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Love and Happiness

This certainly didn’t exist yesterday in Minnesota, Rudy Gobbert and Kyle Anderson got into a physical confrontation. In the end Gobbert hit Anderson and this takes place on the bench for the fans and a television audience to witness. That wasn’t the end of strange events, Jaden McDaniels upset on a foul takes out his frustration on a wall in the tunnel breaking his hand. Suffering a broken hand McDaniels will be unable to play in tonight’s game.

As for Gobbert he was told to go home and on Monday suspended for the play-in tournament. So in conclusion we have the Wolves missing two key players for the post-season. If the Wolves lose to the Lakers tonight, we can point at Gobbert and McDaniels as a basis. As for the punch by Gobbert this is the second incident I’m aware of this season. You might remember awhile back Draymond Green sucker punched teammate Jordan Poole. As the song title might indicate, Love and Happiness is not always reserved for teammates, even they can sometimes become targets.

I just don’t know

The 2022-23 Lakers are an enigma to me, in what areas have they fooled me…how about ALL! I held a conversation Sunday with a friend, since I wasn’t at home it was necessary to track the score of the Laker-Jazz game with my iPhone. Of course that’s the most difficult manner because all you are able to see are the score of the game changing. The Lakers had a lead then the Jazz came back…the lead would be extended and it was close again until the very end. The final score read Lakers 128 Jazz 117, after returning home I managed to view the game I’d set my DVR prior to leaving. Yes, the Jazz had put up quite a battle despite not having a few regulars in the lineup, what occurs now?

The win was the 43^rd a number just a few short weeks ago I believed totally impossible. The February 9 trade deadline witnessed the Lakers making trade moves which have proven beneficial. As an example, since then in 26 games played, they have been winners in 18 of them since the trade deadline. With no help from other NBA teams the Lakers find themselves in the Play In Tournament. They will now serve as host for the Wolves on Tuesday. The rest especially for LeBron and AD would be helpful but as former Jets coach once said, “You play to win the game.” A 2-win 10 loss start certainly didn’t aid the cause at the beginning of the season so it becomes now or never for them. This team could flame out in the PIT or win the 2023 NBA Championship.

Kansas basketball  

It would appear Bill Self and the staff have their work cut out for them next season. There are 5 Jayhawks entering the transfer portal, in addition we find Gradey Dick and Jaylin Wilson entering the NBA Draft. Of those leaving, guard Joseph Yesufu saw the most action, playing nearly 13 minutes a game. There are four highly touted freshman who will begin play in October, that helps except they must adjust to Division I play quickly.

Despite what might appear to be a doom and gloom account that is not the case. Mizzou, Kansas State and others provided proof there is talent available in the portal. The trick is to locate talent which might work best for your roster. In this instance I can speak to that regarding Mizzou over some other programs, I am excluding those who played for Gates at Cleveland State. The easiest method to explain several adapted sooner than others, given time Kansas basketball should be okay. With that said it’s certainly far too early in my view to project them as Big XII regular season champions. The Big XII is certainly competitive, you might remember the Jayhawks failed to win the post-season tournament.

Coaching moves

At the end of the NBA season management often decides to make coaching changes. Frequently this entails coaches being terminated or taking new positions and that is the case here. There might be others on the way, however the first occurred in Houston and Detroit. Nothing official, this is based on what I’ve read, there is general dissatisfaction with the lack of progress for the Rockets. This was aimed at Stephen Silas who held the head coaching job for three seasons, there is no idea yet who replaces him.

Technically Silas wasn’t fired, the team announced, “His contract wouldn’t be extended.” As for the Pistons the coaching move was a little more tranquil. Dwane Casey, hired in 2018 moves into the front office of the Pistons, no word on his replacement although two names have been mentioned. Rumored names are Ime Udoka former Celtics coach, another name cited was Jerry Stackhouse. Stackhouse is currently head coach at Vanderbilt but once played for the Pistons. The moves by the Rockets and Pistons are the first two coaching moves, however, don’t be surprised if there are others forthcoming. One of these changes might involve termination and the other a resignation. 

Bits n Pieces 

Hy Vee Arena in Kansas City has been placed on the market. The building once home to the Kansas City Kings, Big 12 Tournament basketball, concerts and other events was not used much after Sprint (now T-Mobile) Arena was opened (2007) in the Power & Light District. The City of Kansas City owned the arena until 2017 but that would change when Wichita developers purchased the arena and turned it into a multi-use arena with youth basketball courts and other sports usage areas in the building. Why the sale now, the owners indicate they were waiting for covid relief funds which never came their way. Just in case you are interested the arena built in 1974 but refurbished in 2017 is on the market for a reported $32 million.

Heat forward Udonis Haslem retired on Sunday; he did this after a 20-year NBA career. In addition at the age of 42 he managed to score 24 points in 25 minutes in his last game. Haslem becomes the oldest player in NBA history with his scoring total. Most interesting is the fact he was never drafted, Haslem (born in Miami) played his college basketball at the University of Florida. In 2002 NBA scouts at the time must not have been impressed, not a single team drafted him. The Heat signed him as a free agent where he’s remained since then. Haslem’s been a 3x NBA Champion for the Heat, with that I could say the NBA will miss you.

I’m not a fan of Austin Rivers, I’ve long believed although good enough to play at Duke his NBA career has been underwhelming. Without offering you proof it was my belief he was in the league somewhat due to dad Doc Rivers then Clipper coach and player personnel director. That’s up front now for the issue at hand, Bronny James. The son of LeBron has a NIL in place paying him large sums of money, whose complaining about that fact? How about Austin Rivers who benefited by playing for his father and certainly earned more in income than Bronny. In addition, why is there so much hatred aimed at Bronny James by Rivers and others?

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For now and ahead

The Lakers made two player moves, one for the playoff run and another for next season. They signed veteran center/forward Tristan Thompson, he last played in the NBA in the 2021-22 season. Also added was Shaq Harrison a defensive minded point guard. The explanation, for now Mo Bamba has been quite adequate as the backup to AD, his free agent price tag might be more than the Lakers are willing to pay. Thompson moves up should Bamba leave but that is certainly down the road a bit.

As for Harrison, he might find himself in somewhat the same position. Dennis Schroeder’s second go round with the Lakers has proven more beneficial than the first one however there is an issue…$$. Free agency is on the horizon for Schroeder as well. Who manages the ball when LeBron and D’Lo are seated, that becomes the role of that backup point guard. Will Harrison be able to fit that job should he move into the position? For now the questions cannot be answered but I believe there is a plan in place by Laker management to address the present and future.

Must be a slow news day

I’m not a conspiracy theorist, never have been. In addition I can also state I’ve never been a fan of media guy Bill Simmons; I am giving you his name because a video will be available at the conclusion for your judgement. Rumors have persisted since 1984 the lottery was “fixed.” The acknowledged top pick that year was Patrick Ewing and he was destined to become a Knick. As for my problem with Simmons, at one time he made a confession admitting he rooted for the Celtics.

