Basketball from a fan’s perspective

Good Mizzou news 

It’s certainly been doom and gloom in Columbia especially around the basketball program. I’ve discussed the season and how disappointed Mizzou Nation was in its outcome. So what occurs, how about the transfer portal, it opened this past Sunday and apparently Dennis Gates was able to attract one of the top prospects in the portal. His name, Jacob Crews and he is arriving from the University of Tennessee at Martin. Crews is a 6-8 guard and registered 19.1 ppg along with 41% shooting from three, can he help? That is an unknown for now but hopefully based on his shooting it is believed Crews can blend his game with the holdovers and newcomers arriving in August.

On paper Mizzou should be improved, arriving in the fall will be the number four recruiting class in the nation. Shocker of all shockers for me and maybe you as well, Mizzou managed to finish ahead of traditional powers North Carolina, Texas and Kansas in attracting talent to Columbia. Notice I said on paper Mizzou should be improved, you and I know basketball games are not played on paper. There is work to do in order to improve Mizzou’s position in the SEC for 2024-25, I believe it can be done. Despite this appearing to begin as a negative that is not the case, this member of Mizzou Nation is looking forward to next season and an improved finish with the arrival of the freshman class. Two Mizzou players left in the portal so there should be two additional roster positions open so standby for add-ons. It feels good to write something positive regarding the basketball program after such a challenging season.

Timmy 

I’ve read a number of complaints about coach Pop and Victor Wembanyama. The majority stated a belief Pop might be too old to coach this budding talent. Well based on what I read apparently that is not the case, note the headline. The coach in discussing Wemby compared him to Tim Duncan, we know Wemby is yet to reach the level (and may never) of Duncan. Timmy as Shaq loved to refer to him was one of those generational talents. How good was Timmy, consider this comparison.

Someone I read stated this fact, “Magic Johnson was a great player but he never won anything after Kareem retired.” I could make the same statement regarding the Spurs. The record of the post-Duncan Spurs is only average, fact is the last NBA championship was won in 2014, Duncan retired two years later. The nickname that stands out for me was Mr. Fundamental, Duncan’s game was for lack of another word fundamentally sound. It might be the hope of Pop and Wemby he one day approaches Tim Duncan status. Duncan was not demonstrative Wemby appears somewhat opposite. He said Rudy Gobert deserves to be named DPOY this season, “Next season it’s no longer his turn.” Has Wemby said loudly I’m here now, see ME!

Replacing a legend

A number reading this might disagree with the tag legend on a few of the names. I say anytime you coach one team 15 years you become a legend, that is the case for many of the names below. How about this to consider…you become the first to head the program after the legend retires. Few remember the name of the coach that replaced UCLA’s John Wooden or Kentucky’s Adolph Rupp. Let’s check the names out and the replacement, Gene Keady Purdue. From 1980-2005 Keady patrolled the sidelines for the Boilermakers, he won nearly 500 games in that time period.

Filling the gigantic shoes left by Keady has been Matt Painter, there is no NCAA Championship on his resume however his teams have won 413 games prior to the present. Indiana’s Bobby Knight was a volcano as a coach, prepare yourself for an explosion. Knight coached the Hoosiers from 1971-2000 winning 662 games and an NCAA Championship. Since that time up to the present there have been 6 head coaches at the school. Mike Davis replaced Knight and managed to win 115 games but he was gone…Davis resigned after 6 seasons. Phog Allen the legend, the arena in Lawrence Kansas is named in his honor. Allen coached the Jayhawks from 1919-1956 winning 590 games one NCAA Championship and two Helms Championships. Dick Harp was hired after Allen and held the job from 1956-1964, Harp was a successful coach but resigned after the 1964 season.

Besides him there have been only 4 other coaches which details the stability of the Kansas basketball program. There are certainly other long tenure coaches, John Chaney at Temple, Jim Calhoun UConn, Duke’s Coach K. I wanted to provide a brief list, there are many more other legends. As for John Wooden at UCLA it was Gene Bartow who arrived from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Joe B. Hall succeeded Adolph Rupp, he managed to win an NCAA Championship in 1978.

The ABA was never superior

I have no idea the age of the individual, the headline is what he wrote on the ABA fan website. Many can forward to claim he was not correct, I now add my name to the list. At the time the league began play in 1967 I’m unsure if all these moves occurred at the same time but let’s say they did. The ABA brought in the 3-point basket (they didn’t originate it), the Slam Dunk Championship at the All-Star Game and other stuff the NBA failed to implement. Over the years of its existence the talent level began to even out, an increasing number of collegiate talent headed for the ABA over the NBA.

In my view even with the increasing talent infusion it never came close to that of the NBA. As for the 3-point basket, it was introduced to the world by Abe Saperstein Globetrotters owner and the man behind formation of the short-lived American Basketball league (1961-1962). I understand the passion, this website was founded by individuals who love the ABA. I thought the league was great in the number of players it developed. This includes allowing a Connie Hawkins and Roger Brown to play despite the damage inflicted by the NBA on them.

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

A mammoth game

Victor Wembanyama led the Spurs to victory in an OT win over the Nets 122-115. I tend to use the same expression continuously when a player has an outstanding game and that was the case Sunday. “He filled up the box score” and it certainly was true in the case of the Sunday evening game. Usually on those occasions you read of a triple-double OT you figure “Ya, he got it because the game went into OT.”  That was not the case in this game, Wemby’s triple-double occurred before the extra session.

He just added numbers to those existing earlier. Check this Sunday evening game Wemby contributed to the Spurs victory, 33 points, 16 rebounds along with 7 assists and 7 steals. For the game Wemby shot 53.8% from the floor, his 3-point shot and free throw shooting were the only negatives for his outstanding game. The Spurs continued to display their youth at times which has been evident in most of the losses I’ve been able to see. What confused me to a degree was the unusual offense interim coach Kevin Ollie used, 6-1 Dennis Schroeder was often guarding the 7-4 Wemby. I did notice a couple of instances when the guard forced the taller Wemby into a turnover.

March Madness

We refer to it as March Madness…NCAA Tournament Time. For those among you who work in offices don’t expect a great deal of labor output over the next week or so. It’s that time of year, 68 college teams will have earned an invite and placed in brackets according to the experts. Your duty is to figure out which team becomes the 2024 NCAA Champion. You might have a case similar to this, team A has a better record but fails to have as many quad 1 wins as team B.

Many of us on Sunday evening began working on our bracket. The portion that’s always peaked my curiosity, do you pick your alma mater out of loyalty or the fact they might be the better team. How about the upsets, annually there is always a lower seeded team beating one ranked above them. Just for your information a 9 seed beating an 8 seed is not an upset in my book. The question, how do you choose an upset? As a reminder the top four seeds are Houston, UConn, Purdue and North Carolina, will it be one of them or some other team?

What in the world?

After returning home from my weekend retreat I didn’t have the time nor inclination to watch an NBA double-header. Based on the NBA TV schedule the earlier game (Nets at Spurs) would be the choice. Believing the Clippers to be healthy and at home plus no Trae Young for the Hawks…slam dunk. That’s what I believed ahead of time, the slam dunk turned out to be the other guys. This account is not complete, because I failed to see all of the game. My first WOW, checking my phone and discovering the Hawks held a 61 to 44 lead at half time, that can’t be right can it, only it was? As for the second half of the game it didn’t get much better for the Clippers, the final score read Hawks 110 Clippers 93.

