Basketball from a fan’s perspective

News none of us wanted hear

Yesterday the NBA announced former Mizzou Tiger Jontay Porter and a member of the Raptors has received a lifetime ban by the league. Porter was given this severe punishment due to his involvement in gambling. As this is written It’s been reported he “disclosed confidential information to sports bettors and wagered on games.” As for the history of lifetime bans all the players involved in the 1951 college betting scandal were never able to play in the NBA, all have since died.

In the 1960 college basketball scandal only Doug Moe is still alive, he finished his playing career in the ABA and would later become a head coach for the Spurs, Nuggets and Sixers. After 1986 up through yesterday a total of 8 received suspensions but later would be cleared to play. O.J. Mayo, Tyreke Evans and Jalen Harris were re-instated but as this is written have never returned to the NBA. Donald Sterling former owner of the Clippers has also received a lifetime NBA ban. As for Porter he is likely to resume playing basketball overseas, that was the route many of those in the past were able to accomplish.

I’m guilty

Why not just ignore dumb stuff, if I write about it I provide the originator visibility. Oh well, here goes anyway, the culprit this time is Mike Greenberg longtime ESPN media guy. Tuesday morning this was his proposal, the Lakers loose “on purpose” in their game against the Pelicans, this was his reasoning. As most of you are aware the Nuggets have been Kryptonite to the Lakers over the last year and a half. With the Lakers losing against the Pelicans they wouldn’t be forced to face the Nuggets, the Nuggets would then lose to another team.

This scenario would allow the Lakers a clear path to another NBA championship. As a member of Laker Nation I’d love for the team to win another chip however isn’t this beyond a doubt one of the dumbest statements made in NBA history. I get it, the media must provide talking points and this certainly qualifies in this area however I’d like to pose this question for you. If you were made aware your favorite team had an opportunity to close out a game and didn’t wouldn’t you be a little bit suspect of them? I don’t have an X account but if I did Greenberg would certainly receive a counter argument to his proposal from me.

A voice from the past

It’s been quite a time since we’ve heard from LaVar Ball father of the clan. Before I delve into his complaint allow me to state this up front, the family has been well compensated. Both Lonzo and LaMelo have been rewarded with huge NBA contracts, with that out of the way allow me to focus on this report. I didn’t check the author however based on my observation it sounds about right. It’s claimed “Lonzo has missed 56% of his career NBA games while brother Melo’s number is 44%.”

Those are extensive numbers for athletes at the beginning of their career. The father decides to attack the shoe company (in this instance it’s Puma). He’s trained his offspring since they were toddlers but that fails to take into consideration he is aware of all there is in the world of keeping fit or kinesiology. LaVar’s explanation, “The reason they hurt is because they got away from me,” we are led to believe the plethora of injuries have occurred because he’s no longer involved in his son’s training. Check it out rather than just take my word for his view, it’s available somewhere online.

They are teammates now

The Nike Summit game over the weekend saw incoming Duke wunderkind Cooper Flagg lead the way in Team USA’s victory over Team World 98 to 75. Flagg scored 19 points pulling down 11 rebounds, wearing the jersey of Team World was Khaman Maluach. Maluach only scored 2 points, he stands 7 foot 1, 250 pounds and has a 9-foot 6-inch standing reach, he also has a 7-foot 6 wingspan. Maluach who hails from South Sudan chose Duke over a number of other schools.

Despite the potential my guess, his appearance at the same time of Flagg might be rare. Maluach is considered a project however he must have a tremendous upside based on his choice of a school and the fact Duke basketball doesn’t just add anyone to their roster. He reminds me of another large player from the African continent, Hakeem Olajuwon. Olajuwon arrived at Houston as a raw basketball project, he’s now in the Naismith Hall of Fame. Don’t misunderstand my statement there is no claim Maluach will reach the level of Olajuwon however the potential might certainly exist, check him out in the fall at Duke.

King of the hill

By now you are aware the National Football League decided to schedule games on Christmas Day. This is not offered as a criticism rather it’s to ask the question…why? December 25 doesn’t belong exclusively to the NBA although an increasing number of games have been scheduled over the years. The advent of cable and streaming services has allowed the NBA to have a “captive” viewing audience for years. The greater majority of sports fans in the U.S. when asked what sport they follow will likely admit they follow the NFL. A lesser number will name a mixture of sports, some will claim allegiance to the NBA game.

The NBA holds no monopoly on Christmas sports telecasts, however once again the question is posed why? I’ve not read how this arrangement will work, you might have more information than me. The NFL is a weekly sport for the most part, I can guess the team playing the Monday Night game wouldn’t play on Wednesday. The speculation is the teams could play on Sunday and play three days later, with the short schedule why? NFL football is more physical than the NBA, why would this league risk injury to its athletes with such a short turnaround? I intend to follow this development over the next few months, I am vitally interested in an NFL explanation.

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

The conundrum of sports palaces

By now most of you are aware citizens of Jackson County voted against the tax plan for a downtown Royals Stadium and additions to Arrowhead home of the Chiefs. This was not a close election the NO’s had far more votes than YES votes. Although this is not basketball related it borders on the difficulty of a city-county maintaining facilities for its sports teams. In December residents of Oklahoma City faced the same taxpayer question however citizens there voted in the affirmative.

Perhaps the fear of losing the NBA Thunder may have been a driving force behind the yes vote. I cannot go back in time for a true answer however it seemed owners were not making million dollar demands on citizens to fund the cost of stadiums and arenas. I’m sure a number of you are familiar with the term “Million-dollar stadiums (arenas) for billion-dollar owners.” Although the money amount individually is made to appear small it’s a perception issue for many. I located this information online, the Hunt family owners of the Chiefs have a net worth of $24.8 billion. Although small by comparison, CPKC stadium (11,000) purpose-built women’s soccer stadium was constructed with private funds. On a larger scale you might remember I wrote Chase Arena home of the Warriors was privately financed, Intuit Dome owner Steve Ballmer is assuming all costs for the Clippers. 76er Place the planned home of the Sixers is also to be built with private funds. In Kansas City and Jackson County this I believe occurred, the stadium plan was rushed without due diligence being applied to parts of it.

As proof almost weekly the Royals more so than the Chiefs would announce an addendum to the plan. Finally this jewel popped up, whether it was media driven I don’t know…” the Royals and Chiefs will leave unless this plan is approved.” Unrelated but I believe impacting the vote was an ongoing property tax issue. With this matter plus dissatisfaction with the stadium plan, city and county residents said an emphatic no with their vote. Although public financing votes can be contemptuous residents must be provided proof in advance the value they are to receive. An example might be our airport, KCI International now rivals (in my view) many of the other major airports across the nation. Taxpayers approved funds to build a replacement over the 1972 version.