That made his writing suspect to me anytime he was writing about the NBA. Perhaps some of you might feel the same way about me acknowledged Laker fan. Back to the subject at hand and the question might be asked why now? Ewing retired as a player eons ago, Knicks GM Dave DeBusschere passed away in 2003. The truth is ownership throughout the NBA has changed multiple times since 1984 although the Knicks ownership is still in place. Okay allow me to play Simmons game for a moment in time, suppose the fix was in, would anything be changed if it was proven to be true? Check out the video below and see what you think.

https://www.basketballnetwork.net/old-school/bill-simmons-claims-that-david-stern-fixed-the-1985-draft-lottery?fbclid=IwAR3g1pYjPKic1SqXUGO0ixS9Vs9sM66vh68YoyvUjGDG2glccJiNF5ZO5a0h

I love Austin

Some might remember the late Tom Heinsohn, former Celtic player turned broadcaster. At some point during a Celtics telecast Walter McCarty would do something exciting and Heinsohn would say “I loveeee Walter.” At this point I am about to borrow the term and say, “I loveeee Austin.” I’m discussing Laker shooting guard Austin Reaves who’s made quite an impact in his second season. Reaves journey to the bright lights of Los Angeles began in Newark, Arkansas. Newark is a tiny populated town of 1,170 according to the 2020 census, it’s location is about 100 miles northeast of the capital city Little Rock.

Cedar Ridge High School won back-to-back state championships while Reaves was a member of the team. He committed to Wichita State although there were offers from South Dakota State and Arkansas State. A high school injury impacted his time at Wichita and maybe play so Reaves transferred to Oklahoma where he began a steady improvement in his play. This part of the nation we receive a great deal of Big XII basketball and this is interesting for me at least. I don’t remember seeing Reaves in an Oklahoma Sooner jersey. I believe all were aware he arrived in Los Angeles as a free agent but there is more to the story. It turns out Reaves indicates he was a Laker and Kobe Bryant fan growing up, with that information we know why his NBA journey began in the manner it did.

Misleading

Sometimes the information provided can be true, however sometimes it might be a little misleading. Misleading in the fact all the evidence is not part of the equation. As an example I spotted this recently, regarding Kyrie Irving. It was pointed out the Nets are 13-14 (and playoff bound) while the Mavs are 9-17 (missing the playoffs). Some might refer to this as the “Kyrie Irving Effect” but not me. The first evidence we know is despite his offensive skills Irving is not a great defender.

At the same time not included in the scenario the Mavs willingness to include in the trade Spencer Dinwiddie and Dorian Finney-Smith in order to acquire Irving. This issue will be debated until July 1, of course on that date Irving and others will become free agents. In addition to pointing a finger at Irving considering this fact, I was able to view the game. A key shot here or there and the Mavs win and earn a playoff spot despite having no Doncic or Irving in the lineup. Despite the fact the game often focuses on superstar players it continues to remain a team sport as we are aware.

Load Management

The other day I wrote a positive outlook on the NBA we love, that was the pro…this is the con. The results we witnessed on Friday evening by the Mavs was embarrassing, not just for the Mavs but the NBA as well. Load Management has become a profanity anytime we hear it mentioned. It is understandable, the NBA season is long for a large number of teams. From September to June a player is in action for that period, we say the season is 82 games but if we count exhibitions, regular season and playoffs it’s more like 100+ games. We add coast to coast and sometimes international travel to the mix and it’s easy to see why players become worn-down.

I’m unsure when load management first came into existence or who might have started it, however it’s become an ugly look for the NBA. Players not available for the next night game which has nothing to do with injury, they don’t play back-to-back games. Does a fan dare plan on purchasing tickets for a game unsure if that star player is available without first consulting the team website. I’ve mentioned this previously but the CBA recently signed should have addressed the matter. We have no idea what it contains except it was signed between the NBA and it’s players. As this was being completed a headline reads, “NBA investigating Mavs for sitting key players.” A short-term solution is not going to fix this, Commissioner Silver needs to call a meeting of the Board of Governors to fully address the issue and produce a resolution.

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An ugly win

Yes, there is such a thing, your team wins despite what appears to be a lackluster effort. That was the Lakers-Suns Friday evening match. The Suns with their playoff effort secured started a lineup of reserves, as for the Lakers with positioning still an issue had all regulars on the floor. At the beginning of the game and much of the first half I thought Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Chris Paul were on the floor. The Suns reserves were shooting, defending and executing play much sharper than the Lakers. They effort was so great the Suns had a slight half-time lead.

I am unsure who led the half-time pep talk because Laker play in the second half improved dramatically. D’Lo led the way with 24 points in fact they might have found themselves in a deeper hole without his shooting. AD didn’t shoot particularly well (14 points) but pulled down an amazing 21 rebounds. Austin Reaves with 21 points (and 5 assist) aided the victory as well, Malik Beasley emerged from the bench contributing 21 points. The other day a friend informed me, “I’m picking the Lakers as 2023 NBA Champions.” I quickly responded, “You are far braver soul than me, I’m not ready to make that kind of declaration.”

For me the Lakers remind me of that quote from the movie Forrest Gump, I’m going to take liberty and change it to a degree. “Life’s like The Lakers are like a box of chocolates; you never know what you’re going to get.” Win or lose I remain a fan I’m just unsure sometimes what I’m receiving. At the beginning this team was 0-5, then 2-5 and finally 2-10 at a point. They stumbled out of the gate like they had no clue how to play this game. The fact this Laker team will finish above .500 and make the playoffs despite today's outcome is certainly amazing in itself.

What a strange outcome

The Mavs were eliminated from the playoffs after losing to the Bulls 115-112. Unlike the game I just covered, the Mavs needed a win to remain in the hunt and they didn’t get it. What occurred was the strangest outcome I believe I’ve ever witnessed in all the years I’ve followed the NBA. The Mavs announced Friday morning 5 players would sit out the game including Kyrie Irving (foot injury recovery). Was it the playoffs or lottery protection, the culprit is certainly not Jason Kidd. Luka Doncic played 13 minutes in its entirety; he was reported to be injured as well suffering from a left thigh injury. In any event this assembly of reserves held their own for a period against the Bulls before losing. I’m unsure what happens now with Jason Kidd after his lackluster performance at the post-game press conference.

Asked about the game the coach indicated he was following the orders of owner Mark Cuban and GM Nico Harrison. As for sitting the players, Kidd indicated he was not involved in the decision, did he agree with the move? “Those are my bosses so yes.” This is the Mavs team that played in the Western Conference Finals last year and missed the playoffs this year. One of the keys for me…no Jalen Brunson although Cuban is claiming the players family was the decider. A number reading this might not be aware Brunson’s father played in the NBA for a time. After this crash landing if I were part of Mavs Nation, I might be a bit confused as to what the franchise is attempting. It would appear the lottery is more important than the playoffs it would appear.

What do you do?

This is strictly supposition on my part but what if were to occur? It’s some point 5-10 years from now. We have a 16 or 17-year-old high school phenom, athlete, he’s an admirer of the old school style of basketball of Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul Jabbar. The youngster stands 7 feet 2 and weight training has added 20 pounds to his frame and he’s now at 240 pounds. He’s got a variety of shots around the basket in addition to a hook shot, coaches have dubbed it sky hook II. No slouch speed wise he runs the floor with the swiftness of a much smaller player. In addition he’s begun to abuse the opposition around the basket and some claim he reminds them of Shaquille O’Neal down low. 