Checking the box score this is what I discovered, as a team the Clippers shot a collective 37.8% from the floor. Tell me friends, you have a team comprised of Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and James Harden plus reserves and you can’t shoot any better than 37%. As for the Hawks it was their 3-point shot that dropped all evening long, they managed a sizzling 50% from the 3 line. This is from ESPN.com’s NBA page: “Clips, after losing 4 of 5, say they need identity”, tell me what is that saying? The NBA season is winding down the playoffs will begin next month and there is locker room talk of that type. This Clipper team is confusing to me, every time it appears they are primed for a deep playoff run they arrive at a stretch of play similar to this. I intend in the future to adopt a wait and see attitude with this team because Tyronn Lue and I have no idea which team shows up.

Bits n Pieces 

On more than one occasion I’ve mentioned the 100-point scoring game Wilt Chamberlain had for the Philadelphia Warriors in 1962. Did you know there was another player scoring the same total? Unlike the NBA record this one is for the most part is little mentioned. On February 13, 1954, Frank Selvy playing for Furman University located in Greenville, South Carolina scored 100 points against Newberry College located in Newberry South Carolina. Why so little mention of the Selvy reason it was this reason alone. Furman is a Division I program however Newberry was a Division II program in 1954 as it is today. Selvy would have a 10-year NBA career playing for a number of teams, Selvy is still living at 91 years of age.

I tuned into the Spurs-Nets game about 3-4 minutes after it started. I saw “Frost Bank” on the floor and guessed the game was played in San Antonio, that was not the case. Monday morning I discovered the game was played on the campus at the University of Texas in Austin. Moody Center opened in 2022 and seats over 16,000 for basketball. I also found out Austin is about 80 miles from San Antonio and this game being played there had an additional purpose. This might be an example of the effort to increase the number of fans to a planned new San Antonio arena.

How about this description of a prospects potential? I’ve mentioned in the past player you are familiar with aids us in discovering the caliber of the athlete. The following are just a few examples, one 2024 prospect is described as a “Bigger Mike Miller,” while another becomes “less bouncy TMac” (whatever that entails). There are others, “SGA lite” (Shai Gilgeous Alexander) along with “Bouncy Stephon Marbury.” Another prospect is referred to as “a rich man’s Dragic,” again requiring an explanation. This particular website places the names in parenthesis behind a number of their prospects.

I conducted a bit of research on this one, the year was 1977 check this out. A Chevy Impala/Caprice fresh off the assembly line would set you back $4,900.65, $1.00 back then is equivalent to $5.27 today. The top pop tune that year was Tonight’s the Night by Rod Stewart, on the R&B chart it was Serpentine Fire by Earth, Wind and Fire. At the movie theatre it was released as Star Wars, since then it’s become Episode IV- A New Hope. What’s the deal with the fixation on 1977, I’m pleased you asked the question? Duquesne University’s made the field of 68 for the NCAA Tournament, this will be the school’s first appearance in the tourney since 1977 exactly 47 years ago.

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

Thanks

I was traveling over the weekend, it was my hope to continue publishing. The trip was last minute there was no possibility to notify you in advance. I discovered it’s no easy task to publish Off the Dribble remotely. I hope it caused as little problem for you as it did me, again thank each of you for being loyal to this effort.

Bits n Pieces

The NCAA Selection program is over, did your favorite earn an invite? If they did are you okay with their seed? The next few weeks are going to be the most interesting time for the college basketball season. Understand this, you will hear some relatives, friends and acquaintances claim this is the best time of the year for college basketball. Please don’t pay any attention to them, they have made other assertations that are incorrect too.

Another milestone event for phenom Victor Wembanyama, he’s played an NBA season so he’s no rookie for me. Recently Wemby registered his 200th block and 100th made three for the season. Of course he continues as the NBA’s shot block leader. He becomes only the second player in NBA history to accomplish this double-double. The first player to accomplish this deed was Raef LaFrentz who played in the NBA for a number of teams from 1998- 2009.

That wild left-handed game winning running shot by Kyrie Irving over The Joker probably caused some curiosity, I know it did me so I did some investigation, he actually is right-handed although when in elementary school he claims teachers would make him write with his right hand. Irving asserts although he’s a righty he’s actually ambidextrous. I don’t own the rights to the video so you must check it out on YouTube or ESPN.com’s NBA page. The basket gave the Mavs a 107-105 win over the Nuggets.

I wanted to detail for you a couple of fix’s the NBA needs and these are television related. We first saw this with the paring of analyst Jeff Van Gundy along with Mark Jackson and Mike Breen the broadcast voice. Breen calling the game had the most airtime which was expected, it seemed to me Van Gundy and Jackson were always vying for time with Van Gundy seeming to have the most airtime. We don’t require a triple mic broadcast. As for the NBA blackout rule consider this bit of history. In the past before the NFL rule was eliminated teams had a 150-mile blackout radius. Kansas City fans could not see the Chiefs home games, okay that’s understandable. Why in 2024 Kansas City fans cannot see Nuggets or Thunder games when those teams play at home, Denver and OKC are further than 150 miles from Kansas City.

Laker rookies

Despite front office changes over the years the Lakers have been good. Good at assembling talent, I make this statement despite the fact all for a number of reasons failed to remain with the team. Once again Kobe Bryant is left off the list for one reason, he didn’t play a great deal his rookie season with the Lakers. As for the others it was a far different story, It begins with Elgin Baylor. How good was Baylor he was NBA Rookie of the Year in 1959 for the Minneapolis Lakers. He would become the first star with the move to Los Angeles.

This next player wasn’t named Rookie of the Year however the logo Jerry West would become the first home grown Los Angeles superstar. Next up the Lakers drafted a 6–9-point guard named Ervin Johnson in 1979, he was nicknamed ‘Magic’. James Worthy would also be given a nickname, the 6-9 Worthy was anointed ‘Big Game’ because he always came up in the clutch, he was drafted in 1982. Over the next few decades Laker fans would see ‘Nick’ at Night Van Excel, D’ Angelo Russell, Jordan Clarkson, Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball. Many of those named would be traded while others like Russell would be re-acquired. The Lakers have no monopoly on talent however several of the players named have contributed to wins over the years.

What about him?

We are coming up on the NCAA Tournament, a national championship is within Zach Edey’s view. As for a future in the NBA that might be another story, despite another outstanding season of play there remain questions. You might remember I wrote of the words of an NBA scout, he said “If this was 15-20 years ago Edey would be a top pick in the first round.” Of course with offensive schemes changing over the years there is not the requirement for a traditional Big Man as there once was.

I am a party of one but I have difficulty believing a team is willing to pass on developing talent because it might not agree with their scheme. One of the key issues for Edey, they claim he doesn’t stretch the floor. Edey has no outside range and that is a key issue. Will some NBA team take a chance on him, as this is written I’m unsure. If I were an NBA coach I’d take a chance. Andy Katz writing for NCAA.com rates Edey the top college center in 2023-24. The Athletic places Edey at the top of their list as do several others. We are left with maybe he is versus maybe he isn’t. This we can be assured of, if there is no NBA future Edey has potential playing pro basketball somewhere.