A look ahead

It’s been a few days since UConn beat Purdue for the 2024 NCAA championship. Despite that fact several .com sites decided to look toward next season, that’s okay for me, it provides me with something to write. I read 247Sports, CBS, Andy Katz plus ESPN.com polls before writing this column. A number had Kansas projected at the top while another said Duke and a third placed Houston at the top. 

The rankings between team number 2 and team 25 contained a varied number of teams. As a reminder you might remember I once wrote polls are glorified beauty contest, they prove nothing until two teams face one another for the NCAA championship. As a reminder, the pre-season and opening week poll indicated Kansas was the number one team in the nation. Of course we know that’s not the finish projected last October. The final A/P poll list Kansas at number 19 while the Coach’s poll place them at number 21

Bits n Pieces 

Former NBA player Matt Barnes says Shaquille O’Neal could beat Wilt Chamberlain in a strength contest, that might well be true but first a Closer Look. 1980 is the year, that was the birth year for Barnes…keep that number in the forefront. Chamberlain retired in 1973, Shaq did the same in 2011, as you can see their NBA careers certainly didn’t lap over. Barnes began play in 2002 so there was no opportunity on his part to even compete against Shaq. Do you see how ridiculous this argument appears on the surface? We have one former player (Barnes) with no opportunity other than video to see either Chamberlain or Shaq in real time. I certainly have no idea how Barnes can conclude one player was stronger than the other, I fall into this trap every time but hopefully this will the last.

Is it the water or something else with the recent influx of tall Canadians? We’ve witnessed Zach Edey 7-foot 4 300-pounds during his time at Purdue especially the recently completed NCAA tournament. Most believe he is headed for the NBA in June. This next Canadian hails from Montreal and he’s even taller than Edey believe it or not, his name is Oliver Rioux. Did I say bigger, yes I did, he weighs about the same 300 pounds but he stands even taller at 7 foot 7. He’s enrolled at IMG Academy in Florida but headed for the University of Florida in the fall.

“I don’t like him” rolls off the tongues of a number of college basketball fans. They were not discussing any of the UConn players there vitriol was aimed at winning coach Dan Hurley. I’m not going to detail many of the comments I read or heard, we all get it. His confidence appears to be arrogance to a number of basketball fans. If you have issues with Hurley I’m not here to convince you to my side. Hurley is okay with me, I hope he is able to win 2-3 more championships.

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

Do they really know?

The 2024 NBA draft is likely to contain two subjects who will be highly scrutinized. Combo guard Bronny James, the son of LeBron and Zach Edey Purdue center. Depending on your source the story will vary, in this instance we cover Edey, Bronny will be profiled later. Since the beginning of the collegiate season all we heard for the most part was what Edey couldn’t do rather than what he could. A co-worker said today, “If you are expecting the second coming of Kareem you better forget that.”

“Edey has things he can do very well.” Both of us are Laker fans so I asked the question, “Would you be okay with the Lakers drafting him?” I’m not going to go into detail with Ron’s response but he was okay with the potential. He said, “They move AD to power forward and Edey occupies the post position.” Ron went on with his assessment of Edey, he said something with which I can certainly agree. “We got a bunch of people with little if any expertise trying to decide who can play in the NBA versus who can’t.” There is one more issue to consider, the NBA is on the cusp of expansion, the league will need a bunch of warm bodies, Edey could be one of those.”

Bits n Pieces  

Late Thursday the University of Kentucky announced the hiring of Mark Pope former BYU head coach. He replaces John Calipari who left for Arkansas, this is an interesting hire in several aspects. This fact was pointed out for me by a morning host, Pope is a former Kentucky player but that’s his only connection. “Hubert Davis played for Roy Williams at Carolina and was a longtime assistant to Roy Williams. The same could be said for Jon Scheyer who played for Coach K., he too was a longtime assistant for Duke.” Pope has no relationship other than he played at the school. I hope this doesn’t appear to be a negative reaction to the hire of Pope.

I wanted to provide you information why I was all over the map regarding Bronny James. Researching this issue I located opposing statements have been made by media members plus past and current NBA players. On the yes side Chris Broussard Fox Sports, former NBA player Kendrick Perkins and the Warriors Draymond Green. All stated their belief Bronny is ready to play in the NBA. Those lined up on the no side, Jay Bilas ESPN, former NBA players Kenyon Martin and Rasheed Wallace. Based on this group it’s easy to see why someone might become confused on the youngster potential.

In defense of Cooper Flagg

You might remember this, recently I wrote of the coming new Face of the NBA. With LeBron James and Steph Curry edging toward retirement who becomes the face of the NBA, of course health is a primary role. As an example let’s check Kawhi Leonard, he’s 32-years old now and certainly has just a few years remaining. He could have been the face if he’d only remained healthy during his career, so that’s one story. I held a discussion with Keenan on his list and later we discussed mine. Everything was okay until I said the name Cooper Flagg which prompted a response from Keenan.

“How can you include him as the face of the NBA while he’s still in high school? I’ve got to see him play college ball before I decide” were the words of my co-worker. Allow me to return briefly to the past with this observation, LeBron James and Kobe Bryant operated under a distinct set of circumstances. In both instances with high school direct to the NBA a possibility we functioned under an altered set of circumstances over what exists for Flagg in this age. Standing 6 foot 9 and 200 pounds he appears to have the skill set that’s ready-made for the NBA. He's received Gatorade and Naismith National Player of the Year honors. You and I are guilty of far too much focus on the offensive side of the ball, can I say it, Flagg is well aware there is a defensive side of the game.

The McDonald’s All-Star Game offers us no proof of his ability truth is practically any game of that type to me echoes the same theme. This offers further proof of his skill set, he reclassified into the Class of 2024. Flagg was rated the top prospect in the Class of 2025, after the decision was made to move up you’d think his rating would drop a bit. That would not be the case as he became number one in 2024. Due to his reclassification he’s liable to be at Duke for two years, Keenan will have an opportunity to see him in action. My co-worker might soon come to the same conclusion as me, future NBA star…Cooper Flagg.

I said it for them, maybe I’ll make a suggestion

The Caitlan Clark season has been outstanding for women’s college basketball. Recently I stated the WNBA must take the responsibility of continuing the momentum. The WNBA season begins in May and ESPN, the NBA and other parties must make an all-out effort to remain as much in the public eye as possible. The WNBA has an advantage over the NBA in this regard, players such as Clark generally remain in school four years.