This pending star heads off to university near you, what do we suppose will occur going forward for this youngster? Does he become a perimeter player at the insistence of his coach and go away from his power game. The other scenario after high school he heads to Australia or the G-League because he wants an immediate opportunity to play in the NBA. The youngster is drafted by the _____ and what do we suppose occurs for his NBA future? In the era of “small ball” or emphasis on shooting the three what transpires for this youngster? Does his NBA coach insist he shoot the three as Big Men Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic currently do? Will his coach move him away from his “station” around the basket? There are other aspects Big Men once displayed in the old school NBA, would the offense of the team change or the player be forced to change?

Bits n Pieces 

The mouth that roared is my reference to Charles Barkley TNT analyst. He’s pronounced Kawhi Leonard “King of Los Angeles,” my guess this is based on last Wednesday’s win over the Lakers plus their string of 9 or 10 victories in a row over the Lakers. Last time I checked regular season victories are important however championships tip the scale in the other direction. Let’s figure the score, it’s LeBron 1, Kawhi 0 in the number since both have been in Los Angeles. A one-to-one match up, Kawhi at age 31 has years on his side versus 38-year-old LeBron. I wonder if you can bestow a title on someone with only regular season victories as the basis. Win at least one championship and we can discuss who deserves King status. As they say, “I’m from Missouri, you’ve got to Show Me.”

College basketball play is officially over now, UConn becomes the winner the 5^th in the school’s history. Monday. This is not about the champion but the fact it’s over, no more college basketball until November. Summing up the season we witnessed Kansas State under Jerome Tang make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. Across the State Line Dennis Gates was able to take the Mizzou Tigers from the basement to the penthouse and an NCAA berth. It appears early on both programs have made great hires. The Blue Bloods, Kentucky, Kansas, Duke and North Carolina came up short but don’t expect that to be the case in the future and always.

The history says, 16 years ago the President of the United States was George W. Bush what else might have occurred back then. The Spurs were NBA Champions that year winning over the LeBron Cavs, that Cavs team was led by Coach Mike Brown. Other NBA highlights, the NBA Rookie of the Year was Chris Paul. The top high school player in the nation then was a guy who made it to the NBA was Eric Gordon, enough of that. What’s the significance of the number 16, well 2007 was the last time we saw the Kings in the playoffs. Their 120 to 80 victory over the Blazers on Wednesday clinched a playoff spot for them. Interesting that same Mike Brown is now the Kings coach and has led the Kings out of the playoff drought.

The 1982 NCAA Championship saw a change in the basketball landscape. We didn’t realize it at the time but we’d soon discover the magic of Michael Jordan, he would hit the winning shot in that game. At that point he was Mike Jordan after hitting the shot he would become Michael Jordan and the balance of the story is basketball history. Do we know the story behind Michael Jordan, for one thing he was good but not great. In his sophomore year he was unable to earn a roster spot in high school. By the time his senior year came around an improvement in play saw scholarship offers from Duke, South Carolina, Syracuse, Virginia and North Carolina. We know the history he would choose North Carolina and in addition to going from Mike to Michael there was an additional event in his life. Who is the only one to hold Michael Jordan under 20 points a game, it was his coach Dean Smith?

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There is a change at the top, but not what you expected

The NCAA Champion is the UConn Huskies as they defeated SDSU. The Final Four witnessed UConn being seeded 4, SDSU was a 5 while FAU was a 9 and Miami also a 5, not a number one in sight. We have no number one team playing for the championship which is certainly different. What occurred was the transfer portal, NIL or something yet unnamed for this change. All those examples mentioned could be the basis, on the other hand there might be nothing at all.

A high seeded Blue Blood program had a crucial turnover or a key missed shot. The coach could have inserted a player at a point the players leadership was required and the move failed. I remember one game a player sunk a basket at the end of the game, those were his only 2 points for the game. Another example, the difference maker for SDSU was a vital player. He’d transferred to SDSU from another Division I program, the season before that he’d played at a community college. So there it is one thing and several others, the solution is to not overthink this tournament.

The NBA is NOT going out of business!

You might wonder why the headline, researching caused me to come across several negative stories written about the NBA. I’ve held no conversations with Commissioner Silver, not a single meeting with any team owner. These cynics were claiming TV viewership is down and the NFL remains at the top. They want to give us the impression the only one’s following the NBA now days are those who play NBA2K regularly. By the way I had to look it up, the average age of an NBA2K player is 17-years of age.

Tell me something I don’t know that information is easily gained but what does it prove. It’s been mentioned previously but worth a reminder, someone provide clarification but I believe this to be a fact. I can only remember a single NBA team on the market over a one-year time frame. That was the Pistons and it involved the death of the owner and my best guess, there must have been legal entanglements to resolve which took time. Second to that, if team ownership was such a cash drain why are potential owners lining up to purchase teams? Robert Sarver placed the Suns on the market, Mat Ishbia announced his intention to become principal owner of the team. $4 billion is reported to be the sell price of the franchise. Is ESPN/ABC and TNT going to cease telecasting NBA games, I doubt it. One of the considerations these cynics fail to take into account are the options.

As recently as 10 years ago we had fewer choices in our TV programing. Truth is with broadcast, cable and streaming services I’m unsure pollsters are accurate on what we are viewing. Rest assured all NBA teams are not earning revenue, those losers soon manage to locate new owners. Those critics of the association will not read this however as I often say, “I’m from Missouri you’ve got to show me.” More than likely there are additional issues which are probably missed by me, see if you can uncover them.

Mizzou news

From Columbia Missouri it’s been lose two players, gain two. Ronnie DeGray III and Mohamed Diarra decided to transfer. As noted earlier 6-foot 5-inch shooting guard John Tonje from Colorado State is transferring to Mizzou. On Wednesday came this news from Noah Carter, the 6-foot 6-inch senior small forward could have left but instead decided to remain. This is good news for Mizzou Nation for at least three reasons. 1. Carter provides veteran leadership to this Mizzou team which certainly aids in winning basketball.

2. After transferring from Northern Iowa and playing this past season Dennis Gates provides us with proof, he’s a player’s coach. 3. Carter’s stats certainly are not going to wow anyone but he plays tough defense and could score the ball when required. Recruiting news is slow in coming this time around compared to last season. I don’t remember now but it seemed within days of hiring the coach had recruited his first player. My intent is to be on the front line as soon as there is an announcement you will be notified.

It was over at age 29

The NBA career of Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf was over by the time he was 29-years old. It wasn’t an injury that curtailed his NBA career it was his belief, I’m unsure in today’s climate if this would occur in the NBA. Born Chris Jackson he converted to Islam and underwent a name change. Playing at LSU with Shaquille O’Neal, his former teammate claims he was the best player on that team. Jackson as he was known then was a lights out shooter and automatic at the free-throw line. In 1990 he was made the third pick by the Nuggets; his third year Jackson was inserted in the lineup and his numbers began an upward trend. He led the NBA in free-throw shooting on two different occasions.