My Fix 

Recently you might have read Gilbert Arenas and his "NBA Fix" this one belongs to me alone. Arenas played in the NBA  I only watch the NBA. These are the thoughts of a fan, most of the changes proposed must be league and coaching mandated here they are:

1. Reduce the number of 3's, they are certainly great when they go when they don't.

2. Return a portion of the offense to an inside game, then back to the basket play.

3. Greater emphasis on team defense (I believe the volume of threes is responsible).

4. Less time I check traveling is still in the rule book...enforce it.

5. Ban the Euro step.

6. We don't require three TV analysts for a single game.

7. Blackouts should be limited to a 150 mile radius.

8. A 65-game minimum should be amended to qualify for post season awards.

Those are just a few of the changes I would love to see the NBA, TV networks and coaching staff implement for the future. I'm sure you have your own ideas about what makes a better game, I am certainly not claiming this solves all.   

The SEC 

The mention of conference expansion recently the SEC was briefly covered. The SEC will undergo a change next season, this 14-team conference will expand by two. Coming on board will be Texas and Oklahoma, a brief history of both follows. In 1920 Oklahoma joined the Big 7 (later the Big 8), the school would remain a member through the expansion to the Big XII. As for Texas their route was different, they were members of the Southwest Conference which was founded in 1915. They remained members  until that conference went out of business in 1995. In that same year Texas moved into the Big XII where they remained until this latest move.

Crypto.com Arena

I still hate the name, Staples Center rolls of the tongue far easier but that is another story. I was aware at the time the arena opened the Clippers were low on the list of tenants. It has nothing to do with priority but what former owner Donald Sterling did at the time. As the arena was under construction the Lakers and NHL Kings made arrangements move from The Forum to Staples signing contracts and all the other stuff required. The Clippers played at Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim (now called the Honda Center). Staples opened in the fall of 1999 with two primary tenants in place, the Lakers and Kings both having contracts.

Somewhere in mid to late spring Clipper management decided it would be better to be housed in downtown Los Angeles over Anaheim. Why am I rehashing this old story at this point in time, it's because of the coach. Coach Tyronn Lue recently expressed his belief everything changes next season. As you are aware the Clippers move into the Intuit Dome their exclusive home, Lue complained about scheduling issues regarding their place ranking behind the Lakers/Kings in available scheduling dates. I don't believe the scheduling was done with malice, part of the reasoning might have to be based on signing. Former coach Doc Rivers did this, he began to have the Laker jerseys covered during Clipper games, how childish of him. Why the Clipper complaints now, the season is winding down and it's my guess the Clippers are anxious to move into their own building.  

The Hot Seat

Yesterday a list of college coaches was provided, these were among the number losing their jobs. How about the NBA, no one's been fired yet however two names were recently profiled as on the hot seat, they are Darvin Ham and Monty Williams. Ham has been covered by me in the past so the purpose of this is Monty Williams. Unlike Ham who only has last season and this a history exists for Williams. He was hired by the Pelicans for his first head coaching position, after four losing seasons the franchise turned around winning 45 games. The problem was, they lost in the first round of the playoffs so I guess that was the basis for his termination. In 2019 Williams was hired as head coach of the Suns, his first season the team finished below .500.

After that came records of 51, 64 and 45 wins, at the conclusion of the 2023 season Williams was fired again. Again I must guess l guess lack of playoff success was the basis for the second termination. June 2023 Williams was hired by the Pistons and that's when this latest "job in jeopardy" came about. The Pistons would set an NBA record losing 28 games in a row under Williams, he was unable to begin his tenure on a good note. If we check the history we discover the Pistons were coming off seasons of 23 and last year 17 wins. Can we conclude Williams has a monumental task on his hands rebuilding the Pistons. Fans of the team certainly cannot be pleased but the question is how much could the coach accomplish in less than one full season. It's my belief Williams might be in a safer position than the Lakers Ham, we shall see how this matter plays out in the not too distant future. 

EXCUSE THE DUST

That's the usual excuse when a company is building something new. That is the case here, the Words looks a little different this morning. It is being published from a remote location, my wife will inform you how desperate I became when I first experienced problems attempting to publish. By Monday everything should   be working properly.

THE DEPARTED

No this has no reference to the 2006 movie with the same title. Because I didn't see the movie I am unsure if the account you are reading is even close.  Oh well, here goes, we discussed former W Virginia coach Bob Huggins and his possible job at Louisville. Although I expressed my opposition to the hire there are plenty of other coaching positions out there. Below is just a short list of schools who parted ways with their head coach:

Vanderbilt Jerry Stackhouse

Travis Ford St Louis University

Mike Boynton Oklahoma State

Kenny Payne Louisville

Tony Stubblefield DePaul

Chris Holtman Ohio State

Mike Hopkins Washington

John Smith Cal Poly

Mike Davis Detroit Mercy

Lorenzo Romar Pepperdine

Juwan Howard Michigan

WHAT ABOUT HIM?

Sometimes there are players who are outstanding talents but maybe fail to capture the hearts and mines of all. That is the case for me regarding Kevin Durant. If he's your favorite forgive me, allow for a brief explanation. Phoenix becomes stop number 4 on his NBA, I am not going to count Seattle because he moved with the Sonics when the franchise moved to OKC. From there it was Golden State then Brooklyn and now Phoenix. Okay its just me, if you are a KD fan so be it who am I to argue with stats, there is no doubt in my mind KD will be in the Naismith Hall once he retires. The truth of the matter KD might be in the College Hall as well if he'd spent more time at Texas.

THIS IS DIFFERENT

I came across a YouTube story I found interesting maybe you might as well. With all the cities desiring an NBA franchise I found one just the opposite. A local radio guy got out front on the news a commission in government was exploring an NBA or WNBA franchise for Pittsburgh (PA). I discovered quickly although I've never lived or visited the area I knew more than him. During the interview he mentioned the ABA but said "Pittsburgh has never had an NBA team nor did they need one" I'm far too young to have witnessed them play but the 1947-48 season saw the Pittsburgh Ironmen in the BAA, which later would become the NBA. My question for anyone in the metro reading this, you take the word of a guy who doesn't know the history.

HOW ABOUT YOU?

Have you witnessed an athlete in his or her "infancy" and said to yourself, "He's-She's going to be a star." I asked my co-worker Keenan, he thought for a couple of minutes and said yes. "My high school (KCMO) played Chaminade (St. Louis), Jayson Tatum scored 40 points on us, nobody could stop him." Of course he went on to Duke and is a vital contributor to Celtic success. My first thought was seeing LeBron James in action for St Vincent-St Mary, a ready made NBA body. Of course I didn't have the opportunity to see him in person but was still impressed. Think about it a bit, who is that talent you first saw and believed they had a bright future ahead barring injury. 

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

Your reputation precedes you

Kansas basketball has a national reputation, Bill Self arrived in 2003 replacing Roy Williams. His record at Tulsa and Illinois was good, at Kansas it would become outstanding. Two NCAA Championships and a host of Big 12 honors have come his and the school’s way since his arrival. As for this season that’s been a different matter, at the beginning on paper at least this team look good, but now we believe not so much.