It’s extremely rare to discover a men’s player who’s played much past his sophomore year. Andray Carter of ESPN said this, “If we see Caitlan or others we are giving praise to this generation who grew up watching women play the game. The generation before them grew up only watching men play the game.” There are elements of the women’s game that are essentially better than the men, an example would be passing the basketball. There is no single fix to increase eyeballs covering the women’s college game or the WNBA but if there is no effort made what occurs. Women’s basketball will lose the momentum it gained having a Caitlan Clark and Angel Reese be must see basketball this season.

 I was unable to provide Off the Dribble the last three days. The plan at this point is to provide a Wednesday edition, my apologies for this delay  

Larry Laker

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

The strange and unusual development

Because we as fans are not part of the discussions we must guess the series of events. Glen Taylor remains the owner of the Wolves, for nearly two years the public was informed Taylor intended to sell the team. The purchasers would be former Yankee baseball player A-Rod and his partner Marc Lore. Lore’s bio indicates he’s an entrepreneur, businessman and investor. I cannot provide the exact date, it was as recently as 7-10 days ago, Taylor announced in so many words the sale was off. It was cancelled then it wasn’t because Taylor said, “He would still negotiate with A-Rod and Lore.” This latest development would appear to be the basis for the reported cancellation of the sale.

Adrian Wojnarowski ESPN Insider (and others) claim the partnership of A-Rod/Lore are arriving with plans to cut the payroll of the team. Woj claims the prospective owners want to eliminate the luxury tax the Wolves are paying. My thoughts, anytime you begin a discussion of this type as an owner you are certainly not discussing the 12th or 14th player on the roster. Salary discussions involve those at the top of the food chain KAT, Rudy Gobert and maybe Mike Conley. How Anthony Edwards impact the bottom line is unknown, his salary at present is nowhere close to those named. With me having no knowledge of Ant Man’s contract perhaps he’s due for a boost in salary. The Wolves haven’t won anything yet however this is the best team they have exhibited in quite a time. This is another story which must be followed to it’s conclusion whatever that might be.

“He ain’t coming through that door”

Who becomes the next coach of the Kentucky Wildcats? That is the question for much of the college basketball world. We know who turned down the job, that would be Dan Hurley at UConn. Just kidding folks, after winning the 2024 NCAA championship Hurley’s not headed anywhere except home. As for the NO’s, Jay Wright retired as coach at Villanova and has no desire to head back to the cauldron of college basketball. Nate Oats Alabama Crimson Tide has also said no along with Billy Donovan Chicago Bulls coach. Those are the coaches who gave an early no when questioned on taking over at Kentucky.

At or near the top of the list is Scott Drew at Baylor, Tommy Lloyd Arizona, Bruce Pearl Auburn, Buzz Williams Texas A&M, Brad Underwood Illinois. Rick Pitino’s name was mentioned but this is pure speculation, he’s 72-years old and Kentucky probably has no desire to repeat this effort in 3-5 years. Those are the names being circulated by the media however I’m sure there are others I might have omitted. Kentucky might be one of the most high-profile basketball programs in the nation and its likely no school’s assistant will be considered. Before this was published came word Boogie Cousins says the next Kentucky coach should be Rajon Rondo, despite Cousins belief in his former Kentucky teammate this is highly unlikely. I have no speculative power regarding this hire.

Where they have been

The Clippers are anxious to move into the Intuit Dome in the fall. For the first time in forever they have a building that belongs to only them, that’s not to state only basketball will be played in the arena. The truth of the matter they will be responsible for who comes or who goes, the Clippers will have the best dates, no longer must they contend with Sunday afternoon games. I thought it would be noteworthy to look back at the succession of arenas the Clippers have called home. There was no intent to cover the time spent in San Diego, this covers the after move only. The team moved from San Diego to Los Angeles and settled in the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, this was 1984-1994.

 From 1994-1999 home for the Clippers was the Honda Center (formerly known as the Pond at Anaheim). Staples Center (now Crypto.com) opened in October 1999, this saw the Lakers, NHL Kings and Clippers it all requires play dates. This I believe without offering you any proof, the Clippers were the last franchise to sign a lease agreement which most likely placed them behind the Lakers and NHL Kings for scheduling dates. I’ve stated this over and over, pro teams such as the Lakers and Clippers should not be sharing the same space. This ends in October 2024 when the Clippers move into a building where they are the primary tenants. The Clippers will have a clear advantage over the Lakers…their own building something the Lakers cannot say as they continue to share with the NHL Kings.

He's come to the forefront

An athlete can be a member of an NBA team and still remain ‘somewhat invisible,’ that is the case for Rui Hachimura Laker. Since so little is known about the Lakers power forward I decided to do a deep dive. He was born in Toyama Japan about 419 km from Tokyo 26 years ago, his mom is Japanese and his father is from Benin a nation on the western continent of Africa. What I found interesting after playing baseball he later gravitated to basketball. Hachimura begin playing basketball in high school and this next portion should be noted as well.

Gonzaga has long recruited international players, either coach Mark Few’s staff scouted him or he was brought to the attention of someone associated with Gonzaga. He arrived on these shores and four years later found himself in the 2019 NBA draft and chosen by the Wizards in the first round. His adjustment to the NBA was low key, that first year saw him score at a 13.5 ppg clip. Hachimura earned a spot on the NBA Rookie second team in 2020. January 2023 saw him traded to the Lakers. He was moved in and out of the starting lineup until this season, at a point after the first of the year his role as the starting power forward was solidified. Standing 6 foot 8 and 230 pounds he’s filled a number of roles for the Lakers this season, one of them is winner. 

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

Bits and Pieces

The Women’s NCAA Championship beat the men in television viewer numbers significantly. On Tuesday, the news was revealed Iowa-South Carolina drew an 18.9 million audience, the Purdue-UConn game was much smaller at 14.8 million. Now a realist will ask the question will those numbers translate to the WNBA? Based on this event the WNBA could receive a ratings and attendance boost if the networks (ESPN & ABC) make a supreme effort to increase viewership, just my thoughts. What do you think?

After reading the comments of several NBA players past and present I’m going to retreat from a position I took earlier. You might remember I expressed my belief Bronny James required another season of college basketball before play in the NBA. Evidently a number of NBA players don’t agree with my assertion. “He’s ready to play at the next level” according to the position taken by several. Similar to you I will await the June NBA draft to see what develops, will he be a first or second round pick?

Cream Abdul Jabbar, Larry Nerd, Larry Blurred a.k.a. Robbie Avila has entered the transfer portal. The 6 foot 10 Avila was almost single handily the leader for Indiana State to return from obscurity to a place in the national spotlight. His Indiana State team should have been in the NCAA tournament rather than NIT however that’s my view. As this is written there is no indication of Avila’s potential destination. I’ve read nothing indicating a desire to play professionally at any level however eventually that certainly could change depending on his next stop.

