Category: Basketball

You already know that I’m a gimmick guy, meaning I love a good sports rule innovation – especially one that makes fans of the status quo uncomfortable.

And this is the time of the year when I always go to the NBA G League website to find out what tweaks they have for the upcoming season.

In 2024-25 the only changes in the developmental circuit involve end of period “heaves” and expanded coach’s challenge.

If a player chunks one from the cheap seats at the end of the quarter and misses, it’ll be charged to the team and won’t go against his shooting percentage. It has to come within the final three seconds of the first three periods, and must be 36 feet from the basket or beyond.

And as for the coach’s challenge, the only called infractions that won’t be subject to review will be technical fouls, unsportsmanlike acts and flagrant fouls. 

I don’t have strong feelings about those changes one way or another – my main concern was making sure the free throw rule was still in place. The one implemented by the G League starting with the 2019-20 campaign is the best in the roundball business, in my opinion.

A single free throw is worth one, two or three points when a player goes to the line following any foul that would result in one, two or three free throws under standard NBA rules (it doesn’t apply during the last two minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime).

Not only does this speed up the game, but I think it’s a fair way of making the punishment fit the crime, so to speak. If a guy was fouled while shooting a three, let his lone charity toss replicate that number of points.

Out of curiosity, I decided to look at some of the other modifications free throws have undergone through the years.

One of my favorites (and a controversial one) is an oldie but a goodie, courtesy of the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

From 1939 to 1952, the NCAA utilized a rule that allowed a team to decline free throws and, instead, retain possession of the ball and inbound it from halfcourt. And in the case of a team being awarded a two-shot foul, it could opt to shoot the first free throw and then decline the second in favor of possession.

The rule was proposed in March, 1939, by Marquette coach W.S. Chandler but ultimately fell out of favor and nixed by NCAA coaches during their March, 1952, meeting.

I’ve always been intrigued by this alternative. Instead of the “Hack-a-Shaq” approach that puts a poor free throw shooter on the line, the opposing defense will simply have to force a turnover if the fouled team retains possession. Then again, it didn’t stop them from fouling during its 14-year run (especially since the inbound play came from halfcourt), so this rule was hardly perfect.

Starting with the 1954-55 season, the NBA had a “three to make two” free throw rule. This was applied during shooting fouls, flagrant fouls and backcourt fouls when a club was over the team limit. In the 1960s there was also a “two to make one rule” that went onto effect after a player was fouled followed a made field goal.

I liked those fine, although both were canned before the 1981-82 season. The stated reason was they were extending the length of the games (which they did).

So, what would my free throw “fix” be if I ran a league?

It’s far too drastic to ever be considered, but I’d just eliminate free throws altogether.

If a player is fouled while shooting, he or she is awarded the points (two or three) they would’ve scored on a made basket. And in an “and one” situation, they automatically get the one.

As for fouls during a bonus situation, instead of a one-and-one, the offense is credited with one point and retains possession.

Yeah, I know … that’s too far outside the box and would result in freakish scoring stats. But it’s still what I’d do because as I wrote at the outset, I’m a gimmick guy.

Fortunately for basketball fans everywhere, I’ll never run a league, so there’s absolutely nothing to worry about.

That being the case, I’ll just keep hoping that one day the G League free throw rule becomes universal.

Sports fans always remember the great moments … championships, last-gasp victories, record-breaking performances.

But guess what?

We also remember the bitter disappointments.

On June 17, 1976, it was announced that the National Basketball Association would absorb four members of my beloved American Basketball Association – the Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, New York Nets and San Antonio Spurs.

As a Nets fan, I was glad my favorite team lived on – and that I could watch them on TV – but I was crushed at the demise of the ABA. The league that featured red, white and blue basketballs and free-wheeling play turned me from a casual basketball fan to a basketball fan for life, and now it was gone.

But what might have been even worse was the news that broke on this day 48 years ago: Julius Erving had been traded to the Philadelphia 76ers.

I found out immediately as I opened the local paper and turned to the sports pages:

A $6.5 million deal which would bring pro basketball superstar Julius Erving to the Philadelphia 76ers from the New York Nets awaited only the final approval of Nets owner Roy Bee, the Associated Press learned. The deal, it was learned from pro basketball sources, could be completed later at a private meeting in New York. It reportedly calls for the Nets to get $3 million for Erving, who would then sign a multi-year contract with the 76ers for a reported $3.5 million.

I didn’t cry – I was a big, brave boy in 1976 – but I cussed.

Just as the Nets were my favorite team, Dr. J was my favorite player. In fact, he was the reason I became a Nets fan.

After the UMass grad starred for the Virginia Squires for three seasons, he was signed by New York in 1973. I was familiar with the ABA during his time in Norfolk/Hampton/Richmond/Roanoke (CBS televised select games in the early 1970s), but it wasn’t until Erving took his dunking act to the Big Apple that I became committed to the league that dared challenge the NBA.

Without a national TV contract most of my fan worship was confined to newspaper stories, but I anxiously awaited word of his exploits.

And once I got over the disappointment of the NBA-ABA merger, I was excited that the Nets could show the old circuit how it was done.

They were coming off an ABA title, one that saw them best the Denver Nuggets in six games. It was their second title in three seasons, and I had no doubt they could jump right into an NBA schedule and win big.

I mean, with Kevin Loughery coaching ‘em up, the Doctor dissecting the opposition and Super John Williamson scoring at will, there was little doubt they’d teach the old guard some new tricks.