In 1991 he embraced Islam and changed his name and his career. He began refusing to stand for the National Anthem as a sign of protest, soon he was allowed to remain in the tunnel to avoid the drama surrounding his move. Eventually the Nuggets traded him to the Kings in 1996. From that point on Abdul-Rauf left the NBA, he played at a number of foreign destinations before retiring in 2011. He’s 54 years old now, although his NBA career was cut short due to his protest, he appears to hold no ill will toward any of the parties involved. We are not that far removed from 2011, however it’s my belief the entire matter could have been resolved in a much simpler method over forcing Abdul-Rauf from the NBA.

Am I missing something?

A great many historical events, especially in the early days of sports, must be believed. Depending on the time period we often have only the words of those who witnessed the occurrence. Later sports writers detail it for future generations and that is the end, or is it? Did Babe Ruth hit 60 home runs in 1927? There is no visual proof we believe he did because someone bothered to write it down. The first college basketball game occurred February 9, 1895, when the University of Minnesota played Hamline or did it?

There is no film offering us proof that the game was played. The name Ossie Schectman is lost to history, Schectman playing for the Knicks scored the first basket in the first Basketball Association of America game November 1, 1946. There is no film of the game so maybe it wasn’t Schectman, it could have been another player? By now you are probably asking “Where is he going with this account?” I’m going to use 1970 as our starting point, any sports event occurring prior to that year likely was never filmed. Sports events after that time are probably recorded on film, video tape or some other entity allowing us to view it in 2023. Did Wilt Chamberlain score 100 points in a March 2, 1962, game, there is no film or television only the 4^th quarter radio play by play.

The YouTube video you are about to see appears to start in the middle. ESPN’s Mike Greenberg is describing the Chamberlain game and those in the studio appear to be somewhat unsure the scoring binge actually occurred. Some appear to believe “Because I didn’t see the film, I’m skeptical if it actually occurred.” Also included for examination is the 4^th quarter radio broadcast, am I missing something, some in the studio appear uncomfortable with the facts?

Is Wilt Chamberlain's 100 Point Game All A Lie? | Pat McAfee Show - YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Agchvbxd8A

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Boy, he certainly would help

I’ve stated this in the past, I hate to discuss players who are yet to commit to Mizzou. I’m going to violate my own rule because I’d love to see this guy in Black and Gold. His name again is Jamarion Sharp and he played at Western Kentucky, Sharp recently entered the transfer portal but there’s more. At 7 foot 5 he was the tallest NCAA player this past season eclipsing Purdue’s Zach Edey by an inch. At the free-throw line Sharp suffers from the Chamberlain/Shaq ailment shooting .500. Sharp’s .628 from the field is a little misleading because he doesn’t have much of an offensive game, he only averaged 7.5 points a game.

You might ask the question why are you pining for this guy based on what you’ve reported thus far? It’s the other things Sharp does, his 131 block shots a game led the nation in that category. In addition he can rebound the ball, averaging nearly 8 rebounds a game. Although he didn’t win the honor Sharp’s name was placed on the list of NCAA Defensive Player of the Year for 2023. Finally this might be of interest to a few of you. Sharp’s father stands 6 foot 9 inches and his mom 6 foot 5, his response, “I didn’t have no choice but to be 7’5.” One last note, Sharp’s coach at John C. Logan college is now a member of Dennis Gates staff. Kyle Smithpeters was hired by the university at Gates recommendation last spring, my hope Sharp re-joins his first college coach.

Free-throw

Rick Barry was one of the all-time best free-throw shooters in the NBA. He would say there is no excuse for being a poor free throw shooter, no one is guarding you while you take the shot. Rick shot his free-throws underhanded a method most probably find objectionable. One of the all-time greats, Wilt Chamberlain scored over 31,000 points during his illustrious NBA career. A lesser number of points were registered at the free throw line as he was a career .511 from the line. Shaquille O’Neal when questioned about his poor shooting would say, “I make it when they count” which was more talk than fact. O’Neal was a little better than Chamberlain at .527 from the line. Throughout the history of the association there have been a number of notoriously poor free throw shooters.

This I believe, there is no excuse for any basketball player shooting less than 75% from the line. Over the years there seems to be a common theme, generally a larger proportion of Big Men tend to be worst from the line than most wing or guards. I have a couple of examples to place before you that might counter the Big Man argument. Jack Sikma, the 6-foot 11-inch Sikma was nearly 85% from the line during his 14-year NBA career. The Mavs Dirk Nowitzki might be an even better example, the 7-foot 245-pound Nowitzki managed a .879 for his time in the NBA. Below are several all-time greats in that area, it should be of note that two of the five best free throw shooters in NBA history are currently active players. You can see in years pass up to the present day there are a number of players you just didn’t foul. They were going to the line and rarely do they miss.   

Steph Curry 90.87%

Steve Nash 90.47%

Mark Price 90.39%

Dame Lillard 89.52%

Rick Barry 89.3%

The Kyrie Irving effect

If you thought this would be a trash Kyrie Irving rant you’ve got to find it elsewhere. I suppose you are looking at the Mavs as a playoff contender to possibly miss the playoffs as this is written. From my view the negatives I’ve attributed to him in the past have nothing to do with his on the court persona. You can check out the numbers since he’s been a member of the Mavs…they have been good. The won-loss record of the Mavs instead of remaining in Drive is now in Reverse but it’s not totally Irving’s fault. We can point a finger in a single direction, that would be owner Mark Cuban. He alone signed off on a trade which sent the Mavs best defenders to the Nets, that alone provides us a portion of the reason why.

This is actually the second key mistake made by Cuban over the last year. I have no method to see the $$$ offered but Cuban allowed Jalen Brunson to leave rather than pay him. Knicks fans love Cuban for this move, they acquired a talented player without giving up a roster member. Mavs fans probably hate it based on the direction the Mavs have traveled thus far. There is one more culprit in this picture, his name is Luka Doncic. I know what you are saying, “He dares to criticize The Don?” Yes, I am, as talented as number 77 is there are aspects of his game that could be or rather should be blended much better. What will occur in the future, do the Mavs sign pending free-agent Irving to a 5-year contract or do they allow him to walk? There are unconfirmed reports indicating Cuban is ready to sign Irving so we shall see what prevails.   

Facts

There is no reason for me to defend John Calipari, rest assured Kentucky is not going to fire him. If anything were to occur its likely to be of his choosing, where am I headed with this? Local radio talking head made several statements which I say, “What are the facts?” Radio guy claims Kentucky is not winning “because John Calipari only recruits NBA players.” There is no doubt a great number of NBA players have come through Lexington but were they recruited as claimed by this talking head strictly for their NBA prowess? His favorite coach Bill Self won the NCAA Championship in 2022, prior to that it was 2008. I refuse to look at Big XII Championships as the mark in this instance, let’s check out his program at Kansas. Just recently Gradey Dick announced he was leaving for the NBA after one season.

