Author: David Shama

David Shama is a former sports editor and columnist with local publications. His writing and reporting experiences include covering the Minnesota Vikings, Minnesota Twins, Minnesota Timberwolves and Minnesota Gophers. Shama’s career experiences also include sports marketing. He is the former Marketing Director of the Minnesota North Stars of the NHL. He is also the former Marketing Director of the United States Tennis Association’s Northern Section. A native of Minneapolis, Shama has been part of the community his entire life. He is a graduate of the University of Minnesota where he majored in journalism. He also has a Master’s degree in education from the University of St. Thomas. He was a member of the Governor’s NBA’s Task Force to help create interest in bringing pro basketball to town in the 1980s.

KG Minnesota Farewell Coming Soon

Posted on March 28, 2012March 28, 2012 by David Shama

Will this town say goodbye to Kevin Garnett on Friday night? Garnett and the Celtics will come to Target Center to play the Timberwolves for the first and only time this season. It could be Garnett’s final game here.

The face of the Wolves franchise from 1995-2007, Garnett will turn 36 next month and his body has lots of “miles” on it. “Da’Kid” arrived here at 19, just a few months out of high school. Friday night he will be back in Minneapolis with speculation surrounding his future.

Garnett’s contract expires after this season but Boston coach Doc Rivers said last week the Celtics want him to return. “Oh yeah, absolutely. We want him back,” Rivers told CSN New England last Friday. “I think it will come down to if he wants to play or not. But, you know, who knows? So many games and so many things can happen. Being around this as long as I have I know it is very emotional how the season ends. And a lot of players have made poor decisions on the end of a season, so we’ll have to wait and see.”

Not surprisingly, Garnett isn’t saying what his plans are. But you have to wonder if he wants to chase one more world championship with the demands of offseason conditioning and the grind of another NBA season. He’s been earning about $20 million or more per season for a long time. How much more dough does he need? And how enthusiastically will the Celtics front office be to keep paying Garnett seven or eight digits?

Garnett’s skills have been eroding for years, probably even before he arrived in Boston via the blockbuster trade from the Timberwolves. Now he’s been moved from power forward to center to help fill Boston’s gap in the middle and although he’s quicker in a lot of matchups he’s averaging 15.4 points per game and 8.1 rebounds versus career numbers of 19.4 and 10.6.

The Celtics are having their least successful season since Garnett and Boston won the world championship in 2008. Boston’s record of 27-22 scares no one. This team will be an improbable bet to march to another league title in the playoffs, not with a big three of Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce who are 35, 36 and 34 years old.

Garnett’s place in Wolves, Celtics and NBA history was long ago secured, though. Kevin Love might be the franchise wannabe, but for now Garnett is the greatest player in Wolves history. Garnett carried a sorry team for many years and a couple of years had enough support to threaten the league’s elite. He won the league MVP award in 2004 with the Wolves as they almost made the NBA finals.

In Boston he was the second best player (to Pierce) on the 2008 NBA championship Celtics. He taught teammates to care about defense and was a shot blocking intimidator who averaged 18.8 points and 9.2 rebounds. He was named NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2008.

For nine years Garnett was first team all-NBA defense. He led the league in rebounding four times. He has an effective 15 to 20 foot jump shot and could go inside to score, too. His single season best average of 24.2 came in 2003-04 when he also averaged 13.9 rebounds.

During an interview with Sports Headliners, Flip Saunders, Garnett’s Timberwolves coach for most of his career in Minneapolis, praised Garnett’s durability and multiple skill set that includes passing, ball handling, defense, shot blocking, rebounding and scoring inside and outside. With the Wolves Garnett typically played 38 minutes or more per game, and he was on the court in all 82 regular season games, or close to it.

At times Saunders even had Garnett bring the ball up the floor and start the offense. “He will go down (in history) as the most versatile player ever to play,” Saunders said.

It’s probably fair to say that for most basketball authorities Garnett has earned a place among the NBA’s top 30 players ever. Author Bill Simmons, for example, writing in his 2009 publication The Book of Basketball, details the top 100 NBA players of all-time. Checking in at No. 22 is Garnett.

As soon as he’s eligible (five years after retirement), Garnett will be checking in, too, at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts.