DPOY 

In the history of the NBA only 4 players have registered 1,000 points, 250 assists and 250 blocked shots in a season. They are Kareem Abdul Jabbar, David Robinson, Hakeem Olajuwon and Victor Wembanyama. I realize some of you have grown tired of reading accounts of the Spurs wunderkinder but he is the real deal. All of us (including me) were off base with the belief Wemby would be required to gain weight in order to be successful in the NBA, I believe to date he’s proved all of us wrong. One other note, Wilt Chamberlain may have accomplished the feat however in his day blocked shots for some strange reason were not tracked as they are now.

The basis for my view, when Bill Russell arrived ahead of Chamberlain defensive shot blocking came to fruition in the association. As for the headline, Wemby is now only 2 percentage points behind the defensive leader Rudy Gobert. Could Wemby win Defensive Player of the Year it certainly might be possible now? I say it might be more probably now versus late January or early February. I am sure naysayers will claim “Wemby hasn’t made the Spurs that much better.” My argument will be are you sure about that, as this is written they are only two games behind last season’s won-loss record. Although the NBA season is winding down the Spurs should exceed last season’s total, thanks in large part to the rookie season of Wemby.

Blue Blood program

A discussion was held on Tuesday morning regarding UConn basketball on local sports talk radio, the host posed the question is UConn truly a Blue Blood program? Generally we associate Blue Blood programs with names such as Duke, Kentucky, North Carolina, Kansas and in the past UCLA. What makes these schools different, for one they are located in what is considered Power 5 Conferences. I believe UConn has entered the “room,” they are now seated at the table.

The Big East is not a power conference however UConn is certainly a Blue Blood program based on the wins. Monday evening the back-to-back championships now give them a total of 6. Consider this fact, UConn now has more NCAA championship tournament wins than Kansas (4), Indiana (5) and Duke also with 5. UConn is currently tied with North Carolina, leading the way are the 8 wins by Kentucky and the all-time winner is UCLA with 11. I’m unsure if you agree with me however it’s my belief UConn now belongs in any conversation of Blue Blood basketball programs.

I had to be reminded

The game was acknowledged here but the significance of it I almost missed. Center Nate Thurmond who spent most of his NBA career with the Warriors and Bulls registered the first quadruple-double one evening. October 18, 1974, Thurmond scored 22 points along with 14 rebounds, including 13 assists and 12 blocked shots. February 18,1986 Spurs guard Alvin Robertson joined Thurmond with his 20-point 11 rebound, 10 assist and 10 steal game.

Next to join the club is center Hakeen Olajuwon, in a March 29, 1990, game had 18 points, 16 rebounds, 11 blocks, 10 assists. February 17, 1994, David Robinson Spurs center accomplished the same feat with 34 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists and 10 blocks. Stephen A. Smith pointed out Victor Wembanyama came close to making this a 5-team club. His game on April 2 consisted of 23 points 15 rebounds plus 8 assists and 9 blocked shots. We could speculate all day if Wemby might join this exclusive club, allow me to say he’s Wemby registered double digit assists and had a 10-block shot game. 

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

The Machine

Watching UConn dismantle a particularly good Purdue team Monday evening it was evident, Dan Hurley has produced a machine. After the 75-60 victory over Purdue he said post-game, “I want to remain at UConn and create a dynasty.” The coach is on the road although it’s easier to say over the doing. If you witnessed the championship game you saw a back-and-forth effort for most of the first half, UConn held a 6-point lead at the break.

The second half of the game for the most part witnessed “The Machine” in full effect. For me at some point in the middle of the second half I thought to myself, there is no way Purdue comes back. Purdue didn’t shoot badly (44.4%), it was their poor 3-point shooting 14.3% which was a major contribution to the loss. On the UConn side there were plenty of heroic efforts by all, can I say in truth it was a team victory. With the Monday night championship win by UConn the curtain comes down on the 2023-24 collegiate season, the only action remaining is the coaching merry-go-round.

Will it occur

Some are aware Steve Clifford, Hornets coach is being “kicked” upstairs, Clifford will take on a front office position for the team. That move creates a head coaching vacancy and several names have been mentioned. One of those is Lindsey Harding head coach of the Stockton Kings of the NBA, the Hornets were granted permission to interview HER. Harding was voted the 2024 G-League Coach of the Year in leading her team to the Western Conference Finals.

Will it occur, do the Hornets break the “glass ceiling” and hire Harding as their next head coach? For now that remains a question because it appears the Hornets intend to take their time with a final decision. There are three men currently serving as assistants for the Kings, Celtics and Suns also in the interview process. Someone asked the question, why must potential hires of this type be given special media coverage? My response is simple, I wish it weren’t necessary but it represents the world we live in. We must continue efforts to level the playing field all over.

He didn’t want to play pro basketball

Imagine this scenario, a three time All-American, a two-time College Basketball Player of the Year and two-time NCAA rebounding leader. Just a small portion of the accolades of Ohio State’s Jerry Lucas yet he once said, “I had no special desire to be a professional basketball player.” In 1962 Lucas became embroiled in a bidding war between the NBA and the newly formed American Basketball League. The Cincinnati Royals (now Kings) held his franchise rights having drafted Lucas while he was in high school. That’s an occurrence that wouldn’t exist in the NBA of today. Despite the Royals owning his draft rights Lucas turned them down, the history indicates the ABL Cleveland Pipers would offer Lucas a player-business contract.

Another event highly unlikely to occur in the NBA of the 21st Century. Although he would sign with the Pipers financial considerations not directly connected with the Lucas deal caused the team to fail financially. Months later the ABL would go out of business too. After missing a year playing for the Royals in 1964 Lucas was named NBA Rookie of the Year. He was an NBA All Pro 7 times during his career playing for the Royals, San Francisco Warriors and Knicks. Lucas would be one of the keys to the 1973 NBA Championship won by the Knicks. He retired from the game in 1974 after a brilliant NBA career, Lucas is still with us at the age of 84. Honors have come his way by enshrinement in the College and Naismith Hall of Fame. And to think this is person who once said, “I had no special desire to be a professional basketball player.”

If you were aware you are better than me

Dawn Staley has been a winner going back to her playing days at Virginia. She led her team to four consecutive NCAA tournaments and three Final Fours. From there it was on to an 8-year career as a professional basketball player. In the 2000-01 season Staley, with no prior experience, was hired as head coach at Temple. This would prove to be quite successful, for the next 7 seasons Temple had only one losing record, the Owls played in the post-season 6 of the 7. With a 172-80 plus 99-25 won-loss record at Temple the University of South Carolina came calling when they had a coaching opening.