Don’t misunderstand 22 wins is a good season for any team while 10 losses (for a Self-team) not so much. Despite Hunter Dickinson and Kevin McCullar Jr. sidelined the “experts” still had Kansas seeded higher than Cincinnati. The final score read Cincinnati 72 Kansas 52 as the taller Bearcats never allowed Kansas closer than 4-5 points. As for the AP and Coaches poll they will not be adjusted until after the NCAA Tournament, I have difficulty believing they are the 16th best team in the nation. This is no criticism aimed at the coach but I must state this is Self’s worst team since his arrival in Lawrence.

If we check the record we discover the 2013-14 team finished the season 25-10, the 2018-19 team was 26-10. As for the injuries to Dickinson and McCullar it’s too bad however they often say injuries are part of the game. At the beginning of the season the Jayhawks were rated the number one team in the nation. Consider this fact, Kansas was the number one team in the nation at a point. They booked victories over UConn, Tennessee and Houston all who are now projected as number one seeds in the upcoming NCAA Tournament.   

Kryptonite

You remember the story, once Superman came to earth it was soon discovered he was stronger than anyone. No person could defeat him except a fictional rock referred to as kryptonite. This rock weakened Superman and he was reduced to the same level as human beings. The Lakers are certainly not “Super” however the Kings have become their kryptonite. 

I’m unsure without additional research however the Wednesday evening win (120-107) presented the season series to the Kings 4 wins to 0. I believe last season the Kings surprised the NBA, this season most teams are not allowing that to occur except for the Lakers. Monica one of my co-workers and a Laker fan said this to me on Thursday. “The Lakers will never find their way until LeBron retires,” I hope that is not the case however it sure appears to be.

The history

Just a few of the names, the Pacific Coast Conference (1915-1959), we also have the Metro Conference (1975-1995) along with the Southwest Conference (1914-1996). We also have the Gulf Star Conference (1984-1987) and close this exercise with the Great West Conference (2004-2013). Those are just a few defunct conferences my research uncovered, there are many more than the 5 profiled for this account. Soon to join the list of conferences no longer existing will be the Pac-12.

The schools are not going anywhere but I have serious doubts if the conference will continue to exist with only Washington State and Oregon State as members next season. Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah depart for the Big XII or whatever the name becomes at the end of this season, USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington move to the Big 10, the ACC is adding Stanford and Cal. So just like that the Pac-12 founded in 1959 will essentially go out of business in 2024. A funny thing about this movement, at one time geography was a key component of conference affiliation but no more. As indicated recently the Big XII will contain teams in four time zones, for the Big 10 it will be three.

Twin Towers

The mention of basketball combos popped up on my news feed. There are no Twin Towers currently playing however the term probably came into use with Hakeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson of the Rockets. 7-4 Sampson joined 7-0 Olajuwon in the frontcourt for the Rockets in 1983. That’s not quite correct, much earlier 1963 to be exact the San Francisco Warriors drafted 6-11 rookie Nate Thurmond, he played alongside 7-1 Wilt Chamberlain, that account is somewhat complicated.

Thurmond was more accustomed to playing as Chamberlain’s backup center rather than alongside him. Those two may have played several games as a combo however it probably was not a considerable number. History indicates the first true twin tower combo occurred in 1970, that would be Artis Gilmore and Pembrook Burrows, they played for Jacksonville University. The tandem arrived in that year’s NCAA Tournament with a 23-0 record but would lose the championship game to a much smaller UCLA team 80-69. Gilmore stood 7-2 and 240 pounds while teammate Burrow was 7-0 and 240. In 1997 6-11 Tim Duncan would join David Robinson in the Spurs lineup forming their twin tower tandem.

Say what?

Former West Virginia coach Bob Huggins will turn 71 years of age in September. I’ve long believed there is no such thing as “retirement age” people should work as long as they desire. Generally at 65 or so most prefer to relax from the daily task of labor and focus on pursuits of a personal interest. It could be travel, hobby’s or something else to take up time on a daily or weekly basis. Despite what I just stated it’s my belief there are some individuals who should retire or in the instance of Huggins should remain retired. 

I am probably one of just a few who believe the recent past of Huggins preclude him from taking any job of this type. As this point it should be pointed out the story is but a rumor and no way is it official, Louisville is one of those basketball power schools searching for a new coach. As you may be aware the school recently fired head coach Kenny Payne. Payne was let go after serving as head coach for two seasons, in that time his Louisville teams finished with a 12-52 record. Later you will read an account on the number of college coaches fired since the end of the Big XII.

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

Back problems

Several might remember recently I wrote of the Clippers and their post-season hopes. Everything surrounding the team this season is a positive, my questions involved if they were ready for a deep playoff run. Well it occurred again, Tuesday evening ‘The Claw’ left the game in the first half of their game against the Wolves. The Clippers statement indicated Kawhi Leonard suffered back spasms, not only did he leave the game he left the arena as well.

The statement released by the Clippers indicated “he could rest better at home than sitting on the bench” which makes sense. I have no medical training and can only speculate on this matter. The Clippers require a healthy Leonard if they are expected to make a championship run. They cannot do it with Paul George, they cannot do this with James Harden nor Russell Westbrook. They require no, they need a healthy Kawhi to compete for an NBA Championship. I hope Kawhi returns healthy and is able to play significant minutes for the Clippers.

What kind of magic?

Veteran scribe Andy Katz released his power ranking for 36 college teams. After searching the list I noted he listed Kansas at number 34, contrast this with a number 16 AP ranking and 18 NET. I would ask the question why Katz has Kansas ranked so low compared to the others? I’m not going to debate that however I will take up the case of the locals. I listened to a discussion recently and the consensus of opinion was this Kansas team was good enough to make the field of 32.

Hearing this statement while driving I almost swerved off the road, my first thought “Have these guys seen Kansas play at all?” This is the radio hosts belief listening to Bill Self. Self-claims “Kevin McCullars Jr. and Hunter Dickinson resting this week should be ready at NCAA time.” Keep in mind the coach is certainly closer to this issue than me but I find the statement somewhat suspect. These local guys believe that McCullars hurt off and on all season and Dickinson returning from a separated shoulder are going to be fully healed. This might be one of the worst Bill Self teams since his arrival, they currently have 9 losses going into the NCAA Tournament. Can they win the Big XII Conference tournament…that’s possible although they would probably face Houston again.

We shall see what unfolds on Wednesday as Kansas faces Cincinnati. That issue aside, the NCAA Tournament seeding is yet to occur but if they are a number 3 or 4 that presents additional challenges for Kansas. I’m sure someone reading this will claim “Your built-in bias against Kansas is a contributing factor to this negative report.” One might come to that conclusion however I don’t believe that to be the case, I’m am seeing the field of  competition without being sidetracked by local media.  

We are months from the NBA draft

By the time you read this perhaps Cody Williams will still be in place, nbadraft.net has Williams at    number one. The sites latest projection has the 6-8 190-pound Colorado freshman headed to the NBA in June. Several issues of note, Williams is not the leading scorer for his team averaging a little under 14 points a game. Between the college game and the NBA there are far too many games even on television for me to witness all the basketball talent. Besides the fact that wouldn’t do much good anyhow, I’ve blown some calls in the recent past. One player in particular I tuned in to see him play and the game I witnessed was terrible. I can boldly make a similar statement regarding the Wolves Anthony Edwards.