Instead, everything was blown up with the loss of Dr. J, and that left me in a bit of a quandary.

See, while the Nets were my overall faves, the Los Angeles Lakers were the NBA team I supported.

Would I abandon both and throw my support behind Dr. J and the 76ers – a franchise I’d never given a second thought?

Kinda, and no.

I couldn’t bail on the Doc, but I had invested so much energy cheering for the Nets (and to a lesser degree, the Lakers) they felt like “my” teams, regardless of who put on the uniform. (Tiny Archibald and Jan van Breda Kolff were on the 76-77 New York roster, while L.A. was led by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar). So – in what I think was a quite mature decision for a 15-year-old – I decided that I would always hope Erving played well. But … when he played against the Nets or Lakers, I’d hope he didn’t play that well.

Historically, of course, Dr. J is best known for his time in Philly. He spent just five years in the ABA (three with New York) and played his last 11 seasons with the 76ers.

The end result is 30,026 points (a 24.2 ppg average across the ABA and NBA), a place in the Basketball Hall of Fame and College Basketball Hall of Fame, the ABA All-Time MVP, NBA 35^th, 50^th and 75^th Anniversary Teams, an NBA title and pair of ABA crowns.

Decades later, I remain a fan of the Nets and Lakers – and Julius Erving remains my all-time favorite player.

However, I’ve still never cheered for the 76ers.

So, what’s there to remember about the 2023-24 Birmingham Squadron?

Well, with Saturday night’s 123-107 victory over the Cleveland Charge at Legacy Arena, the New Orleans Pelicans’ NBA G League affiliate finished with a 15-19 regular season record (25-25 overall) and missed the playoffs for a second consecutive season.

And if you want some quick and dirty details from Game 50, Landers Nolley II led the winners with 27 points while Malcolm Hill added 23.

But if the season finale played in front of 1,962 fans is what sticks in your mind, then I hope you don’t mind if I say you might be missing the bigger picture.

The primary purpose of the G League is to get players ready for the NBA. And T.J. Saint and the Squadron staff (assistants  Joe Barrer, Jodie Meeks and Jonathan Mitchell, player development coach Jalen Cannady, GM of basketball operations Adam Barnes and trainer Gilchrist Schmidt and his crew) did a really nice job of that this season.

As I mentioned after their last home game, the Squadron was second only to Eastern Conference rival Westchester in the number of call-ups this season. The Knicks had seven and Birmingham finished with six.

UAB standout Trey Jemison – who played high school ball at Ramsay, Homewood and Hoover before originally signing with Clemson – was called up to a 10-day contract by the Washington Wizards on Jan. 20. He was the first Squadron player to get a call-up since Auburn star Jared Harper in 2022.

Hill, now on a two-way contract with New Orleans, was signed to a 10-day contract by the Pelicans on Jan. 27. Jemison got his second and the team’s third call-up on Jan. 30 when he signed a 10-day contract with the Memphis Grizzlies.

Following the conclusion of that 10-day pact, Jemison was given a two-way contract by Memphis.

“If you have one of those things happen in two years, that’s a major success,” Saint said. “And to have two happen in two years and not both from the (Pelicans) organization is something. We got a lot of comments throughout the year from other coaches and other teams that we play the right way, and it’s a credit to Adam and the front office for getting the right guys.”

Jalen Crutcher and Izaiah Brockington were also called up by New Orleans on 10-day contracts.

Being a UAB grad, I’m especially happy for Jemison.

I remember talking to him before the season and he stressed how much he had learned by playing summer ball with the Pelicans and then working under Saint and company.

And when he first got the call-up, Saint came up to me a couple of hours before the Squadron’s next game and said, “Trey’s not coming back. He’s gonna stick.”

Jemison tallied a career-high 24 points against the Washington Wizards on March 12, and has now become an integral part of the Grizzlies.

The G League – and Birmingham – not only gave him a path, but a push.

“The only time Trey will be back in Birmingham is when he’s running for mayor,” Saint said.

And Hill? If you don’t like Malcolm, you don’t like people.

Saint calls him one of the “foundational players” of the organization and, indeed, he was here when the Squadron first landed in Birmingham.

“He’s literally one of the pillars of the Squadron,” Saint said. “He is entirely our essence … lives it, breathes it – he was in the gym last night until 10 o’clock working on his shooting. He’s the man.”

But I don’t want Hill to come back – not wearing Birmingham colors, anyway. He’s played in Germany, Israel and Kazakhstan and has three stints with three different NBA teams. He’s paid so many dues, he’s due for some good luck.

I’m not sure I’ve ever wanted to see a guy earn an NBA roster spot more than him.

But as I followed the club all season, I found myself cheering for every guy who suited up. Saint constantly played up the character angle of his team, and it became quite obvious over time that they weren’t just good players, but good dudes.

Their interactions with fans – especially young ones – was always genuine.

But more than anything else, the Squadron was exciting. G League is quality professional basketball, and 24 times in 2023-24 that quality was on display in the Magic City.

It was always better when Birmingham won, but even if they didn’t, we were all in for a show.

So sure, it would’ve been great if the Squadron had notched a winning season and were preparing for the playoffs, but that didn’t happen.

What did happen, though, was Jemison.

And Hill.

And opportunities – more of which will come.

“We’ll look at the guys that want to return or want to go overseas, but there’ll be a lot of turnover,” Saint said. “We’ve got to improve our defense, and we’ve really got to improve our rebounding. We’ll look at all that during the offseason.”