“NBA Draft–‘A Changing Industry”

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The NBA Draft is hours away and a historical player from abroad is about to become the next star in pro basketball.

Victor Wembenyama, a French teenage star, who averaged 13-points and 5-rebounds game as an 18-year old, dominated the Euro League, playing against men.

His arrival brings a ‘period and exclamation point’ to what the NBA has become, a league bolstered, boosted by the arrival of the Foreign Legion.  Wembenyama becomes the 14th international player taken number 1-in the NBA draft, a history that has seen the sport change.

Look at the recent NBA-MVPs.  Where did Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, and others come from?  Abroad.  Greece-Serbia and more.  Everywhere.

There is so much talent abroad that the next great player on your team might be a Luka Doncic.  Just see what names like Embiid-Ayton-Adebejo-Murray-Markennon-Siakam and Sabonis have meant in their cities.-

Oddly San Antonio gets the first pick in the draft and takes the gifted French player.  Gregg Popovich has so much experience abroad.  Remember Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobli, Tony Parker, all cornerstones in the Spurs great years.

Houston remembers fondly the greatness of Hakeem Olajuwon among other internationals.

History will show names like Dirk..Divac..Ming to Olajuwon..Gasol and Kukoc….Nash-Sabonis-Petrovic..so many good ones from ‘over there’.

It has really become a global game and the talent level is so good for the game.  It’s so good for the NBA and its marketing ability to sell the game to other nations.

The draft this year is loaded with a unique group of high school players who went to the NBA G-League or the Overtime Elite program.

Add in the wild collection of one and done college players, and this is a gifted draft board.

There could be blockbuster trades too.  Does Portland stay at number 3-or move out?  Do they move star G-Damian Lillard?  Does Houston trade out of pick 4-and go further back?  Does New Orleans deal away Zion Williamson or Brandon Ingram?  Do the Knicks dispatch Julius Randle?  Is Minnesota willing to part with Karl Anthony Towns?   Is it fact or fiction the Clippers are shopping Paul George?  This could be as wild a night as we have ever seen.

7-teams have multiple picks too in the opening round, and those picks could be in play too.

Charlotte drafts 2-27
The Trailblazers draft 3-23
Houston chooses 4-20
Orlando goes off at 6-11
Indiana selects at 7-26-29
Utah has picks 9-16-28

We knows who goes first, after that it’s wide open.  We will enjoy this night in the NBA.

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‘Aztecs-Mountain West War”==========

Months after they celebrated the greatest moment in Aztecs Athletic history, the game in the NCAA-March Madness tournament, SDSU is facing a massive crisis, not of their own doing.

Athletic Director JD Wicker is trying to preserve the financial integrity of his  Department, where money is so important to keep all the Red & Black athletic programs afloat.  SDSU is indeed a mid major with huge financial limitations.

The Mountain West Conference is trying to preserve the foundation of its conference, keeping it from collapsing with a possible defection of SDSU to the Pac 12-Conference or the Big 12, as the shuffling of schools in major conferences continues.

Now there is a collision at the intersection of reality and integrity.

San Diego State is caught between a rock and the hard place.  They are waiting to see if the Pac 12 goes ahead and expands, adding two schools, to replace the departing USC and UCLA-headed to the Big 10

The PAC 12 is in scramble mode, trying to keep its core schools in the league, Oregon-Washington-Arizona and Arizona State.  They need as many big names as possible to get the best new TV deal they can, one that could provide each school 37M-a year in Media rights.  That’s a lifeline for everyone’s athletic department.

They can’t expand until their schools agree to the ‘Grant of Deed’ that means the schools are staying as part of the TV extension.  Then they have to sign the TV deal.  And then they decide whether SDSU-SMU are the two teams they add to replace the Trojans-Bruins.

The Aztecs are jammed by the calendar.  They had to inform the Mountain West by June 30th if they were planning to leave at the end of the 2023-24 schedule, next spring.  The exit fee is 17M.  If they elect to move in mid summer or if an offer is made next fall, the exit fee goes to 34M, cost prohibitive.

SDSU sent a letter of inquiry to the league asking for an extension till July 30th when they have to make a decision on leaving.  They asked if they can pay the exit fees in installments over a couple of years.

The MWC response has been shocking.  They took the letter, ignored the word inquiry, and invoked  procedures to expel SDSU from the league.  They removed President de la Torre from the MWC Board of Governors.  They began procedures to remove SDSU from revenue sharing.  They seized a 6M-payment due this month to SDSU, money already earned by the Aztecs.

The Aztecs have an issue.  Forced by this June 30th date, what happens if they exit and then don’t get an invite to the Pac 12?  What happens if they stay and elect a year from today to exit if there is an offer by the Pac 12 for 2024-25?
How can they operate without the 6M-revenue the MWC is pulling?

