Sez Me …
I do declare. Today, to honor basketball’s fathers, let’s jump through a few hoops.
Fiery hoops Dan Hurley and Caitlin Clark are jumping through.
In this case, men first.
Hurley recently coached UConn to its second consecutive NCAA Tournament title, which means he makes great decisions.
He just made another one, turning down the opportunity to coach the NBA’s Lakers, who have all the bobbles, bangles, beads and championship bling that go to a storied franchise.
First of all, I don’t believe John Wooden, Red Auerbach, Phil Jackson — or a combination of all three — could coach the Lakers to a title anytime soon. They simply aren’t good enough.
Even with LeBron James, and although he had to approve of the pursuit of Hurley — after all, he’s the boss — no one living or dead can predict what he’s going to do from one season or the next.
L.A. doesn’t have enough now with him and Anthony Davis.
And while James has a great body worthy of mythology, he is 39. Hurley could not count on him long term, and at the moment time is not on this team’s side.
Plus, the Lakers are not known for offering coaches extravagant salaries. The deal presented to Hurley was six years, $70 million, and that wasn’t enough to lure Hurley and his family out of the comfort of Storrs, Conn., where he can live as an oil sheik on $5 million a year and, with NIL and the transfer portal, will get players as long as he pleases.
Think about it. Monty Williams makes $13 million per year coaching Detroit, the worst team in the league.
L.A. tries to pay coaches on the Lakers name and Hollywood tinsel. Hurley found the casting couch uncomfortable.
Now, on to Caitlin Clark, who through no fault of her own has become the most polarizing figure in international sports — although she isn’t being allowed to compete internationally.
USA Basketball has left her off the women’s Olympic team, and on talent alone — plus, she was at Iowa and unable to attend tryouts — she didn’t deserve to make it. Now with Indiana in the WNBA, she is far from being the best female player in the world.
But she is, from here to Borneo, the most famous, and the women’s game has struggled mightily forever to get a hunk of the cake. Caitlin is selling ratings, tickets and merchandise.
I covered the men’s Dream Team in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Why were Magic Johnson and Larry Bird on it? Magic had retired and Larry spent a lot of time supine on the floor in front of the bench to help his bad back.
They didn’t belong on that team, either, but at the time, basketball needed their fame. And although they blasted and gave autographs to every team they played, the Dreamers gave birth to international basketball. You have to go back to James Harden in 2018 to find an NBA MVP who was born in this country.
I had a boss who once told me: “When you have a horse, you ride the horse.”
USA women’s basketball left Zenyatta in the corral. …
RIP, Jerry West. One of the greatest basketball players, the No. 1 clutch shooter, and the best general manager in the history of sports. Any sport. …
Jerry not only would return your phone calls, he’d answer the phone. …
When West and Oscar Robertson hooked up 1-on-1, man, it was magic. When they were together on the 1960 Olympic team, magic. Many years before Magic and Bird. …
Speaking of a Padres GM who returned phone calls, Kevin Towers did, and as with West, there were times he couldn’t watch his team in certain situations — and never when the Pads went to Denver. During Lakers games, Jerry would leave the building and drive around. …
If you gave a basketball to a Sequoia and put it in front of Luka Doncic, the Sequoia would dribble drive around him and score. …
But what an offensive player. He looks like he’s as out of shape as the guy typing this (Luka’s detractors say he has to get to the gym), but he averages 37.5 minutes a game. The NBA is a grind. He’s in terrific shape. …
But he is the NBA’s finest DH. No glove. …
Really, really hard to believe the NBA has 450 players better than Jaedon LeDee. …
I have no idea where this Padres team is going to end up, but there is one big positive to it. They are capable of coming back to win games. Sometimes. Not enough. …
Man, can their batsmen ruin good pitching performances. …
Manny Machado, in a slump worthy of a terribly expensive swayback horse, grounds to third, the ball is bobbled and retrieved, and he blows a gum bubble as he jogs to first. Apparently there are other ways to lead than by example. …
The Dodgers have acquired Cavan Biggio, who was hitting .200 in Toronto. Expect him to win the batting title in L.A. …
Patrick Mahomes wants to learn Matt Waldron’s knuckleball. Makes sense, given how well his receivers catch. …
The Padres should extend Jurickson Profar not only for his play, but for the joy he brings. …
There’s been a lot of Unsocial Media chatter lately about Dave Parker not being in the Baseball Hall of Fame. There should be. He belongs. …
The best all-around player not in the Hall is Eric Davis. His body, wracked by Cincinnati’s horrible artificial turf, simply wouldn’t go along to Cooperstown. …
Bill Belichick, 72, is dating a former cheerleader, 24. What can I say? Good for him. …
They show Giants rookie receiver Malik Nabers making one-handed practice catches. How about with two hands. During real games. …
Aaron Rodgers had an unexcused absence from Jets minicamp. The quarterback. The cocktail’s swizzle stick. Prior commitment? European vacation? Did the team just announce camp dates? The Jets are finished. …
Well, no, they’re not. Rodgers is LeBron. He is different, but he’s the boss. Aaron skipped minicamp in Green Bay and was MVP. But — but — you don’t schedule a trip to parts (that remain) unknown that coincides with mandatory camp, especially after you’ve missed all but four plays of a full season. …
As a Holiday Bowl fan, I have no problem with it moving from Petco to Snapdragon. But it was unique downtown, in a fun zone, and there isn’t one in Mission Valley, other than Costco. …
By the way, how has Petco National Park suddenly turned into Petco National Gopher Hole? It’s now allowing the most home runs per game. Maybe it’s the ballpark’s constantly changing weather pattern. Or lollypop pitches. …
Horrible month for basketball. RIP, Bill Walton, Chet Walker and Jerry West. Three all-time greats. …
RIP, Mike Downey. One of my favorite columnists, and a good guy. …
The US Open is hard. Should be. …
The Big 12 is pursuing naming rights. How about “Pac-12?” …
Charles Barkley says next year will be his last on TV. Now there is a shame. …
Did you know there once was an ancient African land known as Punt? Enemies named it because the Puntian army never could gain 10 yards. …
