Actions speak louder than words. And here we’re going to highlight the actions of five people, who have a lot of JUICE in the world of basketball. They seem to be telling us it’s better in college right now than it is in the pros.
The NBA Finals begin Thursday, and the excitement is just killing me. Actually, it’s not.
The NBA postseason drags on for 2 months, as the league spaces games out way too much, and do to amazing convenience and astronomical luck, almost every series seems to go six or seven games. Of course, every series going six or seven is due to how competitive and evenly matched all these teams are…nothing more. (yeah, I couldn’t keep a straight face while typing that)
Anyway, I’ve already highlighted what the NBA could and should do to make itself as compelling as college basketball, or at least closer to being as interesting as college hoops. Here’s five people saying the same thing I am….not always explicitly, but implicitly.
1. Wisconsin Badgers Frank Kaminsky says the NBA “looks flat out boring”
His blog post tells it like it is
2. Tom Izzo rejects almost every Upper Midwestern NBA franchise to stay at Michigan State
He turned down the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the huge pay raise that comes with it to stay in East Lansing. This silly season, he supposedly turned down the Detroit Pistons and the Minnesota Timberwolves. Which reminds me, Jalen Rose gets to keep his job despite the “journalistic skills” he displayed? Is that just?
No. No it is not.
And Rose is not a journalist.
3. John Calipari turns down the L.A. Lakers to stay at Kentucky
Jalen Rose looks like the Head of Journalism Studies at the Poynter Institute compared to Rex Chapman. At least Rose said Izzo “might” leave. Versus Chapman who claimed Coach Cal to LA LA Land was a “done deal.” Chapman destroyed any credibility he had that evening.
Although, to his credit, he did remind me that he actually exists. So that’s something.
4. Kevin Ollie chooses UConn over jumping to the NBA
So the Lakers, Knicks, Timberwolves, Pistons, Jazz and Cavaliers are/were all looking for a new coach this spring. And Ollie decided to stay in school; and get a nice extension with a nice raise.
5. Billy Donovan
Again, see above. Or read this link
Paul M. Banks owns The Sports Bank.net, an affiliate of Fox Sports. He’s also a frequent guest on national talk radio. Banks, a former contributor to NBC Chicago and the Washington Times, has been featured in numerous outlets including NFL.com, Forbes and the History Channel. President Barack Obama follows him on Twitter (@paulmbanks)