NBA DRAFT 2023

When I had to, sadly, cancel on going to a fun event last week-end, (which means I can’t review it here for you,) I realized that freed-up this space to share my thoughts on something else.

So I checked-out my files to see what I’ve been meaning to write about, and I found these notes! I can’t believe that I never finished my article on the recent(ish) NBA Draft!

Yes, it did happen six weeks ago, but my policy has always been better late than never. (Hey—it worked for homework back in the day, so why not in my e-zine, as well?)

I was too enthralled with the draft to take many notes, so this will be a short one.

But my chief happiness came from an eventuality everyone in the world knew about—that France’s wunderkind, nineteen-year-old, 7’2” Victor Wembanyama, (who is being referred to as a “once-in-a-generation player,”) was being taken first. That he’s going to be a San Antonio Spur makes my heart sing. As I stated on here way back in March, “I seriously hope for Victor’s sake that he goes to the Spurs so that he can get coached by that wonderful man,” referring to Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, who I said “is my favorite basketball coach of all-time, and beloved by everyone, even opponents and the media to whom he gives one-word answers.”

When they conducted the Draft Lottery way back on May 16th, and the #1 pick went to the Spurs, (who had only the third best chance to get it,) which meant that’s where Victor would be going, (because it was no mystery who the best draftee in the world is, for those of you who don’t follow sports news,) I literally cried my guts out, with relief and happiness, for well over a half hour. I mean sobbing like a hungry baby bawling!!! It’s not that I care about the Spurs anymore—it’s that I care about a young kid having the best experience, one that he deserves. And now he gets to be trained by the absolute best and most caring coach in the NBA. I really feel that Pop would have retired this year if he hadn’t gotten Victor, so it appears to be a win for everybody. (Knock on wood.)

And in reality, the Detroit Pistons had the best chance to get him, (meaning they were the absolute worst team this past season, which I feel was in part on purpose, so they could procure Wembanyama,)* and I would have hated for him to begin his United States tenure in such an unsafe city as I believe that one is.

* [Note: On March 31 of this year, I wrote, “Obviously, I’m not the only one who’s thinking this way—Adam Silver, the NBA commissioner, has warned that the league would pay ‘particular attention’ to see if any of the teams are ‘tanking’ any games, so they can get that best chance at acquiring Victor in the draft.”]

Now here are my thoughts on some of the other high draft selections.

In the pre-draft interviews, twins Amen and Ausar Thompson, looked the best. And I love that they were selected back-to-back, as #4 and #5 respectively.

Gradey Dick cracked me up with his red sequined outfit, (which was reminiscent of some of my ’80s specials,) and what he had to say. But how unfortunate is his name??? And how will the commentators hold themselves back from tittering when they have to say it? How did no one in his fam’s former generations not change it, for goodness sake???

I love that #3 Scoot Henderson said something about doing good “in the community.”

Bilal Coulibaly, (also from France, and from the same team there as Wembanyama!,) is adorable! He pointed to Adam Silver’s face in his official photo. And he speaks English with a combination of French and an urban American accent, which is quite the combination.

Jeff Howard has the prettiest mother. She looks like someone who would be starring in a TV series. (Of course his mother is picture perfect—his dad is very famous and very popular and charming former pro player, Juwan Howard!)

Dereck Lively II has the most emotional story ever. (His dad died from a drug overdose when little Dereck was just eight, and his mother went on to battle a dreadful cancer a few years later. I just looked up his entire story to synopsize it for you guys, and I’m sitting here crying again, knowing the breadth and depth of what he and his mother have been through. (Here’s the link to one whole article on their lives: www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2023/07/14/dereck-lively-dad-mom-cancer.) And now, at just nineteen, he’s already bought his mother a house with his first NIL money, (which is paid to college athletes these days, for their Name, Image, and Likeness,) and will be playing with my beloved Luka Doncic for Coach Jason Kidd in Houston! I wish him the best. (I only wish that creepy and nasty Kyrie Irving weren’t still playing for them!)

Okay, that’s it for my thoughts on this year’s 2023 NBA Draft. Sorry it’s so brief. Even though I watched all five hours of the draft, I took notes down to only #12 that night. (I think that was because Mr. X was heckling me the whole time; he kept saying it was boring and he wanted to watch something else, which he was more than welcome to do in another room! But he chose to stay there and bother me. As Gidget’s mother says to her when she’s moping on the plane to Hawaii in Gidget Goes Hawaiian, [my favorite movie of all time!,] and tells her mother that she left her new young pals because she “didn’t want to ruin their time,” the mom says, “That’s okay sweetheart, stay here and ruin ours.” That’s what Mr. X was doing to me on draft night!)

I wish all the new guys the best of luck with their careers. They all seemed nice and grateful, and I can only hope they stay that way in the years to come.