Recently I was reading an old article by Mark Cuban, the owner of the Dallas Mavericks, entitled “More on USA Basketball.” (It could have just as well been called, “Moron USA Basketball.” Just kidding. It is a worthwhile read.)

In this article, Mark Cuban focuses most of his propositions at the NBA — which isn’t surprising since he owns an NBA franchise. However, “If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail,” (Abraham Maslow).

I’m sorry, Mark, but I would hate to see NBA basketball adopt international rules, and I believe most fans would as well. That is not the answer.

Mr. Cuban is right, though, in that international players do struggle to adapt to the NBA when they get there. But then again, so do college students. The difference is, at some point, the NBA’s international players will get to reuse their former game skills as they represent their countries during the summer in international competitions, whereas former collegiate players will NEVER be called upon to revert to their former NCAA game skills to represent their former schools.

Which begs the question: what on earth is the NCAA doing?

The NBA obviously sees the NCAA its primary labor pool, and judging by the way the NCAA has become a strange brew of high school and NBA basketball, it appears the NCAA regards itself as the NBA farm league as well. For example, the NCAA’s three point line is the same as the high school line, and its court size is the same as the NBA’s. But why? Why does the NCAA have its own private variation of the game of basketball?

The NCAA’s perplexing perspective of its role in basketball has caused it to create a world unto itself, a world that insists on being oblivious to how basketball is played the world over, and is doing no one any favors — particularly USA basketball.

The vast majority of college basketball players will never play in the NBA, therefore the NCAA needs to shift its focus away from being the transition between high school and the NBA, and instead educate college athletes on how the game is played around the world.

Again, the NCAA is doing basketball no favors by insisting on its own private adaptation of the game, and it needs to commit to conforming more closely to international rules.

Once accustomed to a system, returning to it isn’t that difficult. Yao Ming, Leandro Barbosa, Manu Ginobli, Dirk Nowitsky, etc. seem to have no problems moving between both the NBA and FIBA’s international basketball. In fact, they all speak both dialects fluently and are the basketball equivalent of being bilingual.

If the NCAA game were to closely conform to the international game, the 1 to 5 years NBA players will spend in college would effectively help Team USA to be drastically more basketball bilingual as well.

Which reminds me of an old joke. What do you call someone who speaks 3 languages? Trilingual. What do you call someone who speaks 2 languages? Bilingual. What do you call someone who speaks just 1 language? American. Unfortunately, thanks to the NCAA, the same is true of USA basketball.

— Note, this is not complete. I’m tired and am quitting for now, but I’ll come back and do part 2 later. —

He was the best of players; he was the worst of players.

I cannot think of a another player in the NBA that sparks the intensity of debate that Kobe Bryant does. Some (like Charles Barkley) say he is selfish and a disease to a team. Others (including Larry Bird), say he is the best player in the NBA.

The debate is made more complicated by the staggering amount of misinformation actively circulating about Kobe Bryant. In fact, too often Kobe debates aren’t differences of opinion, but factual disputes. What is true? What really happened and what really HYPE-ned?!

So I’ve decided to try to provide a fresh (and painstakingly factual) look at Kobe.

My aim isn’t to persuade you to like or dislike him. Besides, it’s too late for that anyways — most people have their minds made up about Bryant.

(more…)

Technically, a 4-2 series victory isn’t a sweep, but when you consider how close Cleveland came to winning all 6 of the games played, this comes close. In fact, for the first time in 6 games, the outcome of a game didn’t come down to the last shot! Has there ever been another series like it? (more…)

Usually I watch games alone, but last night 7 people came over to watch the Spurs play the Jazz.  Some were Spurs fans, some were Jazz fans, and some I’m sure, were just there for the popcorn and Krispy Kremes. (more…)

I know no one agrees with me, but I really don’t think the Pistons are as much in control as everyone is saying. In fact, by this time next week, I think it is quite possible that the series will be even. Please hear me out. (more…)

I’m sitting here watching the draft lottery wondering why; there isn’t anything that is going to happen that I wouldn’t be able to read about in much less time. I guess I’m just anxious for some basketball.

