Arizona Basketball: NBA teams should not be surprised
NBA teams should not be surprised when an Arizona Basketball program alum does well at the professional level.
The NBA Teams, GM’s and scouts don’t seem to know what they are doing these days as evident by how surprised everyone is when an Arizona Basketball product does well on the big stage. Lute Olson and Sean Miller have developed some great talent playing or coaching in the NBA, NBA G-League and overseas. A Players Program is a storied program, one of the basketball dynasties in the NCAA.
So why is it that the NBA world is surprised when a Wildcat performs at the next level? You would think that scouts would assume that talent coming out of Arizona, like Duke, Kansas, Villanova, and Kentucky were developed by some of the best coaches in the world. Right now, Zion Williamson is garnering a ton of attention, but a few NBA experts I spoke too aren’t exactly impressed with his entire game and would prefer Bol Bol due to his potential and versatility at his size. Note, these experts are not the NBA scouts, but trainers and former coaches.
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- Rondae Hollis-Jefferson’s FIBA World Cup performance is reminiscent of Kobe Bryant’s
- Rawle Alkins a star in the Drew League this summer
- Former Wildcat Scooby Wright wins Second USFL Title
- The Edmonton Elks have re-signed former Arizona quarterback Khalil Tate
NBA Coaches these days have little time to prove their worth and frequently get fired within one to three years if they can’t produce a championship team. Yet their front office and GM’s instruct them to tank year after year in hopes to draft then next Kobe Bryant, Lebron James or Kevin Garnett who entered the NBA right out of high school. This is a pipe dream. Even these players took several years to show their worth.
With the focus more on analytics, physical and mental testing and not a gut feeling or an eye test, many players are getting past up for their shot at the pros. Why are we shocked Klay Thompson or Kyle Kuzma is so good in the NBA? Both Pac-12 alum, these two also “surprised” folks. But it shouldn’t have been a surprise. There is so much talent out there and confusion about what the NBA scouts are looking for, it’s hard to know how to rise to the top.
Let’s take TJ McConnell’s story. He had to use every influencer he had to get into the NBA Combine. He wasn’t drafted either and if his Sixers coach Brett Brown hadn’t believed in him and his abilities enough to give him a shot, he may be playing the G-League.
The more TJ played, the more fans loved his heart and tenacity. Lebron wanted to trade for him at one time as he plays with no fear and makes everyone on the court accountable. Kobe Bryant was also enamored with him when he was able to steal the ball away from the Black Mamba. He has staying power, and he is a loved in Philly as he was in Tucson, but someone had to give him the chance.
When Lauri Markkenan was drafted, No. 7 overall to the Minnesota Timberwolves, then traded to the Chicago Bulls, the press didn’t know who he was. Props to the Bulls front office for seeing The Finnisher’s potential. I seem to remember Zach Rosenblatt commenting on Twitter that none of the press was talking to Lauri, they now should feel like idiots. Lauri came out as a rookie and broke the record book on making 100 three’s the fastest ever in a season in the NBA. He continues to win hearts.
Last year, the Phoenix Suns drafted Arizona’s Deandre Ayton No. 1 overall in the 2018 NBA Draft but three main players who helped him and Lauri develop and passed them the ball did not get drafted (Dusan Ristic, Rawle Alkins, and Allonzo Trier). Basketball is a team sport last we checked, if the star is great, then the closest players around him also are great.
After Ristic performed well at the Portsmouth Invitational and didn’t get drafted, he decided to take his talents back to his home country of Serbia, Allonzo Trier signed a two-way contract with the Knicks and Rawle Alkins signed a two-way contract with the Bulls.
Ristic probably made the right move although I think the NBA completely missed the boat on him, maybe it was Miller’s fault a bit not letting the big man shoot threes like Lauri Markkanen. Hopefully the NBA will look at Dus again after his season playing abroad or he can remain at home and continue to be a hometown star.
Zo signed with a team and a coach, David Fizdale, who understood his value and gave him the big stage up front to prove himself with the Knicks. He never played in the G-League and recently signed an NBA contract. It was not a surprise to most of us that Trier’s game would translate perfectly to the NBA, but it seems NBA scouts, other GM’s and coaches, as well as fans, were surprised. It should not have been a surprise, but it proves that if you are put in the right situation, it can work out well and maybe having the right agent helps as well.
The Knicks seem to be tanking this season, but they are developing their young talent. The front office has just put up three major players on the trading block. They also got smart and signed former Wildcat Kadeem Allen to a two-way contract as well and the Westchester Knicks play him a lot.
King Rawle’s journey is a bit different and it is because the Bull’s organization is different. The Bulls fired their head coach Fred Hoiberg in the beginning of the season. The Bulls suffered and continue to suffer numerous injuries. One would think this would allow more opportunity for Alkins. A coaching change may have changed things possibly, or maybe they are waiting for the trade deadline. The Bulls front office wants the team to tank, as I witnessed against the Lakers last week. The Bulls had all the weapons to beat the Lakers, but the coach didn’t have them kick into gear until the last three minutes. As a Lakers fan, I know what tanking on purpose looks like.
The Bulls neither push down their rookies to their G-League affiliate or bring up their two-way players very often like the Lakers do. There is no way to know why one team differs from another in their development of players, but new head coach Jim Boylen, former Utah coach, is probably doing whatever the front office is telling him to do. Coach Boylen had nice words for Rawle and told Bruce Pascoe the following:
"“Hard-playing kid. Tough kid,” Boylen said. “I like his energy and his toughness. He’s working on his skill development, his ability to drive the ball and shoot the ball and we’re thankful he’s with us.”"
We just know that when Rawle he has got minutes on the Bulls court, he produces a lot in a very little time. If given more of an opportunity, and ability to play again with Lauri, the Bulls could win more games. But they are tanking, so maybe that’s what they are afraid of, looking to his former teammates like Trier and McConnell and how they are performing in the league.
Windy City seems to perform the best when Alkins plays because of his energy, heart and how he shares the ball. He is a team player and he still hates to lose, he just wants to help his team.
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It is only a matter of time that Alkins gets his chance to prove he is the NBA player teams should beg to have on their roster. Hopefully, the Bulls have huge plans for Alkins and they play him a lot more so he can develop more, if not the Bulls, there are 29 other teams that can get smart. You wait though, when he shows what he can do, everyone will be “surprised.” Everyone but us that is. Your time is coming King Rawle, and we cannot wait.