Ten Things I Think

1. I think college basketball needs to transition from halves to quarters. This may seem inconsequential to some, but it’s not. Too often teams are in the penalty five, six, seven minutes into the half and then the remaining fifteen minutes or so is a glorified free-throw shooting contest. Evolving to a four-quarter structure would allow for the team fouls to reset at the conclusion of each quarter, thus avoiding the continual stoppage of game-action.

2. I think that Baker Mayfield will be a hybrid of Drew Brees and Russell Wilson in the NFL. The Oklahoma signal-caller is dynamic outside of the pocket akin to Wilson and surgical from within the pocket like Brees. While many scouts are skeptical of Mayfield’s NFL future, I am not. He will be a franchise quarterback at the next level.

3. I think Donovan Mitchell reminds me of a young Russell Westbrook. The Jazz rookie point guard is athletic beyond belief. He gets to the rack at will and brilliantly alters his speed to keep the defense off-balance. While this is a hefty comparison for a rookie, I truly believe that five years from now we will be talking about Donovan Mitchell as a top-ten player in the NBA. That’s quite a steal for the Jazz, considering that Mitchell didn’t even go in the top-ten of his own draft class.

4. I think Alabama will win the National Championship. They are, in my eyes, the best team in the country. While they barely snuck into the playoff, Nick Saban coached teams are always a tough out. The Crimson Tide will knock off Clemson in the semifinals before dethroning conference foe Georgia in the Championship Game. Look for Jalen Hurts to have a coming out party.

5. I think Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons are Shaq and Penny 2.0. A forceful seven-footer paired with a monstrous point guard. Both in their early twenties playing for a franchise that has been in the doldrums. The similarities are endless. Unfortunately, I think the ending will be very similar as well. I think that the personalities of Simmons and Embiid are far from simpatico. Embiid is a high-maintenance diva, while Simmons is a mild-mannered assassin. I hope they stay together because I think their potential is limitless, but I just feel that sooner or later their relationship will sour and, like Shaq and Penny, they will ultimately come to a divorce.

6. I think Al Horford is the Celtics most important player. Yes, Horford and not Kyrie. The Celtics big man does it all. While it may not all be quantified, Horford’s passing, screening, and defense are all crucial ingredients to the Celtics success. If you gave Brad Stevens truth serum I get the sense that he would agree with me here. Kyrie is a gifted scorer, but for the Celtics Horford is the more valuable player.

7. I think I wouldn't be shocked if Bill Belichick is the Giants next head coach. I know that it seems crazy, but what else does Belichick have left to prove in New England? Perhaps he could prove that he is capable of winning without Brady, but now that Garoppolo has been shipped out of town that appears to be a pipe dream. Remember this: Belichick has roots with the Giants. He was their defensive coordinator for two Super Bowl teams with Lawrence Taylor in the late 80's. It's hard to imagine Belichick anywhere outside of New England, but I could envision a scenario in which he is roaming the sidelines next season for Big Blue.

8. I think that LeBron’s longevity is his greatest argument in his case again Michael Jordan. LeBron doesn’t have six rings and he probably won’t ever get there, but in his fifteenth season The King is having perhaps the most efficient season of his career. He is second in the league in scoring, while averaging over eight rebounds and eight assists, and posting the highest three-point field goal percentage of his career. For context, in Jordan’s fifteenth season he was hanging on with the Wizards in what was nothing more than a publicity stunt. LeBron is the best player in the league – by a wide margin I might add – and only getting better. It’s incredible.

9. I think the Pelicans need a new coach. There is no way that a team can have two of the league’s ten best players and be on the fringe of making the playoffs. I understand that big men are dinosaurs in the modern NBA, but Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins are generational-type talents. A coach’s job is to get the most from the talent that he has and Alvin Gentry is not doing that. May I suggest a name? John Calipari. Cal coached both Davis and Cousins at Kentucky. I am sure he would get the most out of the duo.

10. I think Cam Newton has a limited shelf life. He is just 28 years old, but within the next three years I expect a precipitous drop-off for the Panthers quarterback. Why? His physical style of play will catch up with him. Most quarterbacks are able to play until they are in their late 30’s or in the case of Tom Brady, their 40’s. But most quarterbacks do not take the punishment week in and week out that Cam Newton is subject to.