Random Thoughts: hoops and more

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

The latest installment of Random Thoughts centers around Caitlin Clark and the U.S. Olympic team, the NBA finals, the Lakers job, state baseball and the end of the 2023-2024 high school sports season.

Caitlin Clark

Fans are upset she wasn’t selected to be on the U.S. women’s basketball team in the Paris Olympics. Here’s an unpopular opinion – it’s not a bad things.

She played a full college season at Iowa, including a run to the national championship game. She then basically jumped right into the WNBA season, one that has proven to be very physical for her. That part is a discussion for a different time. No Olympics means rest, means time to heal up a bit, means time to adjust, means time to work on some things, namely defense. 

I have no doubt she’ll be on the next Olympic team.

NBA Finals

I’ll just come out and say it – it’s all over between Boston and Dallas. The Celtics may not sweep the championship series but they’re winning it all. They’re just flat out better than everyone else.

Lakers job

I’m not too surprised Dan Hurley opted to remain at Connecticut instead of taking the L.A. Lakers job.

I’m sure the money had to be tempting, something in the neighborhood of $70 million over five or six years, but he ultimately decided it wasn’t right for him. I’m guessing a big factor is the Lakers aren’t exactly close to winning an NBA championship again anytime soon. They have LeBron James, who turns 40 this year and at some point will start to show his age and the mileage on his legs. Then there’s the fact that whoever takes over would likely have to deal with having Bronny James on the roster. No offense to the younger James but let’s face it, he’s not NBA ready by any means. If his name was Bronny Smith, he wouldn’t even be considered draftable at this point.

Then there’s the fact that whoever gets the job will be L.A.’s fourth head coach since 2019. That’s not exactly appealing or enduring. Will Hurley coach in the NBA at some point? He very well might and who knows, it could be with the Lakers someday, but that day isn’t now.

Not to pile on, but this is a little embarrassing for the Lakers, simply because the next head coach will be Plan B or even Plan C.

State baseball

A couple of thoughts from this weekend’s state baseball tournament in Akron.

Why does the Division I championship game always seem to take longer than any other game? For whatever reason it does and it throws the rest of the schedule off.

Congratulations to Fort Recovery on a dream postseason. If you haven’t heard, the Indians were 9-11 during the regular season but still advanced all the way to Sunday night’s Division IV title game and took the No. 1 team in the state, defending champion Berlin Hiland to the limit before falling 3-2. The Indians finished the season 16-12 and along the way, they had a lot of people rooting for them to win it all.

And that’s a wrap…

Sunday’s state baseball finals brought the curtain down on the 2023-2024 Ohio High School Athletic Association’s sports season.

Ready or not, the fall 2024-2025 sports season is less than two months away.

As always, if you have thoughts or comments on any of the above subjects, feel free to email me at sports@thevwindependent.com.