1 comment

Lucia Won’t Gloat at Critics Now

Posted on March 28, 2012March 28, 2012 by David Shama

Don Lucia won’t gloat now that he’s answered critics by coaching his Gophers to the Frozen Four. It’s Minnesota’s first trip to the Frozen Four since 2005, and follows three disappointing seasons when the Gophers played about .500 hockey and didn’t qualify for the NCAA tournament.

Lucia, who has been coaching the Gophers since 1999 and won national championships in 2002 and 2003, was the target of an angry fan base last year. But with a talented roster and the addition of new assistant coach Mike Guentzel, Lucia has silently answered the criticism in 2012, even if he won’t boast about an overall record of 28-13-1, regular season WCHA championship and beating North Dakota last Sunday 5-2 to earn a place in the Frozen Four on April 5 in Tampa.

“The criticism goes with the territory,” Lucia told Sports Headliners. “We’ve got a pretty good track record (over the years). I am most happy for our players.

“Our staff has worked hard. I am grateful to (athletic director) Joel Maturi for standing by us and president (Bob) Bruninks, too.”

Maturi’s courage in facing the hockey negativity and calls for a coaching change didn’t surprise Lucia. “They don’t get any better. He’s one of the good guys in college sports,” Lucia said. “He stands for all the right things.”

Lucia, who is recovered from the health problems that bothered him a few years ago and has the security of three years remaining on his recent contract extension, will see if Minnesota’s special season can continue in an opening Frozen Four game against Boston College, a team that has won 17 straight and even last fall was creating speculation about a 2012 national championship. “BC is strong at every position,” Lucia said. “There are no weaknesses.”

He wants the Gophers to avoid errors with the puck and be prepared to control the hard attacking BC offense. There will be a lot of pressure on Minnesota goalie Kent Patterson who was an All-WCHA selection this year. Lucia brought up Patterson’s name when asked about next season, indicating that having to replace the senior goalie will likely be one of the team’s few major personnel losses and his 2012-13 group could be even better than this year’s Gophers.

Comments Welcome

U’s Williams Lifting NBA Draft Status

Posted on March 26, 2012March 26, 2012 by David Shama

Junior Rodney Williams could be playing his way into the first round of the NBA draft this June.

That’s the opinion of former Gophers coach Jim Dutcher who believes Minnesota may have to play without Williams next season. “He’s playing as well as any small forward in America,” Dutcher said.

The Gophers meet Washington tomorrow night in the semifinals of the National Invitation Tournament in New York. Williams scored 66 points in three qualifying games to help Minnesota earn a trip to Madison Square Garden. “He’s had a great stretch,” Dutcher said.

The 6-7 forward, labeled for awhile now as the Big Ten’s best basketball athlete, has been an underachieving player for most of his career, but not lately scoring 24, 21 (twice) and 20 points in the last four games while lifting his scoring average to a team best 12.1. He’s become a leader on the floor and solid defensive player, but what’s flashy is his offensive profile. He’s found a consistent outside jump shot to go with his explosive drives and dunks.

Dutcher said pro scouts will be paying even more attention to Williams now that he’s arrived on the big stage of Madison Square Garden and been playing so well. The silky smooth Williams will be playing for his future — one that could either have him in the NBA next season or back at Minnesota for his senior year and a projected first round position in the 2013 draft. “What happens in the Garden will do a lot to determine it (Williams’ draft position),” Dutcher said.

What about the Gophers (22-14) and Washington (24-10) tomorrow night? The Huskies are the Pac-12 regular season champs (14-4 record) but Dutcher has watched Washington play and a Minnesota win wouldn’t surprise him. “There’s a reason they (the Huskies) weren’t invited to the NCAA tournament,” he said.

The Gophers won three road games to qualify for the NIT. After finishing 6-12 during the regular season in the Big Ten Conference, Minnesota has won four of five postseason games including one Big Ten tournament game.

Some of the program’s negative image has lessened. Minnesota has played its way into the NIT semifinals with perhaps more energy and good play than any other team. Coach Tubby Smith has received a lot of criticism the last two years, but Dutcher said his postseason work in 2012 deserves praise. “You have to give him credit now,” Dutcher said.

Comments Welcome