It was him I once saw Mizzou shut down and thought “This guy is supposed to be good.” In any event the June draft awaits and all will discover if Williams will hold the top slot or slide downward. Another site, nbadraftroom.com places him second in their mock and tankathon.com list Williams number four on their projected list of NBA prospects. At this rate we can state he will most likely be a lottery pick in 2024. In his case its probable he might not work out for any NBA teams, that appears to be the norm currently. Players mentioned anywhere in the lottery for fear of injury perhaps no longer work out for teams. I’m going to search YouTube for video of him playing at Colorado. One last note, with his height and slight weight he just might become a shooting guard in the NBA.

He must rest in the summer

The fall, winter and spring of the year must certainly be the only time veteran broadcaster Kevin Harlan gets any rest. As this is written I am watching and listening to him broadcast a college basketball game. From August till the end of December you’ve likely seen and heard him on a CBS Sports NFL game. Later in that same week he might fly to Denver, Dallas or some other city for TNT to broadcast an NBA game. On the weekend it’s likely he might be heard on a college basketball game.

Between NFL football, NBA and college basketball Harlan is probably absent from his home 3-4 nights a week from August to perhaps May every year. A major portion why he is so busy is he’s just that good, as for NBA telecasters there are 3-4 names that generally come to mind. They are Mike Breen, Ian Eagle, and Harlan…perhaps Mark Jones might be included too. There are other broadcasters working for both TNT and ESPN/ABC but those named are most associated with NBA telecasts. As for the headline indicating rest, as far as I can determine Harlan doesn’t do golf or baseball broadcast so he must rest in the summer.

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

It ain’t the SEC

Thanks to Gary Parrish of CBS Sports for this reflection of events and what might prevail in the future. Naturally local sports talk radio is ripe with “Fire Dennis Gates” (Mizzou), an out-of-town guy has to be the voice of reason. I’m going to condense the radio interview and hit what I believe are the high points raised by Parrish. When asked by the host should Gates be fired Parrish said NO, don’t make the same mistake Vanderbilt made, he used Bryce Drew as the example.

Parrish pointed to the fact Mizzou has an outstanding recruiting class arriving in the fall and after all Gates won 25 games in his first season far exceeding what might have been believed. If the losing ways continue then you fire him but not in the second year there is far too much money on the table. Back to the theme, Vanderbilt hired Drew expecting him to turn the program around. In Drew’s first year the Commodores finished 19-16, then it was 12-20 and finally the 9-23 record (0-18 in the conference) the school fired him. A year later Grand Canyon University hired Drew and his first team went 17-7, since then its been 23-8, 24-12 and this year to date 27-4. They are awaiting an invitation to the NCAA Tourney next week which in all likelihood will occur. Parrish further indicated Vanderbilt basketball is in worst shape now then it was at the time Drew was fired.

Two keys, Grand Canyon plays in the Western Athletic Conference not the SEC. Second, consider the fact Drew had three full seasons before he was fired, Gates is in his second year. If the losing for Mizzou continues into next year the issue of termination should certainly be considered but not after one bad season. One of my chief concerns is listening to these locals laughing at the season Mizzou has experienced, guys it ain’t funny. Am I a homey for Mizzou Nation, you’d better bet I am.

Bits n Pieces  

I held a discussion on the NBA with a friend, he got around to the Spurs. “Is Gregg Popovich okay to coach Victor Wembanyama, he’s been coaching for quite a while.” I somewhat agreed with him in this aspect, Pop’s been coaching the Spurs since December 10, 1996, which is a long, long time ago. I wrote this once before but will repeat it, I couldn’t think of a better landing spot for Wemby than to learn the NBA game from Pop. I’m sure he’s slowed to a bit however I’d bet money he’s not lost his zest for the game. Last season Bucks center Brook Lopez led the NBA in blocked shots with 193, as this is written the Spurs Victor Wembanyama has 195 blocks. At this stage of the season we can no longer consider him a rookie, although he will lead the NBA in that category in his first year. Wemby’s total will come nowhere close to that established by the late Manute Bol in 1986, in his first year Bol blocked 397 that year.

Remember back in the early days of the NCAA Tournament, games were telecast on the CBS Broadcast Network if you were fortunate your favorite team and maybe others would be chosen for the regional telecast. Chances are travel or something else might cause you to miss one or more game you desperately wanted to see. That scenario can still occur now but its more unlikely based on the pattern now. Games are spread across a variety of networks now, TNT, TBS, TruTV, USA, CBS Sports Network and CBS Broadcast Network. As I indicated you might still miss a contest you wish to see but its more unlikely now.

Who starts

Starting versus a reserve role is interesting because all players respond differently. Back in the Piston Bad Boy Days they had a player by the name of Vinnie Johnson, he was tagged “microwave.” Just like a microwave he would emerge from the Piston bench and immediately begin scoring the ball. How good was Johnson, the Pistons retired his number 15. That should provide an idea of his value to the Pistons while a member. Another player, Jamal Crawford, played for a number of NBA teams during his career. Crawford was outstanding being named NBA Sixth Man of the Year three times. I once read a coach said, “It doesn’t matter who starts the game the important thing is who is there at the end.” There are others but Johnson and Crawford are standouts for me.

On the other hand for some players there is a difference between a reserve role and starter minutes. Rui Hachimura Laker power forward is our focus due to his season thus far. At the beginning of the season he was starting, later Hachimura took on the role of a reserve. I have nothing but my thoughts to back up what I’m about to state. It seems the player is more comfortable starting over coming off the bench. This is written Monday, March 11…over the past 10 games Hachimura averaged 15 points which is nominal. It was the other parts of his game, he shot nearly 53% from the floor and 45% from the 3-line. The Lakers are not dependent on Hachimura for scoring, they need him to do the other things. Apparently he’s conducted himself to the point that maybe he keeps his starter spot for the time being. Hachimura plays much better as a starter.

Grandfather-Son & Grandson  

Much has been made regarding LeBron James and his desire to play in the NBA with son Bronny. Although I can locate no family able to accomplish this feat there have been a number of grandfather, son and grandson connections, check this out. The first name that comes to mind are the Wagner’s. Grandfather Milt played at Louisville and later in the NBA, son Dujuan honed his basketball talent at Memphis. Dujuan’s NBA career was cut short due to health reasons, his son Dujuan Jr. is in his first year at Kentucky. Should we suppose there might be an NBA future for Jr.?

This is a granddad-grandson combo, Joe Caldwell (1964-1976) in the NBA and ABA. In 2018 the Kings made grandson Marvin Bagley III the 2nd pick that year, Bagley III now plays for the Wizards. The basketball playing Barry’s are also listed, Father Rick enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame. Son’s Brent, Jon and Drew all played in the NBA for a time, Scooter and Canyon played professionally but not in the NBA. We also have father Henry and son Mike Bibby, for you folks in Phoenix Devin Booker’s father Melvin also played in the NBA. Of course Knick fans are aware of Father Rick and son Jalen Brunson. There are so many more names I uncovered while conducting research, I will close with this family the Curry’s we have Dell along with son’s Seth and Steph.

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

Billy Loes

I read this story once upon a time, the Brooklyn Dodgers Billy Loes was a good pitcher. Every season Loes would win 17-19 games, he never crossed the threshold. Up to this point he’d never won 20 games in a season, Loes was cornered by a media member, “How come you can’t win 20 games, it seems every season you get close.” Loes response was interesting, “If I win 20 games they will expect me to do that every season.” By now you are wondering the connection between this baseball story and basketball.

