Spokane Stars Basketball

Archive for December, 2009

Lee Dobbins asked:




The father of basketball, Dr. James Naismith came up with the game in 1892 and the first game was played in Beaver Falls Pennsylvania on April 8 1893 between the New Brighton YMCA and the Geneva College.
The game was very popular and by 1914 as many as 360 colleges boasted basketball teams. In 1939, the first NCAA Men’s College Basketball Championship tournament was held which was won by the University of Oregon.

The formation of Pro basketball in 1896 came about from a dispute between YMCA team members and officials and ended in the members forming a professional team that played for money. In 1898, the NBL (National Basketball League) was formed and produced the first basketball stars – Ed Wachter and Barney Sedran.

The first two professional basketball teams to achieve success were the Buffalo Germans and the Celtics but during the 1930′s favorites included the New York Renaissance and the Harlem Globetrotters. During this time, womens basketball was also popular and produced great players such as Babe Didrikson and Alline Banks Sprouse.

In 1940, the first college basketball game was shown on TV. This game was played between Pittsburgh and Fordham at Madison Square Garden, and catapulted basketball into a national sensation. Since then basketball has been one of the most watched sports and in fact the March Madness, when almost 350 American colleges compete for the NCAA basketball crown is the most watched event in the United States.

In Pro basketball during the 1940′s and 50′s the Minneapolis Lakers were a huge favorite of many winning 5 NBA championship titles and producing starts like Bob Cousy and Bob Pettit. But during the late 1950′s up until 1969, the Celtics had the court winning 11 NBA titles (8 f them right in a row). During this era favorite players included Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlin of the Philadelphia Warriors.

During 1963 to 1975 The University of California, Los Angeles was in the spotlight winning 10 national championships, including seven in a row. Some of the great players of this UCLA team include Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jamaal Wilkes, Bill Walton, Gail Goodrich and Marques Johnson.

In 1967 the American Basketball Association (ABA) was formed and many will remember one of the satart players Julius Erving as well as their red white and blue basketballs. The ABA only lasted until 1976 when it broke up and many of the teams joined the NBA.

In the 1960′s, womens basketball introduced the 5 player full court format and made dribbling fully legal but it wasn’t until 1985 that the Basketball Hall of Fame began inducting woman coaches and players. Some of the first women to get this honor include Carol Blazejowski, Ann Meyers, Cheryl Miller; Nancy Lieberman-Cline and Anne Donovan.

In the late 1970′s start players like Larry Bird of Indiana State University and Michigan State Universities Magic Johnson emerged and the late 1980s saw such major players as Isiah Thomas and Dennis Rodman. But perhaps the most beloved player of all is Michael Jordan who led the Chicago Bulls to six NBA championships in the 1990s.

Dewayne Penney asked:




History has it ways of revealing the truth, especially when it comes to drafting great basketball players. Although, fans will ultimately decide to attend the games based on talent level and character of the players. The Portland Trail Blazers in recent years have had to make some dramatic and unfavorable decisions. Now I won’t talk about the “Micheal Jordan” and “Sam Bowie” mistake. After all, the dust has settled and Micheal Jordan is arguable the greatest basketball player of all time. This leads me to the decision concerning drafting Greg Oden over Kevin Durant. So, lets break down and decide who will be the winner. Will it be the Portland Trail Blazers or the Oklahoma City Thunder.

First, Kevin Durant will be playing in his first All-Star game on Feb, 14, 2010. Durant was chosen by the Western Conference coaches, so the coaches must respect his game. Kevin Durant is avg 29.3 ppg, 7.30 rebounds, 3.0 assist per game, and Kevin is not letting up. The Oklahoma City Thunder have won more games this year than last year. For this reason, Kevin Durant is a much better offensive player than Greg Oden. In comparison, Greg Oden is averaging 11.1 ppg, 9 rebounds, and.09 apg. Even thou Greg is out for the reminder of the season with another knee injury. Injuries has cost Greg Oden a lot of games, and we don’t really know his full offensive abilities. Although, Greg Oden has a larger frame, he should be able to post anyone down low. Greg will have the advantage when it comes to posting smaller players.

Next, Greg Oden has the ability to change the way teams play offense. Oden blocking potential and ability to run the floor is outstanding. He has great defensive attributes in the painted area. Greg Oden is a legit 7 footer with a long wing span. Oden has the ability to score, rebound, block shots, and intimidate opponents. He remind me a lot of a young Bill Russell, but much stronger. At this point, we will have to wait and find out if Greg Oden is truly over the Microfracture and ailing knees. In opposition, Kevin Durant is not a defensive player. He is more of a slasher and jump shooter. He don’t really mix it up down low. I think Kevin would do himself some good if he went into the weight room, and started bulking up. If Durant committed to strength workouts, he would be scary. Both of these guys are still young and improving. I would give the edge to Greg Oden concerning defense Power.

Both players are similar when it comes to winning. Both Greg and Kevin was voted first team High – School All Americans in March of 2007. At Ohio State Greg Oden was described by many professional agents “As a once in a life time type player”. Mainly because of Greg’s blocking potential and his ability to post double stats. On the contrary, Kevin Durant had a outstanding year at Texas. At 6’9, Kevin is capable of playing shooting guard, point guard, and small forward. Kevin Durant is built to be a All – Star for years to come.

Last but not least, Hopefully both players will have outstanding NBA careers. I think the jury is still out on the decision by the Portland Trail Blazers. I know a lot of my friends mention the ghost of “Micheal Jordan” and how many championships we should have won. The Blazers don’t have to re-live the past, but they must know now that the window of opportunity is knocking loud, and we have probably the best center we’ve had since Bill Walton. In spite of injuries, Greg Oden will give us a chance to win a championship some day.

Please refer to the link below concerning additional information or questions.

http://basketballandsports.blogspot.com/

Dewayne N Penney
Basketball Fanatic