Apparently, Dick believes he’s ready for the NBA and there is no argument from me. Jaylen Wilson is also exiting for the NBA although technically he’s played three seasons. Let’s check out just a few others, Andrew Wiggins and Joel Embiid left in 2014 for the NBA after a single season at Kansas but so did Kelly Oubre Jr. the following year. Earlier we could make the same statement regarding Ben McLemore who also decided in favor of the NBA in 2013. The Morris twins Markieff and Marcus played for three years in a Kansas jersey but also absconded for the NBA in 2011, at this point I’m going to stop. Finally if NBA talent was all Calipari was recruiting, I would think they would be better than their contemporaries. I could challenge the radio guy with these facts just cited, in my view he’s way off base. It would appear Self’s had a collection of talent that’s left early for the NBA too, is Self just recruiting NBA talent radio guy? What's the topic of discussion, winning championships, it was 14 years between championships for Self. 

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Basketball from a fans perspective

Beauty Contest

I’ve claimed for a time Top 25 polls are glorified beauty contests. At the college level they provoke excitement among teams, students, alumni and fans, and really serve no purpose. If that is the case, why do I pay so much attention to them? More on that later, I just checked 7 Top 25 Men’s poll and missing except in one in Mizzou. 247Sports.com list the Tigers at 21, as for the other 6 polls they believe Mizzou has work to do. That could also apply to Kansas State as well, after their deep tournament run a few polls omitted them too. Most had the UConn Huskies in first place not too surprising, this was a surprise.

At least two polls at least for now have Marquette listed as number one. As for the SEC most of the same suspects are listed, however for the most part are at 10 and above. Big XII basketball was interesting in the eyes of most, the highest pre-season poll listed Kansas at three. One poll had them at 13 and another as high as 17. So now for my explanation on polls. I cannot be for sure about this but speculation ranks high on a school’s attraction in the following order. The desirability of a prospect is the coach, then the coach again, the schools facilities and finally the school itself. I believe Dennis Gates and staff are good enough at recruiting to attract qualified talent to Mizzou, that recruiting tool would extend to the transfer portal too.

It’s all his fault

This wouldn’t be mentioned if not for former NBA player Ray Allen, just kidding folks allow me to explain. I read an account in Basketball Network where Allen indicated Seattle was overdue for an NBA team. He’s not been the only former NBA player we’ve read of with similar comments, Jamal Crawford and Shawn Kemp voiced the same concern regarding Seattle. My question is who speaks for my hometown Kansas City? To read my comments does no good, I’m sure Mayor Lucas might receive an “Okay” by the association because he’s in charge of a city larger in population than Oklahoma City and New Orleans. There are former NBA players living in the metro, I wonder why they haven’t been more vocal regarding this subject. Do they not feel as enthusiastic about Kansas City as Allen and company?

Center Sam Lacey passed away several years ago but Tiny Archibald is still alive. Yes, I know Tiny is a New York City guy but he did set a record while a member of the Kansas City Kings which will never be duplicated. Tiny led the league in scoring and assists (1972-73). Those outside the city are probably more familiar with Scott Wedman from his time with the Celtics but it was here his NBA talent came to the forefront. Wedman still lives in the area in fact I met him several years ago. Ron Boone is a broadcaster for the Jazz but once was a shooting guard for the franchise, we could also add Phil Ford 1979 NBA Rookie of the Year. He returned to North Carolina but he too could be a spokesman. How about former coach Rick Adelman, his first NBA job was that of a Kansas City Kings guard. Clay Johnson never played for the Kings however his story is different. Johnson grew up in Kansas City, played high school basketball here and later in the NBA. There are others but I will end my tale of woe at this point but ask the question, where are the advocates for Kansas City?

He's the 2023 NBA MVP

I’m not going to keep you in the dark on this one, my choice for the 2023 NBA MVP is Sixer center Joel Hans Embiid. There is no attempt on my part to compare last season where Embiid was runner up to Nikola Jokic. The Joker has continue to demonstrate his tremendous talent while occupying the center position for the Nuggets. On Tuesday night against the Celtics Embiid was key to his team’s 103-101 win with these stat filling numbers. Embiid was 80% shooting from the field, a sizzling 20-25. He was 92.3% from the free throw line with 13 rebounds and 6 assists for a game total of 52 points.

As I’ve mentioned for a time it’s difficult to provide details on a players’ defensive rating. I can inform you Embiid had two blocked shots…how many others he might have affected we have no system to determine. Do the Sixers have enough to win an NBA Championship? They will earn a playoff berth, beyond that is pure speculation on my part. Back to Embiid a moment, the Sixer Big Man has come a long way from that raw player we first saw at Kansas in 2014. My playoff concern, he’s so vital to the Sixer offense will opposing teams attempt to contest Sixer guards ability to get the ball to Embiid.

Reserve role

I’m not sure who said this or where I first heard it, players complaining about starting versus a reserve role. The coach said, “It’s more important who is playing at the end of the game.” The NBA has seen a number of valuable contributors…so important the NBA created an award, Sixth Man of the Year.  It was first awarded in 1983 and Bobby Jones of the Sixers was the winner. Lou Williams playing for the Clippers won the award two consecutive years 2018, 2019. Jamal Crawford was a two-time winner although his award was 2014 and 2016), in addition he was coming off the Clipper bench too.

Generally a player in this role almost never becomes a starter except in one instance. Former Spurs guard Manu Ginobili is now in the Naismith Hall of Fame. As the 57^th pick in the second round of the 1999 draft he began in a reserve role. He moved into the starting lineup for the 2010-11 season, after that he moved back into the job, we most associate him with valuable reserve. Laker guard Austin Reaves might receive a few votes although he’s now become a starter, the same could be said for Russell Westbrook. Who ultimately wins the award you might ask? The winner is likely to emerge among these names, Malcolm Brogdon, Bobby Portis, Malik Monk or Immanuel Quickly.     

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Basketball from a fans perspective

Where do they sit?

The UConn Huskies are to be congratulated, they won the 2023 NCAA Championship beating SDSU 76-59. SDSU managed to whittle the lead down to 5 points in the second half but that was about it. UConn simply overwhelmed its opposition. With Monday’s outcome UConn’s won 5 NCAA Championships, where do they stand in the grouping of great basketball programs? A friend texted me Tuesday morning “Congratulations for picking UConn to win it all.” My response was quick, “I appreciate it but it was ESPN’s Jay Bilas not me. Early before play began Bilas picked UConn, I just went with his choice.” With that out of the way let’s check a few things, I have another friend who grew up in Storrs. Sean is probably not going to be pleased in what he is about to read now.

Is UConn a Blue Blood program, after all they have more NCAA Championships than Kansas with 4 championships as an example? I am hearing arguments pro and con on the matter so let’s delve into them. I have listened to arguments claiming the 5 Huskie Championships have been spread apart so is it legitimate? The last time UConn won it all was 2014, 9 years ago. Kansas spread was even more drastic, they won the 1952 NCAA Championship but didn’t win again until 36 years later, 1988. Is it a team’s overall win total that deem it a Blood Blue program or something else? I’m unsure if we can use a teams coaching history as a barometer of a program’s success or lack thereof. The question remains is Indiana considered a Blue Blood program; the Hoosiers have won 5 championships, the last one in 1977. There are other issues I might have missed or plain overlooked, what do you think?

Who are they

Below is the list of schools and the number of championships won. 1939 was the first year the tournament was held and below is the list of the Top 5 winners of all-time. 