I will now explain, Sunday evening Anthony Davis had a game for the ages. He led the way for the Lakers in their 120-109 victory over the Wolves and established an NBA record. In 39 minutes AD had 27 points, 25 rebounds, 5 assist and 7 steals in the victory. Up to Sunday night no one in NBA history had ever had a point-rebound-steal total at the same level of AD. You could poo-paw this effort since KAT and Rudy Gobert were both absent from the game. As for the relationship to the Loes story its simple, I expect continued good play from AD…I don’t expect a similar game every night comparable to this.

The Bearcats  

Maryville Missouri is located slightly over 100 miles north of Kansas City, Northwest Missouri State University is located there. Some of the best basketball in the nation is played by the Bearcats. Oh you say you are not familiar with the school or the fact laid out for you, probably because they play a NCAA Division II schedule. These schools don’t receive near the amount of national coverage as the D-I programs receive, that fails to take into consideration many play outstanding basketball and Northwest Missouri State is one of them.

Don’t expect NBA draft picks to emerge from this program and others, I’m sure they have sent players to pro leagues other than the NBA. As for the Bearcats as this is written they have a 25-4 overall record and in the MIAA the record is 20-2. It’s not just this year, check this out. Coach Ben McCollum in year 13 has led his Bearcats to NCAA Division II Championships in 2017, 2019, 2021 and 2022. Although McCollum should receive credit for much of the recent success winning has always been in the forefront. Check this out, the school began play back in 1914, the Bearcats have won 1,494 games while losing 976 for a .605 winning percentage. That should provide proof of the past, McCollum’s teams over the last 13 years have continued the established pattern of winning basketball.

Bits n Pieces 

“He’s not very strong” the quote of Rockets center Alperen Segun after facing Victor Wembanyama in their recent meeting. His words are understandable for two reasons, he’s got years on the rookie plus weight. Allow an explanation of both, although Segun is but 21 years of age this is the middle of his third year in the NBA. Segun has adjusted his game from play in Turkey versus the U.S., the other and main issue is weight. When he says Wemby is not strong that too is understandable. Segun has a 33-pound advantage over the rookie. No argument from me Segun went to town on Wemby, despite this fact the youngster held his own blocking 2-3 of the shots put up by Segun. Rest assured Wemby’s probably reading what Segun stated and is mentally preparing himself for their next match.

Former NBA player Gilbert Arenas has a podcast, that’s caused him to become a lightning rod for controversy. For every 5 issues he takes up I disagree with 4 of them. Of course the stance is his alone, however there is no requirement for me to agree with his view of a subject. The latest example, which is really impossible, Arenas “wants the NBA to ban international players.”  What might you suppose is the basis for his stance…it’s defense. It’s his opinion NBA defenses have gotten worse since the influx of international players. My response to his statement is simple, prove it…provide us an example or several examples of why you believe this problem exists in today’s NBA.

This will not be pleasing news to some it is for me. Dick Vitale former coach and ESPN analyst announced he’s got his voice back. Diagnosed with vocal cord cancer and of course that meant he was unable to resume his broadcast career this fall and winter. Surgery on his vocal cords has been successful allowing him to return to the game he loves. 84-year-old Vitale has set a target date of November 2024 to return to the mic. I’m excited although a bunch of you are unhappy, not with the successful surgery but the fact he’s coming back. Face it the man loves the game, his health challenge was the only reason he missed this season. Welcome back Dickie V., most of us are ready for your quotes.

Get ready

Fans of Jayhawk Nation are in the process of discovery, they have come to a reality. Some will understand Bill Self is not a magician, he no longer commands the room (or the conference) as his Jayhawks once did. If you think this is a “I hate Bill Self” rant forget that it’s a reality check for fans of the program. If you check the standings KU remains in an advantageous position, they will earn a tournament invite this season.

We’ve seen a bit of the future, Houston has proven quite an adversary in its first year in the Big XII. At least for now Baylor always provides KU a tough game. Iowa State could also be included in the number too. It only gets tougher going forward, next season Arizona arrives and begins conference play. That’s only a portion of the story, Name Image & Likeness will only increase over the next several years. The latter affects recruiting which says the field has leveled, no longer can Bill Self walk into a room and a 5-star prospect will automatically sign with KU. In closing, don’t misunderstand this outlook as I see it KU’s advantage in recruiting will recede a bit in the future. 

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

Geography    

Once upon a time geography was important as it related to conference affiliation. In the 21st Century that holds little importance compared to what it once did. Next season the Big XII or whatever name it takes on will contain teams in the Pacific, Mountain, Central and Eastern time zones. After checking the weekend standings of the Big XII Conference it dawned on me. There are 14 members currently but it will not remain at that present number for very much longer. At the end of this this current season Texas along with Oklahoma will depart the conference and affiliate themselves as members of the SEC,

That leaves that the conference with 12 teams but that’s only going to be for a short period. In the fall Arizona, Arizona State and Utah arrive raising the number of conference members to 15. Clearly a name change will be required once the new teams arrive. As for me I have no suggestions for a new designation, that’s above my paygrade. This I know for sure to remain the Big XII Conference with 15 teams certainly doesn’t make a great deal of sense to me. A friend pointed out the Big 10 is practically in the same boat, this conference too will have teams from the Pacific to the Atlanta Ocean along with several Midwest stops.

Luka the Don 

We often talk of records being broken and this is one more example, I’m quite sure at the time we probably believed it would stand for ages. In 2017 Russell Westbrook then a member of the Thunder had 5 consecutive triple doubles establishing the record. It stood until Saturday March 9, Mavs point forward Luka Doncic is now the new record holder. Doncic’s game against the Pistons consisted of 39 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds.

This was the 6th consecutive triple-double game for Doncic as he led the way to the 142-124 victory over the Pistons. Sometimes we tend to look at the game from an offensive standpoint only, that is not the case for a triple double. That player performing the triple-double in my view shows extra effort, he is pulling down rebounds and passing the basketball to teammates. His labor is often a contributing factor to a win. Although a triple-double might be view singerly it’s really team efficient and for me it tends to speak to an individual contributing to a team effort.

Thumbs up, thumps down

Earlier I gave my vote of confidence to Dennis Gates at Mizzou, Laker coach Darvin Ham not so much. I remain unconvinced Ham has provided the leadership necessary for this particular Laker team. Last season after the trade deadline the Lakers began playing improved basketball, this after wallowing around the basement for much of the season. They accelerated their effort and this saw them win the play in tournament and they managed to face the Nuggets for the NBA Western Conference title. Free agent moves over the summer led me to believe they were prepared to battle once the season started.

Once again the Lakers got off to a rough start, it was late December or early January they finally began a turn around. Despite the improved play the Lakers still appear to be treading water. The coach cannot score a basket nor pulled down a rebound, the coach cannot play defense either. The most bothersome thing has been the constantly changing lineup, over an unknown period the starting lineup was changed and appears to be finalized now. As this is written if the Lakers continue to play at the present pace they will qualify again for the play-in tournament. Beyond that I have no clue what the future holds for Darvin Ham.

