Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

Number 6 to be retired

Yesterday the NBA announced the late Bill Russell’s number 6 will be retired by the league. This move is similar to that of Major League Baseball at the time Jackie Robinson’s 42 was retired. Number 42 is no longer issued in baseball to any incoming player. Players wearing number 42 were allowed to continue to wear the number until they retired, I'm unsure if any baseball players changed their number after the rule came into being. Besides LeBron James wearing number 6 for the Lakers there are other players spread throughout the NBA wearing jersey number 6. NBA players will be allowed to continue wearing number 6, should they move to another team either trade or free agency the privilege goes away. We could foresee a few players decide to change numbers on their own.  

Sooner or later…

You hear or read a strange or unusual story, that’s what we have for you now. Abiodun Adegoke is reported to stand 7 feet 11 inches in height, that would make him the tallest current active basketball player. Adegoke hails from Nigeria and is reported to be in his teens or get this…in his early 20’s. Adegoke wears a 53 Euro which converts to 17.5 in a U.S. shoe. The guy can dunk the ball without jumping which is certainly not that farfetched based on his reported height. Video of him is provided below, my opinion is this, he appears animated in his movements on the court, check for yourself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezoiBB_WD2w

Anniversary

The upcoming season will be the 75^th Anniversary of the National Basketball Association. In June 1946 a collection of basketball teams came together to form the Basketball Association of America. In August 1949 the BAA would merge with the National Basketball League and the league’s name was changed to the National Basketball Association. Technically the league has two birthdays however it’s 1946 the association considers its beginning and anniversary.

NBA teams will sport throwback jerseys in honor of the 1946 date (75 years). I’ve only seen two jerseys so far, the Warriors and my Lakers. It’s interesting the Warriors jersey reflects their first season in California 1961-62, the franchise in Philly dates back to that 1946 date. As for my Lakers their jerseys have the look of the George Mikan Minneapolis Lakers which played from 1947-1960 in the city. As this is written the two jerseys mentioned are the only ones I’ve seen thus far. Be on the lookout for other 75th Anniversary jerseys in the days and weeks ahead.  

Change   

News arrived indicating George Washington University would soon change the name of its team mascot in the next few years. The school administration believes “Colonials” is an inappropriate name today. Over time we’ve seen a number of college and pro teams adopt new names. The Washington NFL team is now the Commanders while Cleveland’s baseball team has become the Guardians. Most of the name changes have come about to discontinue applying indigenous names to sports teams. 

How the use of indigenous names came into being in the first place is unclear. Although we have a substantial number of Tigers, Bears, Ducks, Eagles, Gators, Badgers, Cougars and Beavers in existence across the landscape there remain a sizable number who continue to use names of native American tribes for their sports teams. I have an acquaintance who informed me she was not pleased with this effort to be politically correct regarding sports teams. She questioned these changes for change sake that have come about in the sports world. What are your thoughts, do you agree with this shared change?

You must be vaccinated

The NFL has no issue with covid, not the fact football players haven’t been directly affected. For now, there are no Canadian NFL teams, baseball (especially the Royals) have been forced to leave players at home. This of course is due to the covid requirements of Canada, the NBA looking ahead sent out an announcement all players must either be vaccinated or given medical clearance to enter the nation of our northern neighbor. I’m sure someone reading this might say more intrusion by Big Brother. That might not be true in this case, these are the requirements to enter Canada they have nothing to do with policy or mandates in place in this nation. In addition, an NBA player not vaccinated or given medical clearance will be docked their pay for that missed game in Toronto.

Are we starved for news?

It seems almost every other day we read this account. A basketball player active or recently retired will compare their game to an All Pro of the 1950’s or 1960’s. The story is always the same, “I could hold my own” or “I could beat him.” Is it a slow news day or we just starved for basketball news? Why do news sources waste time reporting the story, why am I wasting your time reporting it? There is no effective method for Shaquille O’Neal to face Wilt Chamberlain and claim one player is better than the other.

Despite this fact The Big Aristotle is reported to have stated he could beat Chamberlain. Chamberlain passed in 1999, he would be 86 years old if he were alive today. In another sport several years ago, data was collected and placed in a computer, this was an attempt to determine a winner, even this method was still not concise. This would be much easier, why not compare Dame Lillard (when healthy) to Steph Curry or Luka Doncic against LeBron James? Often an account will be written, and the plan is to never cover it again, this is that promise we hope…LOL.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

Okay, you have my attention

It seems lately Draymond Green wants to talk about any and everything NOT CONNECTED to the Warriors. His favorite subject appears to be what other NBA players should do or who was a better candidate to be traded. He must envy the Lakers for both accounts involve the SC team. The subject was the Lakers Austin Reaves and his nicknames; Green’s opinion was Reaves should embrace the nicknames despite the fact it appears the Laker guard objects to them.

The Warrior players latest subject revolves around two former Lakers Brandon Ingram and Kyle Kuzma. Green figured after three years he would provide us his opinion on the Lakers acquiring Anthony Davis. He wanted to play a “what-if” scenario, what if it had been Kuzma instead of Ingram in the trade. Kuzma was later traded to the Wizards so we are left somewhat unsure how this might have affected the Lakers 2020 championship. This upcoming October AD will be entering his 4^th season and Ingram the same for the Lakers and Pelicans respectively. It would certainly be more interesting if Green provided us analysis of the Warriors.

Okay now what?

News moves real fast; on Monday morning I wrote “Six weeks from now” which dealt with Nets training camp opening. I wrote Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant would likely be there however based on Monday evening news are we really sure, we just don’t know. Part of the problem anytime we are discussing Kevin Durant we are not exactly sure where he stands, unlike other athletes news arrives in bits and pieces with him. Not hearing it directly from him we are often faced with the dilemma, “Did he say that” or “What was that about?”

That is the report breaking early Monday evening, did he or didn’t he. Okay here it is, Durant is supposed to have informed owner Joe Tsai “Coach Steve Nash and GM Sean Marks must be fired if he is to remain with the Nets.” The statement goes on to say something like he (Durant) doesn’t trust them. The question for Nets and NBA fans is this really Durant talking, his agent or a figment of someone’s imagination? We must wait for further developments on this one. I didn’t originate this next portion just read it and it makes a heck of a lot of sense. The writer said, “Imagine if this was Jeannie Buss and LeBron James playing out this issue in the media?”

That would be a NO

The Wolves arrived in the NBA in 1989 as an expansion franchise. In 1995 the franchise drafted Kevin Garnett and he would become the face of the franchise as he clearly demonstrated his talent. On July 31, 2007, Garnett was the key figure in a trade to the Celtics where he helped them win the 2008 NBA championship. From 2013-2015 Garnett played for the Nets briefly returning to the Wolves for a season prior to retiring in 2016. At this point the story becomes somewhat murky, we are unsure which came first so it’s simply being reported. Glen Taylor Wolves owner was reported to have promised Garnett the opportunity to purchase the team. 

