Ten Things I Think
1. I think the NBA should nix conferences altogether when selecting All-Star teams. As it stands now, the league selects twelve players from each conference and then holds a draft in which the players from both conferences are placed on two teams. If the NBA is willing to go so far as intermingling players from the two conference, the league might as well just go all the way and eliminate the need for twelve players from each conference. Instead, they should just select the league’s twenty-four most deserving players. This is not inconsequential. Players legacies are often hinged on All-Star appearances and in the present setup it is exponentially tougher to crack the All-Star team in the Western Conference than it is in the East. That isn’t fair.
2. I think Klay Thompson is the second greatest shooter of all-time. First on the list is Steph Curry and that is not even debatable, but I think that his teammate is a close second. Thompson has one of the quickest and most consistent releases that I have ever seen. Ray Allen, Kyle Korver, and Reggie Miller are also in the conversation for next best after Steph, but Klay takes the crown. The two greatest shooters of all-time on one team? Crazy!
3. I think Tiger Woods will surprise a lot of folks this year. I am not saying that he will win a major, but I expect him to be very competitive in 2018. His back has finally healed and he has had ample time to get his swing to a place where he feels comfortable and confident. Many seem to forget that Tiger is still just 42 years old. For a golfer, that is still youthful. It is not impossible to envision Tiger regaining relevancy this year. In fact, I think it’s likely.
4. I think Tua Tagovailoa is Russell Wilson 2.0. From his style of his play to his cliché-filled interviews, I see a lot of similarities between the Alabama quarterback and the Super Bowl winning quarterback. Both are superior athletes who can make all of the throws, and when things break down they both have the ability to make plays with their legs. Although Tua is a lefty (there is not currently a single left-handed quarterback in the NFL), I think he will wind up playing on Sundays.
5. I think Markelle Fultz is officially a bust. Have you seen the videos of the first overall pick’s reconstructed jumper? It makes Lonzo Ball’s shot appear picturesque. If Philadelphia could have a mulligan I am certain they would have kept the third pick and chosen anybody not named Markelle Fultz. In theory, a dynamic combo-guard would be an ideal fit next to Ben Simmons in the 76ers backcourt, but that player isn’t Fultz. Fultz is entering the realm of the Greg Oden’s and Hasheem Thabeet’s and Johnny Flynn’s of the world. Notorious busts.
6. I think Russell Westbrook is taken for granted. The man is averaging damn near a triple-double for the second consecutive season. Yes, the Thunder isn’t playing up to expectations, but that is not Brodie’s fault. He is the closest thing to Kobe since, well, Kobe. Russ is a killer and I just don’t think people properly appreciate just how special he is.
7. I think the 2018 NBA Draft class will be the most fruitful in years. This year’s draft has a handful of potential franchise cornerstones. If you told me that any of Trae Young, Luca Dončič, Marvin Bagley III, Mohammad Bamba, Michael Porter Jr., or DeAndre Ayton would become perennial All-Stars I would not bat an eye. Typically, a draft has one or two can’t miss talents, but this one has three or four times that. When it is all said and done, I think the 2018 NBA Draft will wind up, along with the 1984 and 2003, as the most prolific of all time.
8. I think as of this moment, the NBA’s MVP is Jimmy Butler. The Timberwolves right now have as many victories as they had all of last season. They still have over 35 games remaining. Only one ingredient has really changed. The addition of Jimmy Butler. The T-Wolves alpha dog is averaging 22 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists per game. His stats do not jump off of the page, but the positive impact that he is having on his team is unparalleled and for that he is my pick for NBA MVP.
9. I think it is ridiculous that the NHL has forbidden its players from participating in the Olympics. Is Gary Bettman serious? Forbidding NHL players from competing for their countries in the Olympics is malpractice. The NHL is near the bottom of America’s sporting totem pole and decisions like this will only further diminish the sport’s standing in the eyes of Americans. I think this is a colossal mistake.
10. I think the Miami Heat rival the Spurs for the best organizational infrastructure in the NBA. What happened when LeBron left Cleveland for Miami? The Cavs had the first pick the next year. What happened when LeBron left Miami? The Heat made the playoffs the next season. Pat Riley is running a tight ship down in South Beach. Player’s go there, transform their bodies, and revitalize their games. Look at Dion Waiters, James Johnson, and Hassan Whiteside. All three of them were in downward spirals wound up in Miami and are not making tens of millions of dollars contributing to a winning basketball team. San Antonio and Gregg Popovich have long been lauded as the exemplary NBA franchise. I think Miami belongs right there in that conversation.