The best combo

I wondered if there’s ever been a rookie combo similar to Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren. We could say 1979 might have been the best, Larry Bird with the Celtics and Magic Johnson Lakers began play in the fall of that year. There is no requirement to detail their exploits they are well known. How about another combo, I worked my way backwards 10 years in the past. This is my list so there is no requirement for you to agree to what I detailed here. 2019 is a little suspect in this regard, Zion Williamson’s missed games but he’s exhibited his tremendous upside despite negative comments expressed by some.

I could make the same statement about Ja Morant, of course most you reading this are aware he is injured now and out for the season. Morant’s not made good decisions off the court but the basketball skill is clearly unquestioned, they are standouts drafted in the same year. Prior to that date I had to return to 2018, The Don…Luka Doncic and Trae Young arrived in the NBA from that draft. The portion of this account I wish to clarify is simple, I am not claiming other skill players have not arrived in the NBA over the 10-year period. Clearly I could have missed a pair, those named appear to have made a solid contribution to their teams and the NBA in their rookie year.

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

“Revenge is a dish best served cold”

No, it wasn’t the late Ricardo Montalban as Khan who delivered the line in the 1982 film Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.” It was actually Pierre Choderlos de Laclos who included the phrase in his 1782 novel: “Les Liaisons dangerousness” (Dangerous Liaisons). On the other hand it could just as easily be attributed to Houston Cougar coach Kelvin Sampson. February 3 Sampson’s Cougars went into Allen Fieldhouse the number 4 team in the nation and promptly suffered a 78-65 loss to the KU Jayhawks. Don’t tell me Sampson and crew didn’t have March 9 circled on the calendar.

The Cougars were aware the special visitor would be in their house Saturday afternoon. I believe KU scored the first basket of the game making KU 2 Houston 0 but that would be the only time they held a lead. The final score read Houston 76 KU 46 as the Cougars ran around, over the top and through the Jayhawks. KU shot 33% from the floor and a paltry 14.3% from three. The 18 TO’s impacted the outcome of the game as much as the Jayhawks poor shooting. Having seen the Cougars in action for the first time you might have discovered they are not a very deep team nor very tall, they did provide an ESPN audience why they are the number one team in the nation.

Quiet please, don’t tell him

I’ve got a secret, well it’s not really a secret if more than one person is aware. I just don’t wish this news to reach former NBA player and podcaster Gilbert Arenas. A week or so ago without offering us any proof he “wants to ban international players from the NBA. He claims teams no longer play lockdown defense due to the influx of players from other nations of the world.” Again Arenas makes this highly controversial claim and provides NO PROOF. In any event on to my report, Bobi Klintman announced he was declaring for the 2024 NBA Draft. Klintman is a 6-10 forward and currently plays for The Cairns Taipans a team in the NBL of Australia.

He’s not new to these shores however, Klintman played his high school basketball at Sunrise Christian Academy near Wichita (KS), he also spent one season at Wake Forest before heading to Australia. As you can see Klintman born and raised in Sweden has done a great deal of international travel in a short space of time. As for his NBA Draft projections they look good, one site indicates he will be pick 24 while another echoes that same number. The third mock site has him at 29 indicating he makes the first round. Now for the disclaimer, Klintman’s draft position certainly isn’t intended to be 100% accurate. This is the middle of March and the draft isn’t held until June. One more favor, please don’t tell Gilbert Arenas although he will probably soon uncover this news.    

News that ain’t news

I placed this story in that category for a simple reason, it’s news that basically has no relevancy. If that is the case why are you reporting it might be your question. It’s simple, some will go no further than reading a headline, I wanted to provide substance to that headline. A website recently reported the Warriors Draymond Green has now sunk more three-point baskets than Larry Bird. On the surface that might sound extraordinary, this 21st Century athlete exceeding the point total of the great Larry Bird.

There is a further story which up till now is unmentioned, the time period. Bird retired from the Celtics in 1992, Green arrived in the NBA in 2012. In that 20-year period NBA offenses changed extensively, at the time Bird retired NBA teams for the most part played the game from a low post perspective. NBA teams were drafting centers like Shaq and others. There was lesser emphasis on shooting three’s back then. I cannot provide a specific year but NBA teams began utilizing the three at an increasing number and the number of attempts has continued on an upward trend continuously. This is not to disparage Green’s accomplishment its just the fact a closer look details the why.

Why

Once upon a time I expressed my displeasure in what I considered the broadcast ramblings of Jeff Van Gundy telecasts. The irritation for me had nothing to do with his competency it was the manner he conducted himself on air. Over time I changed my outlook and the irritation with his style of broadcasting no longer concerned me. The game being viewed was more important than the person behind the mic. As for Doris Burke and now Beth Mowins I’ve read complaints. For those who might be unfamiliar with the names, both work for ESPN, Burke is color analyst and Mowins has the role of broadcaster for the NBA coverage on ESPN/ABC telecasts.

At the time I began listening to Burke and Mowins I found both knowledgeable in their craft however there is another issue…they are female. The complaints I’ve read have nothing to do with their competency rather it’s the fact they are women. My research even discovered a petition on Change.org to remove Doris Burke from NBA telecasts, I have serious doubts ESPN/ABA acts if it gains enough signatures. Males have been involved in broadcasting women’s games for years, in addition Geno Auriemma is one on the most successful basketball coaches in history. His women’s teams at UConn have placed this male coach on the platform of great basketball coaches. If you are one of the signees of the petition I would guess this exercise will not convince you to my side however that’s okay.

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

Injuries

We acknowledge the fact they occur but sometimes we fail to see injuries as a cause. Instead some of us make jokes about a team’s losing record rather than looking at the root cause. That’s the issue of Mizzou basketball for the 2023-24 season, it’s not helped the fact Mizzou is a member of the tough, tough SEC. The problem, it’s difficult to determine what might have occurred if the players were injury free. Returning guard Kaleb Brown underwent season ending surgery in November due to a stress reaction in his left shin. Portal transfer Jon Tonje is out for the season with a foot injury. Portal transfer Caleb Grill injured his wrist in December and was out 5-7 weeks.

Another portal player Jesus Carralero Martin suffered a foot contusion January 27. I have no idea what they might have accomplished injury free but missing all together certainly didn’t help. In addition Sean East II the Tigers leading scorer was also absent from games due to injury. Earlier I mentioned those returning players who played below par this season. Could these missing players be a major reason for the horrendous season suffered by Mizzou? In addition did those healthy play below par due to little if any help? This becomes an exercise with no answer, it’s difficult to make up ground when its constantly sliding away from you. If this sounds as if it’s an excuse so be it, I don’t think so. There will be no bag worn over my head by this member of Mizzou Nation and don’t fire the coach.

Get the ball

If we check the NBA record on single game rebounds Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell’s fingerprints are vivid. Wilt registered 55 rebounds while playing for the Philadelphia Warriors November 24, 1960. It’s interesting because he set the record against Russell’s Celtics. In second place is Russell with 51, he accomplished his number against the Syracuse Nationals February 5, 1960. We arrive at 42 before we locate a name other than Wilt or Russell.

His name, Nate Thurmond while playing for the Warriors who by then had moved to San Francisco, his game was against the Pistons. What is most interesting to me is the 40 rebounds of Jerry Lucas, Lucas was 230 pounds but he “only” stood 6 foot 8. As for the reason there are no totals of that number in today’s game it’s easy to explain. Over the years the game has changed significantly and that virtually makes it impossible to accumulate similar numbers. We can say in truth these rebounding numbers will never be duplicated again. Kevin Love snatched down 31 rebounds in a 2010 game against the Knicks, that’s the highest rebound total in the last 20 years.