We are unsure of the timeframe however this agreement would become invalid by the owner. We are unsure as to the why however “bad-blood” has existed between Garnett and Taylor for several years now over the deal. More recently Taylor sold his interest in the Wolves to former Yankee baseball player Alex Rodriguez and partner Marc Lore, is there a change in the air with the new owners? We are not stating Garnett’s been invited to become an owner however the team’s made overtures about retiring his number 21. KG, “The Kid” or whatever nickname you might apply has gone on record, he says that would be a no. You might think with the passage of time and a new ownership group in place Garnett might have mellowed in his attitude toward the Wolves apparently that is not the case.

We know…we know!

If we omit the numerous injuries and games missed, we discover the Lakers had two key difficulties last season. 1. They were an old team with old legs, teams would routinely run them ragged. 2. There was a dearth of 3-point shooting from the Lakers which caused innumerable problems for them. Of course, there were the injuries too, oh I mentioned that earlier. The question might be asked, has summer play seen help might possibly be on the way? The possible answer…undrafted rookie Cole Swider, who spent 3 years at Villanova and one season at Syracuse.

Remember this is Summer League play but the numbers look good, as for the average he’s not going to be the primary focus that’s LeBron, AD and Westbrook (if he’s still around). The numbers 13.9 points per game shooting .52.1% from the floor and .52.8% from the 3-point line, it is Interesting Swider’s field goal percentage is slightly higher from the 3-line. Swider is a 6-foot 9 forward who packs 220 pounds on his frame. He is older than most 2022 rookies, he celebrated his 23^rd birthday in May. Keep in mind this move to the Big Club is not a done deal, Swider is on a two-way contract so he must earn a roster spot once training camp opens.   

Is it the water…or something else?

The Royals played a series against the Blue Jays in Toronto, I mentioned this to my wife. “I’m not sure why but the overwhelming majority of Canadian NBA players are from Toronto and its surrounding cities.” I further stated “I’m not sure why” so I decided to check the number. Andrew Wiggins from Toronto was one of the keys to the Warriors NBA championship. At present there are roughly 30 active players (not counting rookies) from our Canadian neighbor. Guess what I discovered; my belief was affirmed most are from Toronto.

What’s most interesting Toronto recently became the largest populated city in the nation? This from the Canadian Encyclopedia, “This megacity (Toronto) was created in 1998, by merging Metropolitan Toronto’s six cities into one. Ontario’s capital city usurped Montreal as Canada’s most populous city in the 2001 census and hasn’t looked back.” * There are two U.S. cities that accomplished the same scenario merging the county with the city. Interesting in that three other cities in the nation contain populations of well over a million yet they haven’t produced 10 NBA players in total.

*Canadian Encyclopedia

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

Six weeks from now

The Nets first exhibition game is scheduled October 3, based on this timeframe it would be roughly 6 weeks before training camp opens. PROBABLY, note bold type, all caps and underlined…Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant will both begin the season with the Nets. This is extremely strange considering virtually all summer we’ve read stories both wanting to, Escape from New York, if you are good at movie trivia you caught that reference. We can only guess what’s in the minds of these very talented athletes but here goes. In the media last season, we had a love fest apparently between James Harden, Irving and Durant.

After the season began Harden discovered he didn’t want to play for the Nets, he forced the franchise into trading him. As you are aware no vax and strict city rules saw Irving unable to take the court in Brooklyn until nearly the end of the season. Durant having to carry much of the offense literally broke down, he would miss time due to injuries sustained. What occurs now is anyone’s guess however it appears Irving and Durant will be teammates for at least a while longer. How did this Nets automobile (on paper) appear so workable yet managed to drive itself into a ditch? You don’t have time to read the why and its probably not as important as most might believe. All the experts continue to talk about what the Lakers don’t have, what do the Nets have?

The best thing….

I’m unsure where it originated, there was a saying “The best thing about freshman…they become sophomores.” The explanation was this, highly touted freshman don’t always adapt to the college game. In this age that statement is ancient, most of the Top 10 are headed for the NBA after a single season. Despite this fact who won the recruiting wars for the Class of 2022? This depends more on who you read. The last information we read indicated despite the retirement of Coach K. the Duke Blue Devils were at or near the top in most polls. Eric Musselman has continued to recruit and more importantly win at Arkansas. It would appear the Razorbacks are poised for another run in the SEC and the NCAA Field of 64.

Another SEC powerhouse Alabama, once upon a time we’d mention Bama and your thoughts would automatically focus on football. Those who root for the Crimson Tide now days might have divided loyalties between football and basketball. Kansas, and two additional SEC schools Kentucky and LSU will field competitive teams in this upcoming season. Surprise, surprise one website has my Mizzou Tigers listed in 38^th place in recruiting. I know what you are stating but consider this fact, we must return to the brief appearance of Michael Porter Jr. to locate a highly touted recruited Mizzou team. The year 2017 when Porter and company arrived on the campus in Columbia. We mentioned Alabama earlier but it’s the entire SEC, this conference might be one of the strongest in the nation. If we exclude Mizzou, I’m unsure of the count but that should be close to the Top 10 teams recruiting for 2022.

They will acquire their money…if

We are aware Zion Williamson missed this past season for the Pelicans, many of us were surprised when the team signed him to a massive extension this summer. With a payout such as Williamson received there are conditions, in this instance its WEIGHT. There were off season reports indicating the Pelican forward had ballooned to over 300 pounds. That statement was never proven so what goes now for Williamson? The contract extension has a clause indicating Williamson will be subject to a weight and body fat percentage.

The contract indicates if Williamson exceeds 294 pounds deductions will be made in the payment. The Pelican roster says Williamson is 6 foot 6 inches and 284 pounds. With this clause placed in his contract we guess there is a belief his weight might have been a contributing factor to a portion of the injuries he’s suffered since his arrival in New Orleans? I don’t listen to a great deal from Charles Barkley but in this instance I did. Barkley was nicknamed The Round Mound of Rebound at Auburn and into his NBA career, he stated his belief Williamson is too heavy. If we check the records, they indicate Barkley also stood 6 foot 6 but was 252 pounds.

The point

New York City’s 5 boroughs have produced some of the best point guards in NBA history. A .com sight asked the question “who is the best” which I believe is an exercise in futility. Players of different eras produce different results that’s the bottom line for me. Instead of deciding the best I chose to list the names and the borough they were born or grew up. All are now retired with Marbury being the most recent, he retired in 2018 from the Beijing Royal Fighters in the northern division of the Chinese Basketball Association. 

Kenny Anderson-Queens

Mark Jackson-Brooklyn

Stephon Marbury-Brooklyn

Bob Cousy-Manhattan

Nate "Tiny" Archibald-Bronx

Kenny Smith-Queens

When attempting to compile an all-time list there might be a player who was omitted. In this instance it was not on purpose they were simply overlooked. If you believe one or more were missed, feel free to add them to the list.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

Shut up Draymond

I like the Warriors Draymond Green; despite this statement I believe there are times he just needs to shut up. There is no reason for him to comment on a subject unrelated to himself or the Warriors. This is an example, Laker guard Austin Reaves stated his desire to rid himself of the nicknames “AR-15” and “Hillbilly Kobe.” At this point Green decided to weigh in on the subject although it’s not about him. “Brother, you haven’t done enough in your career to be shedding nicknames that people give you.”