UCLA – 11

Kentucky – 8

North Carolina – 6

Duke – 5

Indiana – 5

UConn – 5

Kansas – 4

As you check your math you will discover the schools on this list have won half of the NCAA Championships, it might have been more if not for the pandemic. The 2020 championship was cancelled due to covid.

The Hall of Fame

A number of Halls of Fame exist throughout the nation, however the most prestigious are the national institutions. Springfield Massachusetts is home of the Naismith Hall of Fame. Before I go any further allow me to state it is not the NBA Hall although there seems to be confusion in some instances. An individual, team or media member can be enshrined and have no connection to the NBA. Now that’s out of the way I will proceed with this story.

I have no intention of mentioning all the names to be enshrined in September, just a few. A number played for more than one NBA team so the team I list is the one believed to have been the most noteworthy. Becky Hammon former WNBA player, first female assistant NBA coach who hired her. Gregg Popovich is a veteran Spurs coach and in my estimation one of the best ever to occupy a coaching chair. Gene Keady was Purdue basketball for a number of very successful winning seasons. Those are just a few names receiving notice they join a prestigious list of former players, coaches, teams and media members of the past.

Gregg Popovich – Spurs

Dirk Nowitzki – Mavs

Dwayne Wade – Heat

Tony Parker – Spurs

Pau Gasol – Lakers

Becky Hammon – WNBA

Gene Keady – Purdue coach

Another sighting

Have you read or heard the commentary? A number of folks have already decided Victor Wembanyama is too skinny for his height (7 foot 4 230 pounds) I have the eye of an amateur who must depend on what a number of scouts and NBA players have stated. Can Wembanyama play in the NBA, I have no idea, however I ain’t brave enough to say he can’t and there is a clear reason. You might remember a TV guy questioned whether Kristaps Porzingis was good enough to play in the association prior to the 2015 draft. 

You might remember in 2002 Charles Barkley on Inside the NBA made a ridiculous bet in my view regarding Yao Ming and his ability to play in the NBA. There have been a number of draft busts over the course of time, the difference we wait until they compete on the court. We cannot decide if they can’t play before they even arrive on an NBA court near you. We certainly have the right to make predictions but I would hesitate to accept the results until candidate A proved he couldn’t play in the NBA. While mulling over the statement check out the video, have you seen the play in the past?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mP6r0svXgV0

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He played basketball too

The late Tony Gwynn was among the best all-time baseball players. A lifetime .338 hitter, 8x National League Batting Champion, 15x All-Star and on and on, there are too many awards to list them all. The culmination might be his election to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Many probably were aware of this fact, I wasn’t, I didn’t realize Gwynn was quite a basketball player in high school and later SDSU. No basketball giant, he stood 5 foot 11 but we shouldn’t allow his size to fool us.

Although baseball would become his profession, he received no scholarship offers, it was different for the other sport. Later he would play baseball and basketball for SDSU our focus is the basketball. Gwynn played in the day when a point guard was just that, he scored a modest 8.8 points a game but could dunk the ball. Don’t allow that modest point per game total to fool you he could play the game. We arrive in 2023 and the All-Time assist record is still held by Gwynn although he last played basketball for SDSU in 1981. The late Tony Gwynn, a name from another sport most of us have forgotten, gained fame bouncing a ball rather than hitting one.

The Lakers continue to fool me

I’ve mentioned this previously, the February trade deadline plus a revitalized AD plus LeBron injured all appear to be contributing factors. These are factors in the resurgence of the Lakers this late season. The trade of Russell Westbrook and Patrick Beverley, the arrival of Rui Hachimura, Jared Vanderbilt, D’Angelo Russell and others. Laker Nation continues to hold its breath whenever AD is on the floor but there is no argument, he’s played outstanding basketball the last month.

The injury to LeBron James might have been a blessing in disguise. Despite his age players looked to James for leadership, with him not in the lineup they had to depend on themselves, they stepped up to the challenge. To date reserves including Austin Reaves have demonstrated their desire to win games. The Sunday evening victory was just the latest example. The Rockets are not a very good team, however the last time they faced one another the Rockets came out on the winning side. That would not be the case with this game, the Lakers were winners 134-109. AD had a 40-point game while James had a triple double 18 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists.

Rui Hachimura came off the bench contributing 20 points, 12 rebounds and 3 blocked shots, in addition Malik Beasley added 13 points. Since the February trade deadline the Lakers have gone 14 out of 21 games. The number is not overwhelming but certainly much better than earlier in the season. As the Lakers move up in the standings my mind drifts back to the beginning of the season. I wasn’t proud of myself but I had to admit the best NBA team in Los Angeles was the Clippers, April 2^nd, 2023, I’m not so sure.

Is it possible this time?

I have mentioned on more than one occasion my desire to wait for a decision. I want to wait until that player says, “I’m on the way,” that is the case for Jamarion Sharp. Some of you might be unfamiliar with him, the 7 foot 5 (yes that is correct) 235-pound center might be headed to Mizzou. He was reported to be interested in Mizzou last season when his former coach Kyle Smithpeters was added to Dennis Gates staff. Although Sharp played at Western Kentucky his coach at John C. Logan was the previously mentioned Smithpeters. IF (notice all caps) Sharp decides on Mizzou he would address a huge problem for the Tigers. He finished first in defensive block rate after coming in second the previous season.

His defensive rebounding rate is above 20% for his college career, a useful number. Sharp isn’t part of the offensive scheme although he’s got skill in and around the basket. Recognize this outstanding attribute, Sharp is swift up and down the court no lumbering stiff here. Now that I’ve built him up watch and see, he’s got one year of eligibility remaining, he likely remains at Western Kentucky…maybe. In other news Caleb Love was Mr. All Everything at Christian Brothers HS in St. Louis. Love was a 5-star prospect and had offers from several schools across the nation. Mizzou’s former Coach Cuonzo Martin tried to recruit him but the 6-foot 4 guard headed to North Carolina. Love has now entered the transfer portal, is it time for him to return to Missouri? Perhaps the wide-open offense Dennis Gates runs might be more appealing to Love over that of the departed Martin.

A name you should know

I knew the name but my circuits were not working, I was watching the HBCU College All Star Game on Sunday. During a portion of the game the announcer posed a question to viewers, “Who is college basketball’s all-time points leader (D-I, D-II, D-III or NAIA)?” His name, Travis “Machine Gun” Grant who played at Kentucky State in Frankfort Kentucky. Grant scored 4,045 points from 1969-1972 while playing at Kentucky State. His senior year Grant averaged 39.5 points a game, he was such a prolific scorer he was given the nickname machine gun.

Grant was one of the keys to his school winning three NAIA Championships in succession. He would become the 13^th pick in the first round of the 1972 NBA Draft by the Lakers. After being waived by the Lakers Grant later played for three ABA teams before concluding his pro career in 1976. He would then complete his undergraduate degree and a master’s degree from West Georgia University. Grant served as a teacher, coach and administrator before retiring in 2010. Grant’s professional career was marked by injury and he likely never reached the level many first thought. In 2009 he was honored being inducted in the College Basketball Hall of Fame, Travis “Machine” Gun Grant a name from the past we should know.