It took Staley two seasons to turn the program around and make South Carolina a perennial winner. From the 2011-12 season onward South Carolina has never experienced a losing record, 7 of those seasons Staley’s team won 30+ games. South Carolina won the NCAA championship in 2017, 2022 and 2024. South Carolina has won 440 games and 199 conference games. Her bio details her words to live by, “The disciplined person can do anything.” It should be of note, all five starters from last year’s South Carolina team were replaced yet Staley was able to mold the holdovers and newcomers into NCAA championship winners. This is but a thumbnail sketch of Staley’s accomplishments, her international record is omitted but strictly for lack of space.

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

Sometimes I am really wrong!!

I’m sure if you saw my face late Sunday afternoon you might say, “What’s wrong with that guy?” I just read John Calipari was leaving Kentucky for…. the open Arkansas position. Most are aware Eric Musselman left Fayetteville for Southern Cal, it’s understandable the school needed to locate a replacement quickly. Before I go any further and Arkansas folks become offended my statement is unrelated to any criticism of the state. How will this domino move affect both Arkansas and Kentucky?

247Sports.com rates the Class of 2024 Kentucky as the number two recruited class in the nation, Arkansas number 27. This is a developing story which is unlikely to end soon, stay connected for updates. Prior to publication freshman Aaron Bradshaw decided to enter the transfer portal and Top 25 prospect Karter Knox decommitted aware of the breaking news. As for the headline just last week I said something to the affect Calipari would remain at Kentucky. I had no clue he wanted out as indicated in a related story, its claimed this has been a topic since February for Cal. Oh well I guess I can’t be correct all the time.

International basketball

I have a partial answer due to the research I conducted. Question if I asked, “What nation excluding the US has produced the most NBA talent?” Think about an answer for a few minutes, is it Serbia, Germany, France or one of the nations on the African continent? If you named any nation except this one you are incorrect, the nation providing the NBA with the most talent is…. Canada. Yes, the country we in the US share a 5,225 mile or 8891.626 km border.

The border with our northern neighbor stretches from Washington state on the west coast to Maine on the east coast, in the US we share so much with our Canadian neighbors I find it difficult to refer to the nation as “International.” At the beginning of the season NBA rosters contained 27 players the most from anywhere in the world, I do have questions. As an example Matas Buzelis was born in Chicago however his parents are from Lithuania, Buzelis was listed as a prospect on a number of websites. If he were a 19-year-old in his parents’ home nation his name would be known however there would be no Rivals or 247Sports rating. Without research I would guess Domantas Sabonis Kings forward faced a comparable situation. He was born in Portland Oregon while his father Arvydas played for the Blazers, mom and dad are from Lithuania.

Canadian athletes are not listed on any US sites, I’m real curious how do college coaches uncover a Jamal Murray or Shai-Gilgeous Alexander? A usual item I believe is location, my research indicates the vast majority of Canadian NBA players hail from the surrounding Toronto metro. I’m unsure if all high schools contend on the basketball court but there appears to be a substantial number that do. Finally I close with the question is Canadian basketball truly international, I don’t think so but my vote doesn’t count?

The future face of the NBA 

LeBron James has hinted at retirement and we are certainly aware Steph Curry is close too, they are the face of the NBA. Both are in the twilight of their outstanding NBA careers, who replaces them in the eyes of those who follow the game? They are active now and perhaps one or two in the future yet unnamed. Do you know them, of course you do. They have the talent the hope is they are able to avoid injury which might shorten their career.

None require an introduction, we begin with the 2024 NBA Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama. Wemby just had birthday number 20 in January and what he’s accomplished thus far says ‘bright NBA future.’ I remember seeing Ant Man, Anthony Edwards in action one time while at Georgia. Mizzou defense did a number on him and they won the game. Edwards scored but took a bunch of shots and failed to impress me. I’m impressed now after a couple of seasons in the NBA and he is only 22 years old. The Don is his nickname, Mavs point guard Luka Doncic age 25 and the foundation for his team. Jayson Tatum of the Celtics, I have a friend who is a Celtic fan. He would argue with me 26-year-old Tatum doesn’t belong on this list, guess what…it’s my list. One of the smoothest players I’ve witnessed in quite a while is Shai-Gilgeous Alexander and he fits along with the others, he’s only 25-years old

The last name is going to surprise you for more than one reason. He won't turn 18 until December 21, in addition as this is written he's only played high school basketball, a test remains for college and the NBA. It’s Cooper Flagg who will arrive on the Campus of Duke in the fall. As some might be aware he is the top HS prospect in the Class of 2024. The 6 foot 9 Flagg wowed the gathering at legendary Rucker Park in Harlem last summer. That’s enough for me to include him in the count however not for all, Keenan says “I must see him in college at least.” Keep in mind these are the contenders, that’s not to say all will reach the status of a LeBron or Steph. I do believe out of this list will be the one or maybe two faces of the NBA for the future. Who was omitted, Ja Morant (age 24) for one and in his instance it wasn’t injury it was the other thing. I could add Tyrese Haliburton (age 23) and Chet Holmgren (age 21) to consider as well.

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

Who takes the lead?

If you’ve read this blog for any length of time you are aware there’s been limited coverage of the women’s game. Nowhere is this more apparent than with me, this was not done intentionally. It borders on one key fact, I haven’t followed the game with the fervor I have for the men’s game. The exploits of Caitlan Clark and to a degree Angel Reese has made games they play as must-see basketball whether in person or on television. I posed the question recently and intend to revisit it, both women are headed for the WNBA, what does the future hold for women’s basketball at all levels?

There is a vital element here I believe that’s been overlooked by much of the public, the WNBA. The WNBA has certainly experienced growing pains over the years, I offer you no proof of my next statement. I’ve read (and believe) the NBA has propped up many WNBA teams because most have not maintained strong financial success. Let’s back up and look at the college game. We had two talented dynamic personalities who made us sit up and take notice of the college game, the WNBA is another matter. The next portion you will read is fact, Brittney Griner wasn’t in Russia because she wanted to play over there. Salaries in the WNBA are far below that of NBA players, Griner and others have utilized playing on foreign shores to supplement their earnings. She’s not the only WNBA player forced to play overseas due to unequal pay, well back to the subject at hand and the key question for me and you to respond.  Who takes on the responsibility for maintaining the game in the forefront for much of the public?