With the number of AR-15’s used in violent actions Reaves doesn’t wish to be associated with it although 15 is his jersey number. As for “Hillbilly Kobe”, he claims a coach at Oklahoma hung it on him. He wanted to drop it in deference to the late Kobe Bryant, as for the hillbilly part every white guy from Arkansas is not a hillbilly. I could see how that might be offensive to Reaves. I guess Green must have forgotten about his former teammate Kevin Durant. One of the nicknames hung on Durant was “Slim Reaper” which Durant said he hated. Have you heard anyone use that recently when Durant’s name is mentioned? As LaVar Ball would say, "You (Draymond) need to stay in your own lane." 

Only 2 maybe 3

There are only 2 basketball stories maybe 3 I’ve grown tired of. The first is reading the claim of a Steph Curry and how he would match up against a point guard of the past, that is impossible to determine. That former NBA guard is 86 years old now, I exaggerate so you see how impressed I am with those accounts. Number 2 on the list is every day since the end of the season it seems a steady barrage of stories indicating “The Lakers are exploring trading XXXXXX for XXXXX”, every day it’s a different player and different team in the discussion.

As much as I want the Lakers to make a move that appears improbable for now, why are we continuing to speculate in this manner? First the trade with the Pacers is on, in the following days we read its off. The Lakers will have Kyrie Irving, Buddy Hield, Myles Turner, Patrick Beverly, Jordan Clarkson and Malik Beasley added to their roster…but wait there is more. The name Cam Reddish has also been mentioned along with that of Julius Randle and others. There have been more names added to the Lakers roster than space available, please stop this is driving me bonkers.

Kansas City in the NBA

It would seem going back several years there’s always been an NBA player or coach from the metro Kansas City area somewhere in the league. That scenario remains ever present in the NBA of today, the latest names to add to the number are Ochai Agbaji who played at Oak Park HS and at the University of Kansas. Agbaji is a member of the NBA Cavs, teammate Christian Braun from Blue Valley Northwest HS and the NBA Rockets. Braun was a teammate of Agbaji at the University of Kansas but there are others. Ish Wainwright Raytown South HS, Baylor and the Suns and teammate Landry Shamet Park Hill HS, Wichita State and the Suns.

Willie Cauley-Stein is currently a member of the Sixers, he played at Olathe Northwest HS and the University of Kentucky. Also included in our account is Alec Burks Grandview HS and the University of Colorado, Burks currently is a member of the Pistons. On the outside hoping to earn a roster spot are Jacob Gilyard Barstow HS and Richmond University and Jeriah Horne also Barstow HS and Tulsa University. Undrafted the pair played NBA Summer League for the Warriors and Kings, respectively. In the coaching ranks we have Tyronn Lue Clippers head coach, Raytown HS and Nebraska. His assistant Larry Drew played at Wyandotte HS and the University of Missouri. Hopefully, I haven’t overlooked any active player or coach.

You can only see so much

If you read or heard Rudy Gobert or Draymond Green were outstanding NBA players, you would agree. You might concur with this statement because annually the two earn defensive honors in the NBA. That is the problem for much of basketball, on the offensive side we can see proof of value. “Jack is averaging 30 points a game” or “Jack is shooting 60% from the floor” or “Jack snatched 20 rebounds during the game.” Those stats and others are readily available for us basketball fans to see. The defensive effort of a team or player is often more difficult to verify, another example. It was said at the time he played “Magic Johnson was not a good defensive player but plays good team defense.”

On the other hand, Gary Payton was nicknamed “The Glove” because as an individual he was a great defender. Back to our view, it doesn’t matter if we attend the game or see it on television it’s pace is so fast, we often missed stuff. In addition, 99% of the time the camera is focused on the player dribbling the basketball and the defender. It’s nearly impossible to see defensive facets of the game ahead of time, the pick or steal of the ball. Former Knick point guard and now broadcaster Walt Frazier was a great defender. He admitted while in college one semester grades caused him to be ineligible to play. His coach still had Frazier on the court but informed him “You need to concentrate on defense.” Playing tough hard-nosed defense is certainly not going to place you in the public’s eye as if you were a scoring champion. Defense indeed wins championships we only need to ask the 2022 NBA champion Warriors.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

Change a brewing?

Laker coach Darvin Ham indicates he’s been given carte blanche regarding Russell Westbrook. The story caused me to search out answers from Kansas City members of Laker Nation. This is the question I posed, “It appears at least for now the Lakers are unable to locate a trading partner for Westbrook, based on the Ham story what if? Westbrook is removed from the starting unit and is placed in a reserve role.    The two members I contacted were in agreement, and this represents their combined view.

“There might be too much pressure on Westbrook on the floor with LeBron and AD to perform. He’s never going to be the floor leader with LeBron on the court at the same time. Coming off the bench with the reserves they would look toward him for leadership and distribution of the ball, there would be less pressure on Westbrook to produce.” Naturally this view represents a "suppose", what occurs if this role is presented to him, and he rejects it? We certainly don’t have the answer however it becomes fun speculating on the possibility. What do you think, could this work for the Lakers in your view…think about it?

Wilt numbers

You know how good Wilt Chamberlain was, on the other hand perhaps you should check out these individual game totals. Most reading this are familiar with the 100-point game he scored against the Knicks in March 1962; Chamberlain wore the jersey of the Philadelphia Warriors at the time. There are other single game highs for The Dipper that are astronomical.  How about these single season game records for Chamberlain, 55 rebounds or this one, 21 assists and 25 blocked shots?

We’ve read stories claiming Chamberlain was selfish and only interested in his offensive effort i.e., he was not a team player. The latter three figures might dispute the fact Chamberlain was only interested in his offensive output. I can hear the naysayers as this is being written, “Sure he was able to accomplish those numbers there were only 8 teams including the Warriors during much of his career.” Say it if you wish, you will get no argument from me. Truth is if you demote the Chamberlain effort chances are really good, I’ll ignore.    

A connection

Mizzou received a verbal commitment from point guard Anthony Robinson II 2023 prospect recently. While researching background on the youngster his high school coaches name was mentioned in an account. My first thought, the name Charlie Ward sounds familiar to me. Depending on your age or basketball knowledge the name might be unfamiliar to many of you reading this. Robinson’s high school coach was an outstanding football player at Florida State back in the day.

Ward was the winner of the 1993 Heisman Trophy winner while quarterbacking Florida State University. Despite his football excellence Ward’s pro career would be on the basketball court rather than the gridiron. Ward had a 12-year career most of it spent with the Knicks as a point guard the same position Robinson II plays. Back to Robinson II a moment, we don’t have any idea if he can adjust to the college game, rest assured we believe he’s been taught. This is certainly different; few high school athletes can lay claim to the fact their coach played the game at the professional level.

The wrong guy

This is funny now all these years later, the statement made by Ron Harper. The former guard claims it should have been him guarding Michael Jordan on the shot rather than Craig Ehlo. MJ with ice water in his veins took the shot that won Game 5 in 1989 against the Cavs but wait there’s more. 6-foot 6-inch Harper then with the Cavs was a pretty good defender, he wanted to guard MJ on the inbound play. During the timeout they were discussing strategy on the sidelines.

