I don’t do many articles on team sports, though my first writing gig was as a sportswriter for the Brier Patch, the Greenbrier Military School newspaper. I covered the GMS/Fork Union Football game in 1960.
So after a rather lengthy hiatus, here goes.
I will go out on the limb here and predict that neither Duke nor Kentucky will ever win another NCAA Basketball Championship. Oh, they’ll win games, for sure, but not the whole she-bang. Nor will Kansas. That’s because these schools have devoted their future to the “One-and-Done’s”, the blue chippers of the high school basketball world, and you don’t win championships with a bunch of freshman, no matter how good they are. When it comes down to crunch time and the NCAA Tournament, I look and see who has an experienced back court, fellows who can distribute the ball and make key plays at key moments. Programs which have time to develop players – like Gonzaga, Villanova, Wichita State and yes – Virginia – will be the ones to watch.
I don’t know why the NBA just won’t go ahead and take the high school whizzes and let the colleges be just that, programs with real student athletes. It’s obvious that the Zion Williamson’s of the world aren’t interested in an education, just the big money and glamor of the NBA. They play a year in college only because they have to.
Frankly, if I never see another NBA game it wouldn’t bother me in the least. The sport they play isn’t basketball. It’s more like rugby. They travel with the ball, they palm it and they push, pull and tug with no immunity.
In a way, I’m glad Kentucky and Duke have sold their souls to the Blue Chip Devils. I dislike both of them.