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Where does he go?

There was a great deal of talk at the beginning of the season about teams tanking. Losing games on purpose in order to improve their lottery position, this would ensure an opportunity to draft Victor Wembanyama. I read a few weeks ago and posted it, the French youngster indicated there was no preference. He said whoever drafted him it would be okay, that sounds nice but it’s not quite how I see it. There are good NBA destinations, there are some average and some poor. In this instance with the amount of wealth a rookie earns you can certainly be comfortable anywhere.

It’s how the team is positioned currently and into the future rather than the locale is the most important feature as I see it. With that said here goes, the three best destinations for Wembanyama are with the Spurs, Pistons or Blazers. Wherever Wembanyama lands he will be expected to lead but I believe his NBA growth will work best in one of those three cities. If for some reason Wembanyama winds up in a destination other than mentioned he will still be okay. Gregg Popovich, Dwane Casey and Chauncey Billups have the basketball moxie to aid Wembanyama’s NBA adjustment. In addition I believe they have the ability to continue building a competitive team around him. My intended hope was to not offend fans in the cities I failed to name, it appears to me those NBA teams are not yet ready.

Ice water

It’s possible SDSU’s Lamont Butler has ice water in his veins, on the other hand it could be confidence. He took what turned out to be the winning shot over FAU when the clock read 1.7 seconds remaining. Not only that he could have called a timeout to set up the shot. The winning shot required no review, the horn sounded and the backboard light came on while the ball was in the air. Butler only scored 9 points but the last two proved crucial in the win, SDSU 72 FAU 71. SDSU and fans can celebrate while they wait to compete against UConn for the NCAA Championship on Monday night, as for this game it had everything you might want. Lead changes, dynamic shooting and what a dramatic ending.

The nightcap

Miami attempted a run at UConn but that’s about it, I believe at one point they may have whittled the lead down to 9 points. From that stage on it seemed every time Miami was to make a run UConn had an answer. Miami sinks a three-point basket and UConn would score two, often the scoring would be the other way around. Although I’m emphasis is on the scoring it was more than that aspect alone, UConn played exceptional defense. They managed to hold Miami to 32.2% shooting from the floor while they shot almost 50% themselves. UConn was led in scoring by 6 foot 9 Adama Sanogo with 21 points and 10 rebounds, also guard Jordan Hawkins contributed 13 points. The one area Miami managed to beat UConn was on the free throw line, they were 100% versus 53.3%. The final score read UConn 72 Miami 59.

NBA Draft

I've always maintained with the exception of a few there are far too many NBA draft declarations to mention them all. Besides the fact, the folks who get paid can update you sooner than I can with my blog. Despite that fact there are always a few potential noteworthy NBA players to cover, Markquis Nowell from K-State was profiled recently. Gradey Dick 6-foot 8 205-pound shooting guard from Kansas announced he would be entering the NBA Draft. When discussing Nowell I stated there is no guarantee he is drafted, as for Dick that's a different story. This former McDonald's All American played his high school basketball at Sunrise Christian Academy in Wichita and then Kansas for his freshman year

In September of 2022 his name was known but not a single NBA Mock Draft site (I read) projected him any higher than a second-round draft choice. Once the season began for Kansas, we discovered Dick was a lights-out shooter especially from deep. Similar to most freshman players his game slowed a bit after the middle of January. Despite the downward trend in his game there was an upward one in the mock draft sites. Gradey Dick will be a lottery pick, which team will draft the Wichita native remains an unknown for now. June 22 count on Commissioner Adam Silver to announce, "With the _______pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, the _____________select Gradey Dick from the University of Kansas."   

 

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I can exhale…for now

During ever Laker game I hold my breath, this applies specifically to AD and LeBron. As you are aware both have been missing in action for large periods of time during this season. Injury is always in the back of my mind as they demonstrate their talent, I am able to exhale at the end of this game. That’s what occurred Friday evening as they faced the Wolves in Minneapolis. The final score would read Lakers 123 Wolves 111 as AD led the way again with 38 points and 17 rebounds. LeBron had a very pedestrian game for him, 18 points along with 10 rebounds and 6 assists. D’Lo only scored 12 points but dished out 10 assists, fact is all 5 starters scored in double figures.

As for the reserves Dennis Schroeder contributed to the victory with 11 points and 6 assists. It’s difficult to provide you detail of the defense so I can just say even that’s improved since the February trade deadline. The biggest takeaway for me is seeing D’Lo and Schroeder take on the role of facilitator, it’s no longer LeBron alone. This allows for a totally different dynamic in the Lakers offense. We have a little more than a week remaining in the NBA season, the Lakers appear to be streaking toward the finish. The game was telecast on NBA TV with Wolves broadcasters. If there was one consolation they said “We (Wolves) won the regular season against the Lakers.” I can agree with them it’s a nice consolation prize however I believe the Friday evening match was certainly more crucial as both teams battled for a playoff spot. Then it occurred, Saturday morning I read AD tweaked his ankle, he’s out once again for an unknown time…wow.

47

Do you think a Division I team will ever complete an undefeated season? It’s hardly likely, there are far too many moving parts at this point in time. The number is 47, it was 1976 the Indiana Hoosiers led by Coach Bobby Knight completed the season with a 32-0 record. Indiana was the last Division I team to complete a perfect season.  Prior to Indiana it was UCLA which finished its season as NCAA Champion two years in a row with the same 30-0 record. Prior to that it was the 1967 UCLA team that completed a 30-0 championship season.

1964 would see another UCLA team at 30-0. In 1956 and 1957 two teams, San Francisco (29-0) and North Carolina (32-0) also finished with an unblemished record. The college game’s been played over 100 years but in the last 30+ its popularity has increased two-fold. At a point it was an East Coast game exclusively, that’s not to say it wasn’t played across the balance of the nation the attraction didn’t exist everywhere. Football was and still is king in the southern portion but basketball has made inroads even there. At one time if you said Texas or Bama, the first thought would be football but that’s old fashion thinking.

Hawk

His hands were so huge he could hold a basketball in one hand like a grapefruit. Dr. J. and Michael Jordan were said to have modeled portions of their game after him. He was the “model for Dr. J. and Michael Jordan. The late Connie Hawkins arrived in the NBA in 1969 at age 27. He experienced a travesty of justice I believe couldn’t occur in today’s climate. He was banned for life from playing in the NBA by then Commissioner J. Walter Kennedy due to a point shaving scandal. Hawk was acquainted with Jack Molinas, the key figure in the gambling probe, don’t misunderstand there were players who were actually guilty of taking money.

From all reports Hawk was not one of them, he claimed the borrowed money from Molinas was repaid in full. In addition the money had nothing to do with point shaving. This is the most interesting portion of the story, the time period of the story. This incident came to the surface during Hawk’s freshman year at the University of Iowa, in the 1960’s players had only three years of eligibility. All college teams at the time had freshman teams, if Hawk took money, he couldn’t have affected the varsity game because he wasn’t eligible as a first-year player. I’m going to stop here instead and suggest you read Foul by David Wolf, Wolf details for the reader the entire set of circumstances and Hawks play from high school into the professional ranks.   