In an hour, game 2 of the Western Conference Finals tips off, and I’m sitting here wondering, “Are all the pundits right?”
(more…)

On the bright side, at least the brawl between the Nuggets and the Knicks has us talking about something other than where Iverson will end up.

I’m sure you have probably noticed that the NBA has been diseased for awhile now.

The NBA is infected with an increasing number of people whoare so repugnant that most of us would hate to have to deal with their egos and selfishness in our personal, everyday lives, but because we don’t have to, and because their physical gifts help our beloved teams, these goons are instead adored. (more…)

After the Pistons’ loss to Utah, Saunders paraded his ineptitude before the press as he whined about technical fouls.

“My comment is that we might as well play ‘PlayStation’ if we are going to take the emotion out of it,” Saunders said.

Boo hoo. Could someone bring poor Flip a clean diaper?

Anyone who says T-ing up crybabies is taking the passion out of basketball needs to quit embarrassing himself and watch more college basketball — especially in March. Do those teams (whose league doesn’t tolerate whining) seem to lack passion? (more…)

Thanks to Dish Network and NBA League Pass, I get to watch a LOT of basketball. The Suns and the Lakers are two of the teams I’ve tracked all season. Both Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash tend to dominate the ball, with Kobe usually looking to score and Steve usually looking to pass.I like Steve Nash. Not only is Stevie one of my favorite players in the league, but he is one of my favorite people in all professional sports. How I wish more athletes had his character!

But tell me, what is the difference between most of a team’s points coming from one player (like Kobe Bryant), and most of a team’s assists coming from one player … like Steve Nash? (more…)

In Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban’s latest blog, Some Thoughts on the NBA, he wrote, “I’m a purist. The rules is the rules. I don’t care if you call it on us. “That would be a little easier to believe if we hadn’t watched Cuban’s jubilation at and after the three point contest. Dirk Nowitski should not have even advanced to the second round much less won the three point shootout, had the officials done their job as Mark Cuban claims he wants them to.

Since we haven’t read that he has sent tapes to the league office about it, forgive us for concluding that the only time he wants officiating to be spot on is when it is to his advantage.  (more…)

If you want to see a very thought provoking article on why the Pistons are so good and the Knicks are so bad, check out this aritcle on Thomas vs. Dumars. It takes the teams that former teammates Isiah Thomas and Joe Dumars built, and discusses how each of their teams are created in the image of their creator.This article makes me think about the job Jerry West did for the Lakers and how the Grizzlies have done since he went there, and how the former Phoenix Suns GM, Bryan Colangelo, might affect Toronto.

Maybe what Kobe needs most in L.A. is Jerry Krause!

Cheers!

Cuban, unless he wises up, is going to be one of those guys who the whole league loves to see down when he is down.  (more…)

You gotta love all these BOXSCORE BLOGGERS and their “expert” opinions. Analyzing a basketball game from a statistical box score and highlight clips is like saying you know a girl because you’ve read her measurements and saw her dating video. Can you say s-h-a-l-l-o-w?

I’m not saying that box score bloggers shouldn’t write; I’ve spotted things of value from many of their blogs. And I’m certainly not saying that stats and highlights don’t have their value because they do. But too many boxscore bloggers are like cement: all mixed up and permanently set. Don’t let that be you.  (more…)

I don’t know if we are all too young to remember or too old to have reliable memories, but before Kobe was the player we all loved to hate, there was another young player who scored most of his team’s points, didn’t get along with his all-star teammate, dismantled a championship-caliber team, and got his coach dismissed in the process: Shaquille O’Neal.

Shaq didn’t get along with Penny Hardaway in Orlando then went to Los Angeles to not get along with Kobe Bryant. (Can you say, “Common Denominator?”) In so doing, Shaq ditched a team that had just won their division twice in a row, been to the Eastern Conference Finals twice in a row, and had been to the NBA Finals. Why? According to Shaq himself, he bolted for Hollywood to help his rap and movie career. (Can you say, “Ron Artest?”) Soon after, coach Brian Hill was let go and the Magic have never been the same since. (more…)