The MWC  has a huge credibility problem.  Why would you treat the ‘Flagship University’ in your conference this way?  Why do this to an SDSU program that has generated 10M in NCAA Tournament money for the league office?  Why act this way when you looked at the entire college road map and have seen so many schools change conferences in the last five years alone?  Why be so vindictive?

My heart says a quality program does not deserve this bums-rush by the league’s office.  It’s a proud honorable program, not just atop the football and basketball standings, but also at the top of the APR-Academic rolls in the league too for GPA and graduation.

My head says this is the business college model  athletic programs and conferences  have had to adjust too.  The MWC TV deals pays its schools 3M-per year.  A money troubled state school is going to turn down an opportunity to go to a prestigious conference and receive a Pac 12-check of  37M per year share of revenues?  A move that has to be made.

Sure it hurts the MWC to lose all the good things SDSU represents, but State has earned this opportunity to move up.   Why would the MWC act with so much hostility, towards a Group of 5-school that has done everything right, from athletic facilities to academic accomplishment.

The MWC has a credibility issue for its vindictiveness.  They should grant SDSU the extension.  They should work an installment payment plan, so both the school can handle things financially and and the league still gets its money.  They should give State the same window of June 30th, 2024 allowing them to have this opportunity a year from now if there are delays.  There is nothing wrong with charging them 17M a year from now insteady of their double penalty.

I didn’t see the Pac 12 try to inhibit, block or hurt USC or UCLA.  The Big 12-facing catastrophe, worked out deals for Oklahoma and Texas to move.  Nobody tried to damage Penn State back in the day when they vadated the Big East to go to the Big 10, the first dominoe to fall on the college landscape..

The MWC should show some class and resolve this.  Its  classy flagship school , the Aztecs deserve better treatment..

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“Great Coach-Great Flaws”

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I expected this to end badly, it did end badly, for Bob Huggins at West Virginia, forced to step down after 2-incidents off the court in a 6-week span.

I’ve known Bob Huggins since 1980, the son of a legendary high school coach outside New Philadelphia, Ohio.  I saw what he did as a player, what he did as a small college coach at Walsh College and Akron University

Followed the tremendous run he had at Cincinnati, recruiting, taking the Bearcats to the NCAa final four.

He duplicated the same going across the state line to rally the West Virginia basketball program in his native state.

But despite his accomplishments on the court, the 300-plus wins with the Mountaineers, the 900 plus career wins in college ball, there were always warning signs.

There were academic issues at UC, where only 28% of the Bearcats graduated.  There were NCAA violations.  Clashes with the School President.  And DUI incidents.  He exited at war with the President.

Some of the same issues followed him to the Mountaineers in Morgantown.  Call it lifestyle issues.  Call it lack of institutional control by the University over things going on off the court.

Then six weeks ago, what appeared to be an innebriated Huggins doing  an interview with a Cincinnati station that led to a firestorm of controversy after he slurred Xavier University fans and then Catholics, using gay terms.  No one does that these days, he did.

And then the weekend explosion in Pittsburgh, his arrest in a damaged car, filled with beer cans, and with a (.21) blood alcohol count.  Call it acute drunk driving.

His career is over.  Luckily his life is not, because that type of BAC usually ends in drunk driving fatalties.

I am so disappointed at what has befallen Huggins.  I guess what I don’t understand is that no-one in his inner circle of basketball friends, or at the upper level of the WVU administration could not see this coming.

No one ever did an intervention.  No one tried to get this street smart basketball guy into an intensive rehab program.

It is obvious his alcohol lifestyle is out of control, and maybe life threatening.

Maybe two of his greatest UC players, Nick Van Exel or Kenyon Martin can step forward to guide him into intensive rehab for drinking.  They owe their NBA careers to that coach.  Hopefully he will listen to his former Bearcasts players.

Great coach-great flaws and his health, career and life nowin great jeopardy.

I am so sad what Huggins has gotten himself into.  I hope there is a way out, but fixing his flaws may be harder that fixing the basketball programs where he coached.

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“This-That-The Other”

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A great sports weekend with lots to watch, cover and have opinions.

PADRES…Maybe a turn the season type weekend, winning two of three against the hottest team in baseball, Tampa Bay

..Blake Snell was dazzling.  Bottle this-cap it-use it once a week in starts.  That 12-strikeout outing, the fact he has given up 1-run in his last 25-innings, is ahead of the count with most every batter.  Impressive, if he can keep this going.

..Fernando Tatis running like a wild horse in right field and doing the same on the bases.  He has given the Friars the leadership and energy we have not seen this season.  The sraw that stirs the San Diego drink?

..Josh Hader has 18-saves now and looks nearly unhittable most outings.