Harper claims he asked coach Lenny Wilkins to allow him to guard MJ. He was overruled by the coach who wanted Craig Ehlo also 6 foot 6 and a good defender. Of course, this is “what if history” for Harper, Jordan might have still sunk the winning basket it didn’t matter who watched him. As for the game total it was 44 points (including the winner) along with 9 rebounds and 6 assists. It is interesting years later MJ and Harper would become teammates on several championship Bulls teams.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5WUOnTxwPw&t=7s

This is the landscape today

Illinois native Matas Buzelis all 6 foot 10 of him is a Rivals 5-star prospect in the Class of 2023. He’s the number 6 player in the nation according to this source so that provides you an idea of the small forwards projected talent. Buzelis will be a senior at Sunrise Christian Academy in Wichita once school begins. The talented youngster has offers from 17 schools across the nation from Arizona to Wisconsin alphabetically. Despite the substantial number of schools, he’s decided his aspiration is a pro career immediately.

Buzelis announced recently instead of heading off to college in the fall he is signing with G-League Team Elite. He intends to begin to play as a pro immediately after graduation rather than spend a year in college or Australia. Information update for some, there were two players from Elite chosen in the 2022 NBA draft, number 8 pick Dyson Daniels by the Pelicans and number 24 MarJon Beauchamp chosen by the Bucks.   

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

Retire the number

I want to make this clear, I didn’t originate this proposal. I read somewhere a member of the media proposed the NBA retire number 6 in honor of Bill Russell. If you follow other sports, you are aware major league baseball has retired Jackie Robinson’s 42. Major League Baseball teams can no longer issue that number to any future player. If this number retirement is implemented by the NBA, it would appear only LeBron James of the Lakers would be affected. Just in case you wondered this is no formal proposal only conversation.  

She would have had a problem

It would have been unbearable for Fox media host Laura Ingraham a generation ago. I don’t remember the issue but whatever it was Ingraham was not pleased. LeBron James had spoken on an issue and the position LeBron took was upsetting to her. She made the statement which has become classic, “Shut up and dribble” which she aimed at LeBron. Ingraham’s head would explode if she had NFL running back Jim Brown, heavyweight champion Muhammed Ali, basketball player Kareem Abdul Jabbar and the late Bill Russell to contend with. Russell despite his basketball celebrity was in the forefront of the civil rights movement. In addition, he attended the 1963 March on Washington where Dr. King gave his “I have a dream speech.”

The Presidential Medal of Freedom presented to Russell by President Obama might have been more for Russell’s social activism than his play on the basketball court. One site I read stated Russell was an “Activist for the ages” which certainly fit the path he set for himself. It might be taken for granted in today’s climate, we are accustomed to celebrities being politically and socially involved. In the America of the 1950’s and 1960’s that often wasn’t the case. There were a number of brave souls who were willing to sacrifice their career for the betterment of all. It’s not unusual for athletes to become free agents today, back then it was totally unheard of. In baseball Curt Flood sacrificed his career in order to fight the reserve clause which bound players to a team unless traded or released. Although it certainly was a different time Laura Ingraham would find it difficult to have been a media member back then. William Felton Russell, the man who transformed basketball and helped transform America’s social and civil rights stance.

Is he The One?

Those who saw the 1999 hit movie The Matrix will remember the premise of the story. Morpheus leader of the rebels was attempting to convince Neo in the early portion of the movie his belief that Neo was the One. The leader of the rebel group took him to the Oracle he was so convinced in his belief, as the story unfolds, we discover Neo is indeed who Morpheus believed him to be. By now your are scratching your head wondering "What is this movies connection to basketball?" Allow me to explain, since long-time coach Norm Stewart was forced into retirement (or fired depending on your view) the basketball program’s been on a roller-coaster. Athletic Directors over the years have hired coaches they believed would provide stability and continue winning. Sidebar here for fans especially those on the west side of State Line Road.

Despite what you might believe Norm Stewart was a successful basketball coach (731-375), naysayers love to point out he and successors have never won an NCAA Championship. Ponder this a moment, how many active coaches have an NCAA Championship on their resume? I’ll give you to the count of 20 to name them, the road to a championship is not as easy as might be perceived. In addition, the best team doesn’t always win the big game. Examples might be the 1983 North Carolina State win over the Houston Cougars or how about this one, in 1985 Villanova’s upset victory over the Georgetown Hoyas. In any event back to our account, has Mizzou AD Desiree Reed-Francois made a good hire in Dennis Gates? Is Gates similar to Neo The One Mizzou fans have waited since the departure of Stewart in 1999. I believe this to be true, Mizzou fans have been patient, they just want a winning coach and a winning program…is that too much to ask for? Most of Mizzou Nation hope Gates in the manner of Neo is The One.

Las Vegas is there…perhaps 

I missed this news release back in March of 2022. Tim Leiweke CEO of Oak View Group announced the purchase of 25 acres in Las Vegas and the intent is to build a $3 billion sports and entertainment district. Included in the plan is a 20,000-seat arena which might be the driving force for this project, this becomes a strong statement of fact. Why would any organization spend that amount of money without something pending?

NBA Commissioner Silver is keeping his cards close in order to keep us from seeing the hand he’s holding. He continues with the same statement, " There is no NBA expansion for the immediate future." On the other hand, the UNLV Rebels could have a second home i.e., a brand-new 20,000 seat arena. For those who might be unfamiliar with Oak View and Tim Leiweke this little note. Leiweke has long been associated with professional sports in a number of different settings over the years. This Las Vegas venture becomes one more project for the ever-resourceful Tim Leiweke and company.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

A legend gone

The nation and the basketball world received the sad news early Sunday afternoon. The legendary Bill Russell who spent his entire playing career as a member of the Celtics died at the age of 88. A quick but unthorough search indicates only teammates Bob Cousy, Satch Sanders and Don Nelson remain, all the others have gone on to glory. The difference for me Russell was ever present at NBA events, we believed he defied the ages. It was just this past June when he appeared at the NBA Finals to present the Bill Russell MVP Trophy to Steph Curry.

I cannot make known the number of accolades this giant of a man accomplished on the basketball court and life; I’m going to allow media members to do that for me. This view I’m sure everyone is in agreement; the NBA was a semi-pro league in a sense until the fall of 1956. Russell had been drafted by the St. Louis Hawks and the shrewd Red Auerbach Celtic coach managed to trade for him. He arrived in the NBA a winner having led the University of San Francisco to the 1955 and 1956 NCAA Championship. The NBA and the basketball world changed forever from that point on, we can state with conviction Russell was the key to Celtic Championships and defense being emphasized in the NBA. 11 NBA Championships in 13 years is an unparalleled record and certainly one which will never be duplicated.

Dance with the one who brung you

The headline above is reported to be Texas talk, those from the Lone Star State talk different than many other Americans. This saying might have been popularized by former Texas football coach Darrell Royal. What I discovered is interesting Royal didn’t originate it, there was a song in the 1920’s titled “I’m going to dance with the one who brung me.” The definition of the term, “Be considerate and loyal to the one who has been supportive, attentive, or helpful to you.”