Will someone or somebody take on the responsibility of following Clark and Reese into the WNBA and aiding us in “seeing them” as we are able to do so with a number of players who move into the NBA. Going forward it’s my intention to follow the game both college and the WNBA much closer than in the past however I’m only a party of one. I’m sure many reading this blog over the years have been followers of the women’s game be it college or the WNBA. In closing I pose the question once again, who takes over the responsibility for maintaining the growth we’ve seen in the women’s game at least at the collegiate level? Final score University of South Carolina 87 University of Iowa 75, congrats are due coach Dawn Staley plus Caitlan Clark.

Where you end is more important than where it begins

Former Laker Michael Cooper of the Showtime Lakers is to be enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame in August. The headline of this story certainly reflects the journey of Cooper. After high school he began play at Pasadena Community College before he completed his final years at the University of New Mexico. How about this additional part of his journey, after New Mexico he was made the 60th pick in the 3rd round of the 1978 NBA draft, imagine this 59 players being chosen ahead of hearing your name announced. Much later, in fact it would be 1989 a measure was passed reducing the NBA draft to only two rounds.

Your next statement might be, with numbers such as “8.9 ppg, 4.2 assists and 1.2 steals how the heck could he qualify for the Naismith Hall,” I’m pleased you asked the question. You do, I do everyone looks at scoring as a decider on a players value, for Cooper it was his defensive prowess. NBA Defensive Player of the Year (1987), 5 times All Defensive First Team and 3 times All Defensive Second Team. Did I mention Cooper was an NBA Champion 5 times? You think the 6-foot 7 170-pound Cooper was a good defender, ask Celtic Larry Bird. Bird claims Cooper played him tougher than anyone else he faced during his NBA career. Cooper will now join Dennis Rodman in the Hall, he too was known for rebounding and defense over scoring the basketball.

This was unknown to me

Wow imagine this, it was my belief there was no Magic Johnson story that was unfamiliar to me. Then I discovered this account which caused me to go REALLY! Magic says after his freshman year at Michigan State KC Kings GM Joe Axelson had him flown to Kansas City, in a meeting Magic indicated the Kings were prepared to draft him in June 1978. The Kings were prepared to offer him a $600,000 3-year contract and Magic says he was ready to sign. “I’d been broke all my life and was ready” until the hallway conference with his father. He says his father suggested he should return to Michigan State for his sophomore year so he declined the Kings offer. The balance of this story is familiar to the majority of you regarding Magic Johnson’s Laker career.

Todd Marinovich

Father Marv Marinovich was a lineman for Southern Cal, his bio indicates he failed to earn a position in the NFL. Based on this fact alone he was determined to create a “bionic” son, prior to Todd’s birth Marv had his wife placed on a restrictive diet all intended to aid their son after birth. Skipping ahead Todd became a particularly good football player good enough to also play at his dad’s school Southern Cal. The younger Marinovich would be drafted by the Raiders in 1991, he would not last in the NFL. It was on to the Canadian Football League, and he closed out his career in the Arena Football League.

There were substance abuse issues throughout his professional career, might he have been a better player without those issues…perhaps. The point I am attempting to make if you have all the training in the world, it cannot aid you if you are injury prone or lacking in talent. That is the mix bag we have for the sons of LaVar Ball, injury and talent issues. Middle son LiAngelo apparently lacks talent to play in the NBA. Not a terrible issue everyone is not good enough to play at this level. Oldest brother Lonzo and baby brother LaMelo have continuing injury issues which have seriously impacted their NBA careers. This is not an intent to trash the players or the father, it simply points out no amount of training can prepare you for injury or lack of talent.

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

He is acquainted with Rod Pelinka

On more than one occasion I’ve mentioned I have questions regarding Darvin Ham. I’m still not sold on him as an NBA coach, it’s clear from what I’ve read there are others who share my concern. Saturday morning I was searching the web and came across this. “Replacement for Darvin Ham is waiting” is what the headline read, I quickly pulled the story up on my iPhone and began to read about this coach who would replace Ham.

Then I read the name, Juwan Howard and I must have said to myself…Oh. Oh, from the standpoint the University of Michigan fired him a few weeks ago. Oh, from the standpoint, what does he offer as proof of his coaching ability? Then I discovered the connection, Howard was part of the Fab 5 while a player at Michigan. One of his teammates on that Michigan squad was a guy by the name of Rod Pelinka. Of course Pelinka is now the VP of Basketball Operations and General Manager of the Los Angeles Lakers. I really am in no position to change anything regarding the Lakers, If Ham is replaced I sure hope its not by Howard especially based on his coaching resume 87 wins and 72 losses.

Am I missing something?

I came across this information which I found a little confusing and it caused me to question the why. Although I was unfamiliar with Christ Essandoko his name was listed on a KU fan website. His name came up as a portal transfer, this former St. Joseph’s center stands 7 feet tall and 285 pounds. Home for Essandoko is Paris France. His numbers were rather pedestrian so I would guess they represent him adjusting to the college game, this is the part I found interesting. Essandoko listed 10 possible destinations among them KU and the website said, “He could be a backup to Hunter Dickenson.” This is the portion I question, if Dickenson returns to KU why Essandoko would transfer to play backup to someone else. It might be better for him to transfer to Mizzou or one of the other schools on his list.       

Basketball Dynasty

This account is based on an article I read although the following interpretation is strictly mine. There have been a number of basketball dynasty’s during the game’s history, for this purpose those occurring in the mid to late 20th Century are the one’s explored. How about the Celtics, 17 NBA championships won by the tandem of Bill Russell, Bob Cousy and Larry Bird. The team from Boston must be included in our exploration of teams.

What about the Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers they are tied with the Celtics for most championship wins. The trend was set in motion with George Mikan, Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, Magic Johnson and culminated with Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. How about the Michael Jordan/Scottie Pippen Bulls, they certainly qualify for inclusion in the discussion too. Although their win total is not quite as extensive as the Celtics and Lakers we could consider the Steph Curry Warriors a dynasty. There is one team we have failed to mention so far and its actually not a professional team although some consider they might be thought of in that manner. This college team contained two of the best that ever played the game, Lew Alcindor who later became Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Bill Walton. I know some of you are questioning Walton, just look up his collegiate record not what occurred in the NBA.

11 NCAA championships, 7 consecutive NCAA championships (1967-1973), 4 undefeated seasons (1964, 1967, 1972, 1973). There is one more noteworthy record I wish to mention, UCLA had an incredible 88-game winning streak from 1971 to 1974. There are so many more records established by the John Wooden led Bruins that could be included so I will stop for now. In closing some will say “Nothing like that could occur today” and guess what they are correct it couldn’t.

