time NBA All Star.

A warrior mentality might be applied to Pacer forward David West. After battling a 100+ temperature he was in the lineup for game 6 against the Heat. Didn’t shoot that well from the floor (11 points) but managed to grab 14 rebounds dish out 4 assists and blocked 2 shots.

The word “fan” is derived from fanatic, here’s a prime example. *”Matthew Thompson, a self-described long time Bulls fan, and electrician by trade filed a lawsuit on Thursday (in April) against Derrick Rose. Thompson claims Rose’s absence caused him to have mental breakdowns, emotional distress and ultimately to gain tons of weight. According to reports Thompson also claims that Rose displayed negligent behavior by refusing to play despite being cleared by doctors.” (*yardbarker.com)

I don’t understand the Grizzlies management. They announced they are allowing Lionel Hollins to explore other opportunities. They make this statement without any indication they will resign the coach, strange.

A long lay off is not beneficial to any team doesn’t matter the age. You cannot duplicate game conditions in practice, just doesn’t work. It will be surprising in that first game if the Spurs are prepared to play.

It’s too early
Viewing the NBA Draft Combine listening to the comments and additional reading my conclusion on next months draft has changed. Basketball experts have been reporting since last fall for us to expect the 2013 NBA Draft to be not as first-rate as previous years. They probably based their view on few players emerging to turn a team around. There are no athletes that make you go WOW! I think they might have done a disservice to this crop of youngsters. Those of us who follow the draft knew the names, did we have any idea when they were drafted Paul George, George Hill and Lance Stephenson would play such a vital role in the success of this Pacer team? Don’t get the wrong impression about my statement; I didn’t say the three were star athletes they are “part of the glue” that cements this Pacer team. It also proves with a little luck you can craft a team through the draft. If you can draft a Kobe or LeBron you are that much better, how about an athlete who is a key contributor to making a better team?

Please hire one and replace the other!
I have no control over these issues, my hope those in authority exercise their rule. ESPN.com is reporting the Nets have contacted Jeff Van Gundy to fill their head coaching position. I hope they hire him, if so it will provide me a degree of relief; no longer must I mute my television during ESPN telecasts. Wait there’s more, while change is in the wind how about replacing studio host Bill Simmons. His replacement should be someone who adds basketball knowledge to the broadcast. Simmons may be an acclaimed sports writer but he adds little substance to discussions surrounding the NBA in my view.

“I love Walter”
Celtic broadcaster Tommy Heinsohn would often utter the phrase “I love Walter. “ This
became a standard for him after an outstanding play by former Celtic Walter McCarty. I’m going to borrow his phrase but change it a bit; I love Roy! I’m referring of course to Roy Hibbert 7-2 280 pound Pacer center. I’m impressed because he’s a dinosaur in this tweet/text/internet age! As for the dinosaur comment I’m not referring to his age he’s only 26, the dinosaur reference in this context is a reference to the manner he plays the center position. He’s a back to the basket center that can shot the jump hook.

In addition he guards the paint effectively, grabs rebounds and block shots. Vital to me he’s not standing at the 3-point line jacking up shots; I fail to comprehend why centers think there is a requirement to shot 3-pointers. Hibbert is a throwback to the days of Kareem/Olajuwon/Shaq; don’t confuse my statement I’m not stating he’s on the level of that trio, Hibbert’s overall game is similar to several of the attributes of the three. The Pacers may not win this series but they certainly are winners at the center position with Roy Hibbert as the anchor.