In this instance we speak of the NBA and broadcast partner TNT and the association with Charles Barkley. Barkley was reported to have entertained the idea of going to work as a broadcaster for the LIV Tour. What’s wrong with this picture, several things for me. Number one Barkley is a terrible golfer, I might not agree with his take on basketball, but I can admit there was skill when he played. He knew how to play basketball I cannot in good conscience make that same statement about his golfing ability. In any event Barkley was reported to have said thanks but no thanks to the job. Barkley’s ability on the basketball court far outweigh his ability on the links, Charles you need to Dance with the one who brung you.

This story is quite interesting

There are two major components that make for a great college basketball team. The first is a school with a winning program but probably more important is the coach in my view. This statement offers us an account that might affirm that theory. At the time Derrick Rose was in high school he was such an outstanding prospect there were a great number of colleges offering him a scholarship. How did he wind up at Memphis, the schools produced some good teams but certainly not on the level of Blue Blood programs?   

At that period of time Rose was being recruited by basketball programs at North Carolina, Duke, Kansas and several other schools with offers. It was the then coach at Memphis who sold him on the program John Calipari. Rose who grew up in Chicago could have remained in the state and attend the University of Illinois but Bruce Weber then coach lost the opportunity. Rose claims Weber recruited him but didn’t wish to visit him at home. On the other hand, Calipari was different, he maintains Calipari showed up at “his house in a Hummer and everything.” Rose never elaborated on what the “everything was.” Makes us wonder if this generation of athletes might be as impressed as Rose was back in 2007.

“I don’t get no respect!” 

The Rodney Dangerfield line is used once again and maybe that is the case for these Warriors. Despite winning bunches of championships, it appears they must believe they don’t receive enough respect. I wondered if Steph Curry comprehended how dominate Shaquille O’Neal was back in the day. His proclamation the Durant Warriors could have beaten the 2001 champion Lakers is a little difficult to understand. The game was different back in Shaq’s time, as for Curry we discover the Warriors sharpshooter was 4 years old at the time Shaq first began play for the Magic.

At the time the Lakers won it all in 2001 Curry was a youthful 13-year-old. It’s not only Curry, but his teammate Draymond Green also has a heightened view of his Warrior team as well. Green claims these same Durant Warriors could have beaten either the 1998 champion Bulls or their Jazz opponents. The key is defense, I don’t believe either teammate contemplates how different NBA defenses were then. In all seriousness Curry and Green are certainly entitled to their opinion of this subject but the key. Many of us saw those teams in action and have difficulty believing the Durant Warriors would have beaten the Lakers, Bulls or Jazz in a series.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

He played basketball too…and must have been pretty good 

The baseball journey of Jackie Robinson became known to much of the general populace in 2013. This statement is based on the late Chadwick Boseman portraying Robinson in the movie titled 42. It dealt with the time frame when Robinson broke the color barrier in baseball and provided a glimpse of the turmoil Robinson faced in 1947 America. The part unknown to many is Robinson was a generational athlete, in fact many claim baseball was not his best sport. He played football, ran track and yes Robinson also played basketball at UCLA. While playing basketball Robinson led the Southern Division in the Pacific Coast Conference in scoring in 1940 and 1941.

Check out these quotes from the Sporting News; “Robinson formed the nucleus of a fast-breaking attack, stated the 1941 UCLA Yearbook.” And this one, “The first player who I ever saw dunking as part of his game was Jackie Robinson, former New York Renaissance player John Isaacs stated.” Finally, “A lighting dribbler and glue-fingered ball handler, his terrific speed makes it impossible for one man to hold him in check.” When Robinson returned from World War II, he would resume his baseball career but not much is publicized about his other sport or even mentioned. When the Monarchs season concluded Robinson would join the pro Los Angeles Red Devils.

This pro basketball team was working toward joining the National Basketball League. Standing 5 foot 11 Robinson was a starter for the Red Devils at the forward position. How good was he, its reported Abe Saperstein then owner of the Globetrotters offered Robinson $10,000 to play for his team about $132,000 in today’s money? White teams had been playing black teams for years and many black players had received invitations from pro leagues. In 1947 America baseball was the nations favorite pastime and the opportunity to play baseball rather than basketball must have prevailed with Robinson. Thus concludes the brief history of Jack Roosevelt Robinson and his basketball background. Was Robinson talented enough to have played pro basketball, the question is unanswered but those who saw him play claim he was that good.

The end

This is written at the end of July, so nothing’s been finalized. Perhaps Jay Huff signing an Exhibit 10 contract just might signal the end of Dwight Howard’s time with the Lakers, allow a brief introduction to Huff. He’s a 23-year-old 7-foot 1 center, Huff played collegiately at Virginia and split time between the South Bay Lakers and the parent club. It was mentioned earlier the acquisition of centers Thomas Bryant (age 24) and Damian Jones (age 27) during the free agent signing period. In addition to these centers there is Anthony Davis also available to be the backup, backup center.

The statement is made because AD’s made it known playing center is not one of favorites. He’s reluctantly indicated if called on he would fill the position. If we exclude AD, we could state the Lakers are raw but young at the center position. Huff might be a long shot to earn a roster spot, he might spend the majority of his season with the South Bay Lakers. With AD available the Lakers are probably not going to carry three centers this upcoming season. At the center position apparently its youth being served it’s likely 36-year-old Dwight Howard might not be re-signed. This is certainly not to say Howard’s NBA career is over, this just might be The end of his time with the Lakers.  

It’s not too late

Why did Emoni Bates wind up at Eastern Michigan rather than Michigan State or some other program after leaving Memphis? This is not intended as a knock at the school, but why here? We continue to read reports indicating Bates became a prima donna in name only. It’s okay to talk the talk but you must be able to walk the walk as well, we read he fails to work at his craft. These reports are unconfirmed, so we have no method to document them. In addition, there is the father factor that might have brought about a portion of Bates issues, there are two aspects that stand out thus far. Dad pulling him out of Lincoln High School and enrolling Bates at Ypsi Prep Academy a school begun by his father. As a high school sophomore Bates had won the Gatorade National Player of the Year.

Reclassification, this occurs all the time, an athlete moves up one level in order to be immediately eligible to play in college. If Bates remained at his previous level, he would have graduated in the Class of 2022. He just might have been overmatched as a 17-year-old entering college at Memphis. That’s the bad, now for the good part. Bates is still incredibly young; he will not turn 19 until January 2023 which gives him adequate time to make changes to his game and improve his work ethic. I hate to admit this, LaVar Ball did an incredibly decent job training his offspring, few can claim two son’s in the NBA as Ball is able to claim. As parents we desire the best for our children, it appears Elgin Bates should back away from his son and allow Stan Heath and staff to coach his son. Finally, the youngster must refine his game to fit the best interests of Eastern Michigan rather than Emoni Bates.

Headed to Michigan State

Xavier Booker a 5-star prospect and number one in Rivals 2023 class has made his decision.  The 6-foot 11 215-pound power forward from Indianapolis has decided it’s Michigan State to play for coach Tom Izzo. Booker joins 4-star prospect and number 61 Jeremy Fears Jr. a 6-foot 160-pound point guard. Reported to be “leaning” toward Michigan State is Devin Royal a 6 foot 6 inch small forward, he’s also a Class of 2023 prospect and number 87 on Rivals list.       