Draft declaration

I’m unsure if Bronny James is the first to declare for the NBA draft/return to school. Bronny was profiled because despite his age he is a well-known name. Generally speaking there can be up to 20-25 players declare for the draft, I cannot provide coverage or an update on every college player. Those such as Bronny and Xavian Lee will be profiled. You might be asking now who the heck is Xavian Lee, I guess that would be valid? Prior to his announcement I was similar to you I had no knowledge of Lee either.

A quick check and I was able to uncover this bit of information. It’s not often athletes from an Ivy League school declare for the draft but that’s what’s occurred here. Lee is completing his sophomore year at Princeton and he registered respectable numbers at Princeton. He’s a 6-foot 3 170-pound point guard, Lee earned first team All-Ivy League honors based on his 17 point 5 rebound and 4 assist season. Home for Lee is Toronto Canada, it should be mentioned there is a possibility of him returning to Princeton for his junior year of school. In the past the Ivy League has been known for producing business and political leaders however few managed to find their way to the NBA or NFL.

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

Isn’t this an interesting development

While working on the Saturday edition came this breaking news, Bronny James declared for the NBA Draft while exploring the transfer portal. This makes sense on several levels, he can meet with teams obtain feedback prior to making a decision. We cannot determine the future without adequate comment which its hoped Bronny receives. There are several scenarios that could be developed but I’m not going there totally.

In closing allow me to express my concern, I am going to assume the Bronny health issue will be monitored but he’s played limited minutes during his freshman year. The move of his coach at USC certainly played a part in this move however my hope he would return to school. I am no draft expert but believe he is not ready for the rough and tumble world of the NBA. I was on the “Wemby Watch” early, although he was only 19 years of age Wemby had experienced play as a pro, Bronny has basketball skill but little to back up his desire. This is another story that will be monitored over the next few months whether the destination is the NBA or another college.

Maybe it’s me

We are nearly there, the end of the 2023-24 college basketball season is fast approaching. The question might be asked where it went, it seems like a week or so ago it was November and it’s beginning. I can only speak for myself but I was a little underwhelmed this season, for the most part the play was good however it was lacking an ingredient. Whether UConn wins it all is yet to be determined, it was UConn and Houston basketball for much of the season.

It seemed these two teams would alternate who would be in the top spot week to week. There was no Kentucky…no Kansas for the most part, there appeared to be no super college teams I’ve grown accustomed to seeing. For those who believe I might be piling on that is not the case, for the most part I enjoyed the college season it just seems it could have been better. In closing consider this associated fact, a lesser amount of basketball news over the next few months will be published. Keep in mind I will try my best to locate stuff I believe might be important to you so please continue reading.

Bits n Pieces 

Sometimes I post the same story on this blog and social media. I tried to research if it had been posted previously and I couldn’t locate it so here goes. The talk regarding Kentucky’s John Calipari just became that, talk. Coach Cal met with Kentucky’s AD and I read no detail except the coach will continue to head Kentucky basketball. This is where I take the opportunity to read between the lines regarding the school retaining his services. It was more than a buyout decision that allowed him to retain his job. As for the school, I’m sure Kentucky could have appealed to one of their alumni or donors and obtained the reported $30,000+ fee. Despite the opinions expressed by a local sports talk radio guy the administration for now at least intends to stand in Coach Cal’s corner.

I’ve informed you on several occasions my confusion with this version of the Lakers, the Wednesday night victory over the Wiz gave them a 44-33 record. There are approximately two weeks remaining in the regular season. Their win total is the most the team’s experienced since the championship year of 2019-20 when they finished 52-19. We must return to the 2010-11 season to exceed that number, as you can see the Lakers have not had a great deal of success on the basketball court compared to past Laker teams, is this a championship year?

A Change of Mind

In February, the Warriors Draymond Green said Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama didn’t deserve to be named Defensive Player of the Year, in March Green’s now changed his mind. Recently the Nuggets played the Spurs and the Joker was matched against Wemby. He claims he told Wemby, “If you block one more shot, I’m gonna…but he blocked like four after that so I didn’t do anything about it.” To conclude this portion Wemby blocked a total of 9 shots in this game.

It’s a longshot if Wemby is named the winner I’ve said on more than one occasion Rudy Gobert will probably win it again for this reason alone. The Wolves have one of the best records in the NBA thanks in part to the defensive effort of Gobert. As for the Spurs after almost a full season of play are nowhere close to winning 30 games. Wemby will be named NBA Rookie of the Year, I’m unsure if there is an NBA Block Shot trophy. As for improving the Spurs I’m unsure of the direction management should take, is it an attempt to attract free agents a trade or the June draft?

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

NIT will not survive

What a game, Seton Hall prevailed in a tight competitive NIT Championship game Thursday evening winning 79-77 over Indiana State. I tuned in to check out Robbie Avila for Indiana State, his game was not terrible however my description it was average but its more to the story, Avila only scored 13 point on 40% shooting from the floor. From here this morphed into a discussion I heard on sports talk radio Thursday afternoon…the topic tournament expansion. 

Should Seton Hall and Indiana State have received NCAA Tournament invitations? I can’t make that call however all are aware there’s been continuing discussion about expanding the number of teams invited to the tournament. When rather than if the tournament expands Seton Hall and Indiana State will not have played in the NIT. Truth is if we are discussing up to 80 teams who would really be left to play in the NIT? Expansion of the tournament will occur at some future date because there are $$$ involved so it really doesn’t matter what I think or believe.

Most watched television event

My friend Alice wanted to take note of the viewership for the Iowa-LSU game. The match between Caitlan Clark and Angel Reese drew a record audience that night. game had an audience of 12.3 million viewers including me, to place that in perspective check these numbers out. That number was more viewers than:

*Any Women’s CBB game ever

*The 2023 NBA Finals

*The 2023 World Series

*The 2023 Orange Bowl

*The 2023 Bit Ten Championship

*The 2023 Cotton Bowl Championship

*The 2023 Pac-12 Championship

*The 2023 Big-12 Championship

*The 2023 ACC Championship

*The 2023 Peach Bowl

*Thursday Night Football

*Every 2023 college football regular season game except Ohio State vs. Michigan

Can I say I’m impressed, that most certainly is the case. The only question what occurs after Clark and Reese are no longer present, both are expected to head for the WNBA. An effort must be made to continue the emphasis on the game for girls and women. 

I just don’t remember

Although Mizzou is no longer in the Big XII Conference Kansas City (MO) lies in the heart of the conference. We are bombarded with tons of conference games which for now includes Oklahoma. I cannot state with conviction I’ve seen a bunch of Oklahoma games over the years but several. The Hawks Trae Young when he was at Oklahoma I remember several of his games, as for Austin Reaves that’s a different matter. Truth is Reaves played for Wichita State as well, I remember Landrey Shamet and Fred VanVleet when they played there, for Reaves it’s a blank canvas. Did I miss something, why don’t I remember Reaves?