Can he play?

Over his brief NBA career I’ve mentioned on several occasions how impressed I am with Austin Reaves. Free agent Reaves chose the Lakers over 29 other teams in 2021. He began in a reserve role last season and into his second year. Darvin Ham’s promoted Reaves to the starting lineup and the 6-foot 5 shooting guard has done just that…shoot the rock. Over the last 5 games Reaves is scoring at nearly 21 points a game. Reaves will be a free agent this summer and Laker Nation is wary of losing him like Alex Caruso a few years ago. Hearing reports of dollars surrounding Reaves we hear from Rashad McCants. You might remember McCants was drafted by the Wolves in 2005 from North Carolina, he would remain with them until 2009.

In February 2009 he was sent to the Kings in a trade, since then his professional career has been spent overseas. McCants is insistent Reaves is not that good, the only reason large dollars have been mentioned is because “He’s white and the Lakers are trash otherwise, he wouldn’t be playing.” Allow me to respond to each issue McCants raised, Reaves has game that doesn’t matter what his skin hue is. The Lakers are not trash and Reaves is playing because a black head coach decided to insert a white shooting guard into the Laker lineup. Per my usual policy I’m not going to entertain the dollars, that’s an area I refrain from commentary. I hope the Lakers find $$ to pay Reaves because despite what McCants says Reaves can play the game and at a high skill level.

It's too late

If this were 1986 or even 1990 Purdue’s Zach Edey would be at or near the top of most mock draft sites. Edey is a legitimate 7 fee 4 inches tall and 295 pounds, he can score and rebound the ball. Despite these Big Man skills he finds himself in a unique position, drafted in the second round of the 2023 draft or maybe not at all. Has the game changed so much a prospect like Edey is on the outside looking in? I can answer with that might be the case in this “small ball” era, no longer are teams looking for a back to the basket post player.

The positives, “Edey has nice hands and a good touch around the rim. He finishes plays pretty well and draws plenty of fouls and has developed into a sold FT shooter at over 70%. Does a good job of keeping the ball high and putting the ball up quickly to avoid getting stripped. Knows his role and gets right into the paint and throws his weight around. His size really ‘wows’ you when he elevates to dunk the ball and he can be unstoppable once he gets deep position in the paint. Has good touch on half hooks and little flip shots and layups around the rim. Unstoppable at the college level but an awkward fit in today’s NBA.” * I underlined the last portion of the scouting report so you’d have an idea of Edey’s assessment by an NBA scout of his possible draft stock.

*nbadraftroom.com/zach-edey/

 

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Who are they?

The best of the best in first year college basketball coaches. There have been others besides Jerome Tang at K-State and Mizzou’s Dennis Gates who re-made their teams in 2022-23, who are they? One of the things I wanted to do, exclude an old guy in a new place. An example of this is Sean Miller at Xavier, he was previously at Arizona and Butler’s Thad Matta who once coached Ohio State. Chris Gerlufsen is the first name, he led San Francisco to a 20-14 record in his first season at the helm.

Gerlufsen’s served in the role of assistant coach at a number of stops prior to taking over the San Francisco program. For a single season he was head coach of Washington College a Division III program back in the 1998-96 season. There were other first year coaches not named Miller or Matta, however their first year on the job was not as noteworthy as Tang, Gates and Gerlufsen. The three first year coaches mentioned led their teams to more successful records than quite a few veteran coaches. Because of the method utilized those named were the only true qualifiers as new hires.

Hey, radio-TV guy

You might have noticed I’ve begun using a term, “radio guy” or TV guy.” You probably am unsure why this is being done, allow a brief explanation. Those who work in the sports media field such as Gary Parish of CBS Sports or Mike DeCourcy of the Sporting News I will always mention their names. As for the screamers, those who I’d like to term actors they have become radio or TV guy. It’s my method of separating those I believe with credibility versus the others.

I will even use it with those who serve as broadcasters or analysts, especially those sitting behind a desk in a studio. Is my method fair, probably not, however it’s my decision alone. As for Parish and DeCourcy I don’t always agree with everything they say but there is a vast difference. I respect their view of the college game, no reason for me to adjust the volume on my television or radio with wild statements I’ve often heard from a segment of radio and TV guys. Anytime a subject is mentioned I’m going to leave it to your imagination who the subject might be.

NBA ready

That’s the question for the crop of 2023 athletes regarding the upcoming draft. One of those is Mizzou’s Kobe Brown, here’s a rarity an athlete in his senior year. If you ask me as late as last season about his pro prospects this is what you would have heard. Brown will earn a payday but not likely in the NBA it will be in Europe or Australia. Fast forward to the present and my review of his play has done a complete flip-flop. Was it working on his craft for his improvement in play, was it playing for a better Mizzou team or maybe a combination or something I missed completely?

Don’t be shocked to hear his name announced in the second round, the 6-foot 8 250 pound “combo” forward’s play has increased exponentially in his senior year. On the other hand he could pull an “Austin Reaves”, sign as a free agent and his work ethic providing team proof, he’s ready for the NBA. On the other hand Brown could wind up in the G-League, I’ve been wrong before so why should one additional time be effective? One of the reasons I am so enamored of Brown was he had an opportunity to abandon the program as some teammates did after last season. He remained in place and became the glue I believe held this Mizzou program together on the court. I hope to see him in the jersey of some NBA team next season.

Transfer Portal

In news not shocking or surprising…Mizzou’s Ronnie DeGray III is leaving the program. The 6 foot 6 inch forward was facing a numbers issue, it’s a little difficult to determine his impact. An injury sidelined him for a portion of his single season in Black and Gold. After playing starter minutes early in the season once he recovered other team members had taken his minutes. Based on the incoming crop of freshman, portal transfers and holdovers DeGray III might have found him out of the rotation again. I cannot be sure but perhaps Mohamed Diarra faced a similar issue, he’d announced earlier he was transferring. Nothing negative from me I hope both are able to land at a school that can effectively utilize their talent. Are there others who might leave…that’s possible however I cannot speculate regarding the candidate? Welcome to the world of Transfer Portal, it represents the present and future of college basketball.

Luka & Kyrie   

The Mavs might miss the playoffs despite having Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving in the lineup. They might have mortgaged their future to acquire Irving, why do I say that? The Mavs have no problem scoring the ball, especially with those two in the lineup. The problem as I see it, Kyrie and Luka are not great defenders. The remainder of the roster can defend but not necessarily at a high level. The Mavs who were good at defending the opposition are now during the same thing for the Nets rather than the Mavs.

Can the Mavs turn this thing around and make the playoffs, sure it’s certainly possible? Will it occur might be the larger question to answer. To end this short account there is a question whether Irving remains with the Mavs since he becomes a free agent July 1. You know the story, after a time Irving decided he wanted out of Brooklyn. There were stories about Kyrie re-uniting with LeBron but that wasn’t going to occur, the owner refused to trade him to the Lakers. Despite this fact Nets owner Joe Tsai remains a winner. Acting on Irving’s request Tsai got what he wanted; the Mavs received a rental player for a period of time. Tsai is the only one at this point smiling and you certainly know why.