A few might remember our discussion on scouting 

We don’t know this to be a fact however it appears Victor Wembanyama will be at the top of the 2023 NBA draft. The 7-foot 3-inch power forward checks in at 230 pounds and has a 7-foot 9-inch wingspan, a few are referring to him as a generational player. Some claim he might be the best prospect since LeBron James, is he overhyped? You must be the judge of this however it appears all the tools are in place except in a few eyes. Check the following, two observations from scouts and their assessment of the French youngster.

Scouting Report A: “Think Rudy Gobert mixed with Kevin Durant and Anthony Davis. That’s what Wembanyama is projected to be. If you think that comp is too outrageous, then how about a larger Giannis Antetokounmpo without any weaknesses.”

Scouting Report B: “Currently there is not enough information to project Wemby’s NBA future with high confidence since he has such a polarizing profile and is still so young (18 years). (“2023 NBA Mock Draft 1.0: Predicting both rounds, starting with Victor ...”) But the one thing that is clear is that he is not a generational prospect.”

Surely the scouting report from the two must lie somewhere in between. If we look at the Report B we could ask the question, “why must a future athlete be a generational prospect?” Further yet, how many generational players have there been over the years? We could certainly consider LeBron James and the late Kobe Bryant in that category. Much earlier we might count Wilt Chamberlain, Oscar Robertson and Bill Russell in the number.

Are there more, of course we may have omitted a few however the number is quite minor compared to the total who played the game in the past up to the present day? In the recent past Isiah Thomas was a front office executive with the Raptors. Tracy McGrady declared for the draft out of high school, and this was Thomas. He’d missed drafting a prospect previously and indicated he was determined to not allow a potential talent to pass. What did Thomas do when it came the Raptors turn to draft, you got it, his choice was McGrady. 

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

Are we led to believe there is smoke somewhere?

Several reading this might not be familiar with the saying, “Where there’s smoke there is fire.” In lay terms it simply states if you suspect something it might be true. That is the case for Bill Self and Kansas basketball, allow a further explanation. Mr. College Basketball Dick Vitale says enough is enough, he claims if the NCAA cannot (or will not) charge the basketball team with any wrongdoing they should drop the charges. Strange as it might seem this Mizzou fan agrees with Dickey V. with the following exceptions. The NCAA originally charged Kansas basketball with five (5) level one violations five being the most serious.

Yet in nearly four years the NCAA has done absolutely nothing which says is there really anything of substance? On the other hand, this is the bother to many, and you will read and hear it in some circles. “The NCAA loves to punish the many Podunk Universities throughout the nation but won’t dare touch blue blood basketball programs like Kentucky, Kansas, Duke and North Carolina.” I make this statement with tentative reservations and state I must agree with Vitale, the NCAA has proven nothing they should drop the case. If they have evidence of wrongdoing to present to Self, Kansas basketball and college basketball fans across the nation they need to produce it.

How to determine

There are many examples to factors for us to determine if a player has made it in the NBA. Being drafted certainly must be at the top of the list but even that can be somewhat misleading depending on the circumstances. As an example, Austin Reaves of the Lakers and Fred VanVleet Raptors guard were not drafted yet earned roster positions, that can determine you’ve made it as well. There are likely other examples overlooked but there is a single key in my view.

A signature shoe might be a determining factor, after all of the 400+ NBA players every season very few have their own shoe. For me, a shoe determines you've made it, Air Jordan, LeBron 19, KD 14 plus Kobe’s and numerous others are examples. It would be difficult to finalize the total however the number of signature shoes is nowhere near 400. We now have another signature shoe on the market, the Jordan Luka 1 has been introduced. Yes, number 77 Luka Doncic of the Mavs now has his own shoe.

Serbia in da house

I didn’t realize 35 players from Serbia have been drafted by NBA teams. The 2022 draft was no different except the one player chosen, his name sounds similar to that of Nikola Jokic a.k.a. “The Joker.” NBA fans are very familiar with Jokic who’s been an integral part of Nuggets success. “The Joker” as he’s nicknamed has won two NBA MVP’s in a row. There are a number of Serbians in the NBA but this one’s name is really close to that of Jokic.

The June draft saw the Miami Heat select Nikola Jovic as the 27^th pick in the first round. Jokic is a skillful passer and 3-point threat, as for fellow countryman Jovic he stands 6 foot 10 223 pounds and plays the small forward position. What is most interesting Jokic was born in Sombor, in the northwest section of this eastern European nation. As for Jovic technically we could claim he’s British however that is not the case. Although he was born in Leicester England, he grew up in Serbia. Jovic’s father was playing basketball at the time and the youngster was born in 2003.   

The Lakers

This is written before or after Russell Westbrook, he could be history by the time you read this. On the other hand, he could still be a Laker (which is the case) by the time you read this. We could make the same statement about Kyrie Irving he might be or maybe not. Both might represent the short-term outlook but unlike some in Laker Nation I’m looking ahead. So far ahead LeBron James might be retired and is presently the owner of the Las Vegas NBA franchise. Well maybe not quite that far but if we look at the team on July 6 it is quite interesting. The Lakers have gone from a dinosaur team to a more youthful version.

Of all the roster additions to date Juan Toscano-Anderson picked up from the Warriors is the oldest at an “elderly” 29 years of age. With a youth plan in full effect will the Lakers be a factor in the Western Conference race. This answer, it depends on a number of factors which cannot be detailed in this short space. It’s my belief the Lakers are a “tweener” team at this point, they are light years younger than last season but also have a veteran presence with LeBron James, Anthony Davis and others. This will be Darvin Ham’s team win or lose, I prefer to accentuate the positive with the emphasis on wins. Barring major injuries this Laker team will compete, they will earn a playoff berth. There is no method at this point to assess beyond a playoff berth.

That was the future, as for the present Russell Westbrook remains a Laker, this despite the apparent effort to trade him. What should occur if the Lakers are “forced” to play him in the upcoming season? New coach Darvin Ham claims at least to the media “He’s pleased having Westbrook on his team.” This story contains a bunch of moving parts and the one most enticing is the following. Did you realize the trio of LeBron, AD and Westbrook played a grand total of 21 games last season? This is certainly no excuse for the poor shooting of Westbrook, but he was forced by default to be the focal point of the Laker offense.  

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

Mark your calendar

Mizzou’s Dennis Gates will coach his first Braggin Rights Game on Thursday, December 22nd. The   annual game will be played at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis. For those unacquainted the game takes place every basketball season between the University of Illinois and the University of Missouri the two states which share a border. The December game is the 53^rd meeting between the teams, Illinois is the all-time leader with 33 wins versus 19 losses. Despite the heavy favor of Illinois in the series Mizzou’s won three of the last four games.

What now

That might be the question surrounding Talen-Horton Tucker at this time.  Tucker was a second-round pick in the 2019 draft, despite almost missing the draft (46^th) the Lakers securing him in a trade led us to believe the Iowa State guard/small forward was a budding talent. Since that time, we are unsure exactly how Tucker fits into the long-range plans of the Lakers. He is still only 21 years of age despite now having three NBA seasons in his brief career.