Oh well, it’s not important just as long as I am paying attention to his exploits in Purple and Gold. How about a little background on stuff you might not be aware? Despite playing in Kansas and Oklahoma he belongs to neither state, Reaves was born in Newark Arkansas. Newark is a town of 1,180 according to the 2020 census in Central Arkansas a little over 100 miles from the Arkansas-Tennessee state line. How did Reaves become such a hot basketball prospect from such a tiny town, I have no idea? From Newark Arkansas to Los Angeles California and in a Lakers jersey is more distance than we might imagine. Monday night Reaves might have had his best game as an NBA pro. Facing the Bucks with no LeBron in the lineup he scored 29 points, 10 assists and 14 rebounds, not bad for a 6-foot 5-inch guard.

One man’s opinion

“Los Angeles will never be a Clipper town, ever…That’s like New York. Ain’t nobody rocking with Brooklyn.” Laker fan that I am those are not my words, that is a statement by Jason Hart. Was he speaking as a voice of authority, let’s check out his bio. Hart was drafted by the Jazz in 2017 and later traded to the Lakers on draft night. In 2019 Hart was traded to the Pelicans in the deal that brought Anthony Davis to the Lakers. There was another stop first with the Blazers, last February Hart was traded to the Knicks. He’s got a Los Angeles and New York view of the NBA.

We could believe the Lakers winning 17 NBA championships can most certainly bolster a team’s legacy to the city. As for the Nets over their history they might as well have been on the moon based on their moves, the Nets have a rich history but most of it involves the time they spent in New Jersey. New Jersey is not New York or even Brooklyn, as for the history it was ABA New York from 1968-1976, from 1976-77 they were in the NBA. When Barclays Center opened in 2012 they returned to New York City and the borough of Brooklyn. I cannot speak for either municipality but as you can see Jason Hart has strong opinions about the two cities.

Basketball from a fan’s perspective

The Logo

For the third time Jerry West will be honored, he will be enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame later this year. West was inducted in the hall for the first time as a player in 1979, in 2010 he was enshrined again as a member of the 1960 USA Olympic team. This time he will be honored as a contributor to the game. West was the architect of the Showtime Lakers and later became general manager of the Grizzlies. He also served as a consultant to the Warriors and Clippers. That only represents a small portion of the honors awarded Jerry West a.k.a. The Logo.

He’s got a new job

I have kept track of the job Ben McCollum has done at Northwest Missouri State for a few years. As an introduction to some of you he’s been quite successful as head coach of this Division II program. He’s led them to four Division II championships, 11 successive MIAA championships and the list goes on. Despite the time he’s spent as a head coach he’s a youthful 42 years of age but is now moving on. Drake basketball had been in the toilet until the arrival of Darian DeVries. DeVries managed to change the losing culture that had long existed at Drake.

DeVries produced winning teams for the Mo Valley Conference School located in Des Moines, Iowa. With success comes reward in the form of a new head coaching position. West Virginia reached out to DeVries and will bring him on board as head coach. Naturally, the exit of DeVries comes the arrival of McCollum to Drake. It’s been a little easier for me to follow Northwest Missouri State since the school is so near Kansas City. To provide you a few more tidbits on McCollum, his teams have won 394 games while losing 91 for an .812 percentage winning 241 wins and losing 63 games (.793) in the MIAA Conference. Both Drake and West Virginia should be pleased with their hires.

2024 NBA Draft

This NBA Draft sure looks unusual in more ways than one. Generally speaking the first 5-6 picks on the mock drafts I utilized reflect one another, not as the calendar turns to April. Now keep in mind, we have some weeks between now the lottery and eventual draft. With that in mind lets delve into what I’m seeing. As you might note for the most parts all three drafts contain the same names. The difference is draft position which could change in the weeks ahead. On the other hand there could be a sleeper who impresses at the NBA Draft Combine or impresses in workouts.

nbadraftnet

1. Cody Williams Colorado

2. Zaccharie Risacher France

3. Dalton Knecht Tennessee

4. Alexandre Sarr France

5. Reed Sheppard Kentucky

nbadraftroom.com

1. Zaccharie Risacher France

2. Alexandre Sarr France

3. Nikola Topic Serbia

4. Matas Buzelis G-League Team Elite

5. Stephon Castle UConn

tankathon.com

1. Alexandre Sarr France

2. Zaccharie Risacher France

3. Nikola Topic Serbia

4. Reed Sheppard Kentucky

5. Rob Dillingham Kentucky

Fordham University

My research indicates this university located in the Bronx has quite an extensive list of celebrity alumni. Among them are two former basketball players, one being Nate ‘Tiny’ Archibald, after a brilliant NBA career he enrolled at Fordham and received a master’s degree in 1990. The “other” basketball player’s name might be even more familiar to the general public than Archibald despite the extensive NBA career of Archibald. This former player was a guard and played for coach PJ Carlesimo while he was enrolled at Fordham.

There is not a great deal of additional detail on his basketball exploits, either he was just average on the basketball court or decided to head in another direction for his career. He played at Fordham in the mid 1970’s if that aids you in deciding who this outstanding alumnus is. One more hint he became famous on the west coast and not Mount Vernon NY where he was born. Do you give up or do you need one more hint? This will definitely give away his name, he’s an actor, director and producer. In addition he’s won two Academy Awards, okay if you haven’t figured out his name by now, it’s Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. I guess that basketball career didn’t turn out very well for him.

Happy Days are Hear Again

I checked the history, the headline is a tune originally recorded in 1929, since then several artists have recorded their version of it. The most recent adaptation I believe was recorded in 1963 by Barbra Streisand. For your information Streisand was born in Brooklyn New York, although the Nets call it home now they are not the team making the most noise. It appears after numerous moves (draft choices, trades & free agents) the Knicks are a legitimate contending team.

I am not claiming these Knicks are rivals of the Patrick Ewing version but they definitely have folks in New York City smiling except those in Brooklyn who gravitated to the Nets. What’s most interesting one of the Knicks’ most well-known celebrity actually hails from the borough of Brooklyn. That person would be movie director Spike Lee who pledges eternal loyalty to the Knicks. As this is written the Knicks have a 43-28 record and are in second place in the Atlantic Division. Point guard Jalen Brunson is one of the driving forces in the resurgence of these Knicks. They have managed to weather the storm of losing Mitchell Robinson and Julius Randle to injuries. It would appear they might be prepared for a deep playoff run.