The window is half closed

2024 is the year of the Clippers, this is what should occur. They win the Western Conference Championship, they go on to play and win the NBA Championship too. In June, the Los Angeles Clippers will be crowned 2024 NBA Champions. The story you just read is a fictional account of what is supposed to occur for Clipper Nation in June, will the description projected be a finished product or will the Clippers come up short once again? They will earn a playoff berth, as this is written they are the number 4 seed in the Western Conference.

Playoff basketball begins in earnest in April so we have a ways to go before this commences. What about the future, is the window of opportunity slowly closing for the Clippers? I cannot answer the question however speculation sometimes runs rampant for me. This is the likely ending, if the Clippers fail to win a championship in 2024 this squad of players will fail to accomplish the task. I happen to believe the George/Leonard/Hardin assembly will not win it all, in truth this is a more likely outcome. Steve Ballmer will continue to build his team and another group of Clippers win the first NBA Championship to hang in the Intuit Dome.

Bits n Pieces

Basketball is in Victor Wembanyama’s DNA, my research uncovered this bit of information. His grandfather and grandmother on his mother’s side both played the game, it is reported his grandfather was a French professional. Growing up in Le Chensay near Paris we might imagine it was Felix Wembanyama who influenced his son but only to a point. Wemby’s gone on record indicating his father trained him on his leaping ability. It was his mother 6 foot 3 Elodie de Fautereua who was the basketball influencer in the family, mom played on the French national team, as for Felix his was track and field. As for siblings, Wemby has a younger sister and brother both of whom also play, sister Eve stands 6 foot 1 while brother Oscar is 6 foot 6. This is the condensed version of the Wembanyama family tree.

The McDonald’s All-American Game is scheduled for April 2 in Houston’s Toyota Center, it will be available on ESPN but that’s only part of the story. Team East will be led by 6-9 Cooper Flagg who plays for Montverde Academy in Florida, as you are aware Flagg is headed to Duke in the fall. Team West has Airious Bailey on its roster, this 6-8 forward plays at McEachern High School in Powder Springs Georgia about 22 miles east of Atlanta. Baily is headed north to New Jersey to play for Rutgers. As a sign of the times the majority of players either attend prep or charter schools, few East or West players attend public high schools.

When the Bucks visited the Sixers recently the home crowd booed Doc Rivers at the time team introductions were made, it got me to thinking there are other city’s this scenario could repeat itself. I came in late Monday evening and found his Bucks playing the Clippers, the game was being played in Milwaukee so he’s safe I would guess. I wonder if the Bucks have any games remaining on their schedule against the Magic at home, Doc could get booed there as well. I wonder if there is a home game on the schedule against the Celtics remaining on the Bucks schedule. I guess you can gather Doc Rivers has made the rounds as a head coach in the NBA.

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

I thought it

The Houston Cougars have appeared quite competitive their first season in the Big XII. What’s unusual not the fact they play good basketball…it’s the other thing. Since the 2015-16 season Houston has never won less than 22 games, Kelvin Sampson’s team won 33 games twice. As this is written they have won 26 games while losing only 3 and the whispers have ceased. Must I tell you the whispers that were uttered, okay lets briefly discuss the main one. “Houston is a good team, they beat up other teams in the American Athletic Conference. It’s easy to succeed in a mid-major conference, I’d like to see them in a Power 5 Conference.” You know the old saying, “Be careful what you wish for” as Houston hit the ground running in the Big XII.

Will the Houston Cougars win the regular season championship, that’s yet to be decided although the win against UCF on Wednesday evening allowed them a share of the Big XII title. Do you know I do movies, many of you might remember the 1986 movie Hoosiers? The Hickory boys team have beaten all the competition, they found themselves at the state championship. Playing in tiny gyms throughout the state the large arena for the championship overwhelmed many of them. Coach Norman Dale (Gene Hackman) had the players measure the distance from the floor to the basket, he pointed out to his team the game would be no different from previous gyms they won in. It certainly might not be that dramatic however the Houston Cougars are proving it doesn’t matter your conference affiliation. Good teams play good basketball no matter what the conference membership is.

Wemby missing

Victor Wembanyama missed Thursdays game against the Kings. He twisted his ankle in his team’s game against the Rockets on Tuesday, this appears to be a precautionary move on managements part. That’s the negative, how about the positive. Thanks to ESPN.com we had no idea this record existed to Wednesday evening. No NBA player has averaged at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 blocked shots since the 1999-2000 season, that player was Shaquille O’Neal.

It should also be newsworthy if Wemby continues at that pace he will become the first rookie to accomplish the deed. I’ve mentioned on more than one occasion the possibility of Wemby being named Defensive Play of the Year. I continue to believe it’s a long shot occurrence however a few players including Draymond Green claim Wemby doesn’t deserve DPOY. Former NBA player Gilbert Arenas is the opposing voice, Kendrick Perkins pick another player but says “Wembanyama is a close second.” In advance of the count I believe Wemby will receive a number of votes.

My take

I’ve reported Basketball Network writers continue to report “The NBA is losing its television audience to the NFL.” An opposing view has been expressed by yours truly regarding the two articles I read. There might be one other area I contend that exists between the NBA and NFL. How about the fans, I can only use family, friends and acquaintances in my small circle. In conversations held within my circle usually this is the impression I receive. They express a casual interest regarding the NFL and they state adoration for the NBA or vice versa. I’ve long believed and I could be wrong one cannot divide their time to follow the NFL and NBA effectively, you follow one exclusively or the other.

Allow me to use myself as the example. I am a fan of the NFL Chiefs and baseball Royals, this is the difference. While I am familiar with the majority of players on both rosters I cannot make the same statement regarding other NFL or baseball teams. College basketball certainly presents its challenges for me but the NBA is far different. I believe if asked to name at least one NBA player on all 30 teams I could accomplish the task. I would fail the test (other than the Chiefs or Royals) if asked to do that for the NFL or baseball. So there you have it Basketball Network, your writers are certainly correct however it’s been a long-held belief on my part that a fan’s loyalty depends on which sport is most important to them. I can watch a high school or college basketball game without having knowledge of either team.

Slow news day

KU was able to extract revenge for their loss to Kansas State in Manhattan. Truth is they performed a beat down on the Wildcats 90-68 on their home court so you can see there was no question which was the better team. On the other hand a day or so the local news was chock full of Bill Self and how K-State’s Jerome Tang had done in his words “A drive by.” At the conclusion players and coaches lineup for a traditional handshake that’s when the incident occurred. Self indicates Tang brushed him off not fully extending a congratulatory handshake.

The television camera didn’t catch the scene and the public would have no idea of the incident. Self-decided to mention the scene in his press conference. Is there a law that states coaches must “like” one another, perhaps Tang might have been offended based on the final score. The only reason it’s being mentioned is because Self allowed the world to become aware of the incident and his media power moved it to the next level. As I indicated I took one day to listen to local sports talk radio, the afternoon drivetime guy spent 30 minutes discussing it, not the game but the failure of Tang to shake hands. As for the time spent what you read is all I listened to, he might have spent an hour on the subject.