The question is raised regarding Tucker for this reason alone, two years ago the Lakers had three untouchables on the roster. They were LeBron, AD and Tucker but that appears to have changed. Several trade scenarios have Tuckers name mentioned in various draft proposals, has time run out for the 6-foot 4 235-pound prospect? Speaking of the Lakers as this was being completed came this word. On the Monday edition I wrote my belief Shareef O’Neal was not ready to play for the parent club, sure enough that is the case. Late Monday afternoon an announcement was made O’Neal has signed with G-League Team Elite.

The Full Monty

This is really no reference to the 1997 hit movie, this Full Monty is a brief profile of Suns coach Monty Williams. The team has agreed on a long-time extension, the coach was in the second year of a five contract. The Suns were treading water at the time Williams took over, they hadn’t drowned but were close. 19 wins the previous season became 39 wins under the new coach, from that point on its been onward and upward. Although the Suns failed to play for the NBA championship for the second year in a row, they actually exceeded their win total.

The Suns went from 51 wins the previous year to 64 this past season. Monty Williams is a player’s coach however don’t allow that statement to fool you, he will confront a player he believes needs correction, ask DeAndre Ayton. He once was head coach of the Pelicans but was fired because the team did not improve under his leadership. Williams also proves to us a firing doesn’t entail the end of the world, just check out his present status. It’s my belief each stop would become a growth life station for the coach. After his firing he became an assistant at Oklahoma City and then Philadelphia prior to taking over the Suns. Monty Williams, a winner in more than basketball.

A record never matched

Whenever we discuss records about to be eclipsed there is always excitement whether it’s an individual or team record. We make note the significance of the accomplishment and it ends there. A considerable number of records exist in all sports, some of which we can loudly proclaim, “That record will never be broken.”    Recently we uncovered one held by former NBA great Hakeem Olajuwon who spent the bulk of his career as a member of the Houston Rockets. The record was set in 1994 and there are several belonging to Olajuwon set that year. The records are not unique it’s the fact they were established in that 1994 season.

NBA MVP

NBA Defensive Player of the Year

NBA Finals MVP

NBA Champion

 In addition to the honors noted above Olajuwon was honored in another area, he was elected to the NBA’s 50^th and 75 Anniversary Team’s.

Bits n Pieces 

Where is he, the “he” in this instance is a reference to 7-foot 3 Kai Sotto, based on reports we read and heard we didn’t expect him to be drafted last month. Despite that belief we expected an NBA team would sign him to a 2-way contract and we’d see him in action in summer play. That didn’t occur either so his effort to be the first native born Filipino in the NBA is sidetracked for a period of time. Sotto represents an NBA change, the modern version has become more suited to stretch four Big Men. Despite the change there is a belief there is room for him at the NBA level. We don’t know this to be a fact however Tacko Fall remains a member of the Utah Jazz, surely Sotto is near the same stage in development. We continue to search for news regarding Sotto and will provide future updates.

The Suns wrote DeAndre Ayton a huge check, i.e., signing him to an extension. Ayton was a free agent and the Pacers reached out to him offering a contract. Rather than allowing him to walk the Suns decided to match the offer assuring number 22 would remain in The Valley of the Sun. The unusual part of the story for me is the set of circumstances. We read there was displeasure with the effort made by Ayton in the playoffs. One report indicates he and coach Monty Williams had a verbal confrontation. That and maybe other issues appear “over” as Ayton has expressed, he is happy with remaining with the Suns. The future of the Suns rest almost entirely on the shoulders of Chris Paul, similar to LeBron he’s one year older. Can Ayton play up to the level of a quality Big Man, we shall see how this turns out next season.

What is an Exhibit 10 contract, since I had no idea didn’t research was required? Perhaps a number of you were familiar with it, as for me and others this is the definition, I was able to locate:

“An Exhibit 10 contract is a one-year, minimum salary NBA contract. The deal has a particular Exhibit 10 attached to it and bonuses come along with it. This attachment is included in the contract after both the sides (team and the player) have agreed to it.”

 “An Exhibit 10 contract gives a franchise the flexibility to convert it into a two-way deal, but the team has to ensure that it happens before the commencement of the regular season. Exhibit 10 deals are usually non-guaranteed, which means the team can waive the player and get the cap hit off their payroll.” *

*https://www.sportskeeda.com/basketball/what-exhibit-10-contract-nba

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

Eddyville

This is a town of 2,500 souls located 40 some miles east of Paducah Kentucky. Despite the population apparently Eddyville is home to one of the best basketball players in the State of Kentucky. That player would be Travis Perry entering his junior year at Lyon County High School in the fall, Rivals.com rates Perry a 4-star prospect in the Class of 2024. The 6-foot 2-inch point guard has 13 scholarship offers waiting for him? The most significant offer might be from his home state Kentucky Wildcats but wait there is more. Recently one of the schools with an offer for Perry is the University of Missouri. Good ole Mizzou right in the middle of Big Blue Nation attempting to entice one of their native son’s to Columbia.

We are quite a distance from 2024 but this is the significance of the effort, the continued aggressiveness of Dennis Gates and staff in recruiting potential talent. Take it from this member of Mizzou Nation memory says there might not have been a single coach in history attempt to recruit a Kentucky athlete. This number would include long-time coach Norm Stewart. In all likelihood Perry decides on Kentucky or somewhere else among the many offers. Mark this down, we don’t know whether Gates will produce a winner, this we do know…he and his staff are quite aggressive attempting to recruit talent. Because a prospect lives in a particular state fails to take into consideration, he’s bound to attend that school. We can look at incoming Mizzou freshman Aiden Shaw from Stillwell Kansas in metro Kansas City. 

He's not ready

I attempted to provide an assessment of Lakers who might possibly be added to the parent clubs regular season roster based on summer play. One of the names you might have noted missing from the list was Shareef O’Neal. There is certainly no intent on my part to claim he’s limited or no talent; young O’Neal has size and bulk (6 foot 10 & 225 pounds). The issue, we are unsure how much his heart surgery might have impacted his development as a player.

His dad certainly was not thrilled with the idea of Shareef attempting an NBA career at least at this point. I will be shocked if he earns a spot on the parent club, with that said we could entertain several alternatives for O’Neal. The first of course would be to play for the G-League South Bay Lakers, the second would be an either-or scenario, he could head for Australia or Europe to continue developing his game. O’Neal is yet to reach the crossroads of his very brief career, but he must prove to NBA GM’s he’s got skill enough to play at this level even in a reserve role.

Kansas City Kings?

I know, the franchise left my hometown in 1985, it’s been my contention for a number of years they made a huge mistake. That mistake indirectly led them to leave for the greener pastures of Sacramento, allow this explanation. The American Basketball Association was going out of business in 1976 there is no doubt, the league had been hemorrhaging money in an attempt to compete with the established NBA. As mentioned previously the Nets, Pacers, Spurs and Nuggets were absorbed into the NBA. What about the remaining players, a number of exceptionally talented players whose teams folded had and uncertain future in front of them. The NBA decided a dispersal draft was necessary for the remaining players, the names were placed in a pool. The draft would be conducted in this manner, the NBA team with the worst record would draw first and so forth and so on. 