..Some weekend of games with the Rays.  Padres lay down 3-straight bunts in Saturday’s win.  Stealing bases with reckless abandon all weekend long.  2-hit batsmen in a row by Joe Musgrove.  Tatis picked off at third.  Tatis gunning down a runner from right.  Strong pitching.  Sloppy play.  A little bit of everything

..Up next the road trip, in fact a long haul away from home with 10-of-13 on the road starting with Monday nights game in San Francisco.  Somehow the Giants are playing well with 7-wins in a row with a rag-tag roster.  This two week stretch of game either puts the Padres back in the NL-West pennant race or might bury their playoff chances if things fall apart.  The Friars are  6th in the standings of teams fighting for the 3-wildcard playoff spots.  Alot of games to play but alot of teams they have to jump over to get this done.  Stay tuned.

DODGERS…How do they survive this?  The injury wipe out of the pitching staff, only superceded by the terrible performances of a hot and cold bullpen.

..The rotation has an ERA now of (4.36) and a bullpen ERA of (4.92) and there isn’t much help left to call up from Oklahoma City.  The big question is whether Team President Andrew Friedman will do something  to bolster either the rotation or the relief corps.  The big issue is the Dodgers  failures  have come the same days first place Arizona lost, meaning thru all the adversity the Dodgers are still only 4-games out of first place.

..A bad losing stretch for sure having lost 10-of-14..and 14-of-22.  Is the GM going to get the manager some veteran pitching from somewhere else?  Add in, how long with Max Muncy-Chris Taylor be out?  And how ready is Julio Urias after two setbacks with the hamstring injury?

..Bad history on Saturday.  The Dodgers (15-0) loss to the Giants at Chavez Ravine was awful.  How bad in history is it?  It was the worst home field loss for the Dodgers dating back to 1898 when they played on dirt fields in Brooklyn before Ebbets Field.

ANGELS…Are they the real deal?  If they can keep this batting order in the lineup and on the field, they might be a playoff team, despite the strength of teams in the American League East.

..Shohei Ohtanin continues his drive towards free agency, rocketing his 23rd home run of the season, with Mike Trout doing the same thing, and the Angels  went to (41-33) on the year.  Included in the past week, were winning series against first place Texas and then beating the other team in the division they have to stay ahead, Seattle.  They have won 11-of-14.

..All this with really a substandard starting rotation and an iffy bullpen.  They are playing hard  and are aggressive under Phil Nevin’s guidance.  In a year of surprise teams, the Orioles, the Marlins, the Reds, what the Halos have been able to do has  put them into the conversation too.  Only time tells if they can keep this up.

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“So How Really Good Are They”

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That’s the question, and it fits accordingly for the Padres, the Chargers and Team USA-Soccer.

 

PADRES..Now we find out if they have put things together as the 1st place Tampa Bay Rays, with the best record in baseball, come to town for the weekend series.  Tampa is (50-22), with a ton of young guys hitting the ball, and MLB’s top winner Shane McClanahan, bringing a (10-1) record to the mound at Petco Park.

So are the Padres ready?  Fernando Tatis has put on superstar games, including the wild Wednesday night performance, home run-2 doubles-2 stolen bases-shoestring catch-and throwing out a runner at first base after he singled.

Big questions, Juan Soto is dialed back in at the plate.  Manny Machado is hitting some homers, but not hitting back to where he has been in recent years.  Xander Bogaerts is back, though not as hot as before.  Catcher Gary Sanchez has 6-home runs in 14-games and has thrown baserunners out better than anyone else.

But this is the same Padres team that is still under water (.500) at (33-35).  They are (14-17) at Petco Park in front of 23-sellouts this season.  They are just (17-19) against teams .500 or worse this year.

How good are they?  Not there yet to call themselves a pennant contender.  We get a much better read by Sunday night after this series against the 50-win, 73M-dollar payroll, Tampa Bay Rays.

 

CHARGERS…They are ready for training camp come the last week of July.  The offense looks loaded and Justin Herbert will be healthy.  Beyond the hot young 4th year quarterback, Austin Ekeler returns as maybe the most complete back in the league.  The pass catchers are deep, big, and everywhere, from route runner Keenan Allen, to big yardage Mike Williams, the fast developing Josh Palmer and the impressive rookie first round pick Quinton Johnston.

The Bolts have 4-young offensive lineman, who have arrived, anchored by the veteran center Cody Linsley.  The group could be really good.

Unknown, is the depth on defense, the question if they have enough toughness up-inside on the defensive front, and how quickly the kids on the back end can quickly develop to compliment Derwin James.

 

TEAM USA…What a night.  The Red-White-Blue battered Mexico (3-0) in the opening game of the Nations League Cup.  Christian Pulisic had two goals.  Ricardo Pepe showed great explosiveness on a breakaway.  Gio Reyna was very active playing the ball out on the wing.

Add on the story that Gregg Berhalter will return as head coach, his 6-month stay in limbo over.  The move to bring him back came within a day of stories breaking that he was being pursued by Club America-Mexico and Sparta-Rotterdam in Holland.

 

So here we are on a Friday.

The Padres have to prove how good they are.  The Chargers think they are ready to take another step forward.  Team USA showed how dynamic they could be.

 

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