The Bulls, Blazers and Kansas City Kings were one, two, three that season. The Bulls would draft Artis Gilmore who was 26-years old at the time. Gilmore would provide the Bulls outstanding play as a 7-foot 2-inch scoring and defensive center. Next up the Blazers who chose power forward Maurice Lucas he might have been one of the strongest players in the league. Some years later Lucas would be one of the key members who aided the Blazers in winning their only NBA championship to date. It was a different NBA back then, why choose a guard when there were so many quality Big Men available? That’s exactly what the Kings did, they picked a very serviceable Ron Boone who stood 6 foot 2 inches. 

Boone provided valuable play to the Kings but compared to what Moses Malone would accomplish brought his team and NBA championship and him into the Hall of Fame. The Pistons made their pick choosing Marvin Barnes and then the Blazers turn again. They chose 6-foot 10 inch 21-year-old Moses Malone, although they didn’t keep him Malone would go on to a Hall of Fame career with the Rockets and Sixers. It’s my contention Kings management believed a Ron Boone would not be as cost prohibitive as a Moses Malone. I can only imagine what might have occurred if the Kings made the right choice in 1976. The team might have eventually become a contender and Sacramento could still be wishing for an NBA franchise. Oh well, revisionist history only placates me (and maybe others in the city).  

You heard the same story’s I heard

A large number of people claim the late Kobe Bryant was not a good teammate. They were quite critical despite having little if any firsthand information. Laker coach Phil Handy provided us insight into the Mamba mentality with these words. “I (Handy) asked him why he was such an as*hole. He said “some teammates don’t understand the work. I see dudes walk in 10 mins before practice & leave right after. Why the fu*k am I gonna pass them the ball?

I don’t respect their work ethic. I’m busting my as* & they don’t wanna work.” We know how that works don’t we, this was posted just recently. Kobe passed in January 2020 yet in reading Handy’s words in 2022 there are many who continue to find fault with the mentality Kobe possessed. How about being the best version of yourself possible? Even that might be difficult for some. From my perch I can only say this, confidence in some instances is perceived as arrogance. That is not always the case there are some who work on a higher plane, the part I could see Kobe might be guilty, he didn’t raise the level of many of his teammates around him as much as he should have. 

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

You don’t say

Recently it was brought to our attention Ben Wallace is in the Naismith Hall of Fame, he went undrafted. Wallace played college basketball, but it was the NBA where he distinguished himself. Not too unusual a number of players have managed NBA careers without being drafted. This one is certainly unusual, but a further explanation unfolds, an athlete playing Division I basketball with no high school play in his past. That is the case for Ken Olewiler who will begin play this fall at New Mexico State as a walk-on athlete.

The account is not quite as impossible as it might first seem. According to an account there was a basketball background, the 6 foot 4 Olewiler played JV for three years but didn’t play his senior year due to a transfer issue. We are further informed he was an AAU player throughout his high school years and played at a Division II school for a season. Similar to many Olewiler believed he was more skilled hence the transfer to NMSU. So never say never, anything is possible. 

In his image?

It appears Danny Ainge is re-making the Utah Jazz in his “own” image. The first move might be that of long-time coach Quin Snyder, he resigned but possibly forced out of his job. The next move was trading perennial All-Star Rudy Gobert to the Wolves. In a holding pattern is All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell who is waiting in the wings to be traded. These are the series of events over the last year, June 2, 2021, Ainge announced his retirement from the Celtics. Ainge announced Brad Stevens would take over in his place as president of basketball operations for the Celtics. Six months later December 2021 Ainge was hired as CEO of basketball operations for the Jazz.

As you can see by the dates Ainge took over operations after the 2021-22 season had started, from this December date up to the June resignation (or firing) of Snyder, Ainge apparently made moves he believed needed to occur. Later during the free agent period Gobert was traded, roughly from that point up to this account Mitchell’s name has been mentioned in a multitude of possible trades. Whether Mitchell returns or not has yet to be determined. With the moves covered including the hire of a new coach we can see the Jazz have been molded in the manner Ainge sees proper. As for the future success that’s a matter of production on the court. We are unsure if there will be a repeat 49-33 record or anywhere close to it.

We understand but…

The Royals and Chiefs made news off the field, both teams envision new stadiums in their future. These moves might cause catastrophe problems in Kansas City Missouri. Elements across State Line have made overtures regarding the team move to the Kansas side of the metro, naturally civic elements on the Missouri side are not pleased although nothing is yet to be finalized. This move is light years different from that of the Royals, the baseball team wants a downtown stadium which is also understandable. The Power & Light District has revitalized downtown but the problem in building a new baseball stadium who pays? So far Royals owner John Sherman has expressed his desire for this new venue but as far as we know has pledged no dollars to any building effort.

The next portion we discuss contains accounts discussed much earlier, the Warriors Chase Center which opened in 2019 was constructed with no public funds, the Intuit Dome which is the future home of the Clippers is being built. No public funds are being expended in this project, now a new project has been announced. The Sixers are looking at a move from Wells Fargo center their home since 1996. A development plan was revealed for a new arena to possibly open in 2031-32, this new arena would be constructed with no public funds to be expended.

Do you see a similar theme in this account, three arenas one in operation one under construction and another planned for the future? Citizens have not (Chase Center & Intuit Dome) spent a dime of their tax money to date, the same story will occur in Philadelphia should this project be finalized. Back to Kansas City a moment, GEHA Arrowhead and Kaufmann Stadium are 50 years old. Each has been renovated over the years however team owners envision additional revenue should they move to a new location. Owners have a financial investment in their teams and that is understandable, on the other hand taxpayers have often been held hostage if they don’t succumb to owners demands for new buildings or additions. In neither account Chiefs nor Royals have we’ve heard a commitment from ownership indicating they were willing to pay all or any portion of construction costs.

???

Steph Curry is a future Hall of Fame member no doubt. Despite the statement he’s off base in my opinion on this subject, allow an explanation. According to him the Kevin Durant Warriors 2017 edition could have beaten the 2001 Lakers. Curry claimed that Warriors team could have beaten the Lakers, well almost anything is possible. Almost anything except beating the 2001 Lakers, think not…consider this fact. There is no way Draymond Green, or JaVale McGee would have stopped a dominating Shaq down low.

Perhaps Curry fails to take into consideration the game was different back then. Unlike now the game was inside-out rather than outside-in as now. That Warriors team certainly could shoot the 3 at a more efficient level than the Lakers but wait there is more. Klay Thompson contending with a young healthy Kobe Bryant, would they simply neutralize one another. Ron Harper arrived at the same time of coach Phil Jackson, Harper at the point would contend with the swift and efficient Curry. Several might not be aware or as a reminder to others Harper was a great defender. Certainly not as fast as Curry but maybe a better defender. Who guards Durant…that might be the one area the Warriors have a clear advantage?

Would it be enough of an advantage to beat those Lakers…I don’t think so? There is one area we cannot expound in great detail, the reserve units for both teams. How about team defense, the Warriors won their recent championship offensively and especially defending the ball. They might not have ever seen the type of stifling defense a Phil Jackson team can hang on its opponents. Sorry Mr. Curry many of us believe you are off course on this one. This comment was made which has no direct connection, despite this I believe it was worth closing the story. “Karl-Anthony Towns says he and teammate Anthony Edwards need to play at “Shaq and Kobe” level.” That just about says it all for me and others, I’m sure.