Who is Michele Roberts? Part 2/2

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By: Greg Uratsu part 2 of 2…

Last week TWOandTHROUGH wrote about who is Michele Roberts?   This week I’d like to share a great post by Lauren Schwartzberg of fastcompany.com. Lauren does a great job dissecting Roberts’ challenge/goals as the leader of the National basketball Players Associatation (NBPA).  Below is Lauren’s article.  Enjoy!

michele-roberts

Courtesy of: http://www.pbs.org – Judy Woodruff

When Michele Roberts, a white-collar defense attorney, was named the leader of the National Basketball Players Asso­ciation (NBPA) in July, she became the first female executive director of any major men’s professional sports union in the country. It was a significant achievement, but she still faced a daunting challenge: remaking an organization that had fallen into disrepair.

The problem

After years of misman­­age­ment—including some questionable financial dealings on the part of Roberts’s predecessor, Billy Hunter, who also caved on a deal that dramatically reduced members’ collective bargaining power—the players no longer had faith in their union. When Roberts arrived, she was appalled. “It was like a mom-and- pop shop,” she says. “That’s how pathetic this place has been.

The epiphany

To get the job, Roberts had to interview with more than 100 NBA players, and it was while talking to them that she realized the similarities between the 450-member union and the Fortune 500 companies she’d been representing. Just like running a corporation, she says, running a union is about “making deliberate decisions that are going to enhance the value of the entity for its members.”

The execution

To run a good company, you need good people. As soon as she got the job, Roberts set about hiring some to fill the positions of CFO, COO, CTO, general counsel, and head of human resources—none of which had existed under Hunter. “It’s like a startup,” Roberts says. “We needed a management team that could conduct the business of the union.”

The result

The NBPA is completing its first-ever financial audit and rebuilding its relationship with the NBA, as well as with cable companies and others. It will be another two years before the current collective bargaining agreement expires, but Roberts has already taken NBA commissioner Adam Silver to task over what she considers to be unfair caps on players’ salaries. “I would not do what my predecessor has done, and that is ever forget that I work for the union and not the other way around,” she says. “I would never disrespect that relationship.”

 

Sophomore Rankings 2016-2017

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by: Greg Uratsu

Here is TWOandTHROUGH’s rank (from top to bottom) of the top sophomores for the 2016-2017 NCAA Basketball Season.  I’m excited to see the impact that these players have on the basketball world and their draft stock before and after their sophomore year!

ncaa_logo

Courtesy of: Wikimedia.org – NCAA Logo

Ivan Rabb (California)

OG Anunoby (Indiana)

Tyler Lydon (Syracuse)

Alonzo Trier (Arizona)

Thomas Bryant (Indiana)

Edmond Sumner (Xavier)

Shake Milton (SMU)

Jessie Govan (Georgetown)

Caleb Swanigan (Purdue)

Chance Comanche (Arizona)

Chimezie Metu (USC)

Dwayne Bacon (Florida St)

Donovan Mitchell (Louisville)

Mikal Bridges (Villanova)

Carlton Bragg (Kansas)

Drew Eubanks (Oregon St)

Bennie Boatwright (USC)

Raymond Spalding (Louisville)

Jawun Evans (Oklahoma St)

DJ Hogg (Texas A&M)

Isaac Humphries (Kentrucky)

Kerwin Roach (Texas)

Deng Adel (Louisville)

Tacko Fall (UCF)

Jalen Adams (Connecticut)

Who is Michele Roberts? Part 1/2

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By: Greg Uratsu

part 1 of 2…

A new NBA collective bargaining agreement is in negotiation right now.  One item to be discussed is the age requirement for the NBA draft.  Adam Silver, the NBA commissioner has said many times he’d like a new age requirement that would transition from “one and done” into the “two and through” era.  In order to get the “two and through” rule in place, the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) needs to agree to the new rule.  But who’s the head of the NBPA and the voice representing the NBA players?  That person, that voice, that leader is Michele Roberts.

michele-roberts

Courtesy of: http://www.pbs.org – Judy Woodruff

Roberts began her career in 1980 at Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia. She served in that role for eight years, rising to the chief of the trial division. She was mentored by attorney Charles Ogletree.

Roberts was named executive director of the National Basketball Players Association in July 2014. She succeeded Billy Hunter in the position. She received 32 of 36 votes.

“Her background is in negotiation, it’s in changing minds and it’s in listening ability and all of those skills will be very important to the union,” Ogletree said. “People will have a chance to see a woman who is well-prepared, willing to push for what’s right and has the ability to understand what it means for the long haul.”

All those factors are very important for the NBPA, which has struggled since the 2011 lockout and resulting collective bargaining agreement. Former executive director Billy Hunter was fired during All-Star weekend in 2013 after it was discovered he mismanaged union business, and the union has been without a permanent director since.

“The players’ vision of the union is that it belongs to them and it should exist to promote, protect and advance their interest and not any other stakeholder or any other person,” Roberts said. Roberts is an executive director who will not consider any deviation from that vision.

Roberts will have to agree that a “two and through” era will promote, protect and advance the interest for the NBA basketball players in order to bring the rule into effect.

Part 2 of 2 next week…

TWOandTHROUGH Bio

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By: Greg Uratsu

Ivan Rabb (Cal)

College:  University of California, Berkeley

He was the 8th ranked recruit nationally by ESPN

ivan-rabb

Courtesy of: http://pac-12.com – Kevin Danna

Freshman Year:  Fans had huge expectation and excitement for Rabb’s commitment to Cal.  He was a high-school McDonald’s All-American and was expected to be a “one and done” player.  Rabb had a great first season at Cal averaging 12.5 points per game, 8.5 rebounds per game, and registering 12 double-doubles.  Although those numbers were good, they weren’t great – especially with how high of ceiling many recruiting analysts and NBA scouts gave Rabb.  His go-to move is a baby left hook that is soft, almost un-blockable, and consistent.  At 6’ 10, Rabb possesses elite lateral quickness and is very explosive in transition.  As of now, Rabb has relied mainly on being taller and more athletic than most of his competition – he must fill out his frame and increase strength to remain competitive amongst the athletic freaks in the NBA.

 

Sophomore Year:  Rabb is the perfect “two and through” example.  Although many predicted he’d be a lottery-pick in the 2016 NBA draft after his freshman year, he made the decision to stay at Cal.  Rabb states via Sports Illustrated,“At the end of the day, the NBA isn’t going anywhere,” Rabb says. “If I’m the guy I’m supposed to be, I should be there next year as well. I should be even better, even more comfortable on the floor, have a better mentality. There are some improvements on the floor I want to make, and why not make them in college before I get to the next level? I want to have fewer weaknesses, so when I get there, I can just continue to get better.” During Rabb’s sophomore season, expect him to extend the range of his jumper, improve his ball handling, develop more post moves beyond his baby left hook, and improving at a perimeter defender.

 

As Rabb states, “People that go to college for [only] one year, very few of them actually do well in the NBA,” Rabb says. “There are definitely guys that go above and beyond expectations and dominate the league in the future or stick around. But there are also plenty of guys who are in and out. Personally, I don’t want to be a guy who is in and out. I don’t believe if I would have left after my first year that that would happen. But at the same time, I want to be more comfortable on the floor. There are plenty of things I can do to help myself before I leave.”

 

Conclusion:  I can see Rabb improving his draft stock even if he ends up with similar stats during his sophomore year.  Teams who may have been hesitant to draft Rabb in 2016 may develop more confidence in the 2017 NBA draft after seeing him play for two years because they have a more concrete idea of what they’re getting.  Rabb’s goal is to not be the, “guy who is in and out” and his decision to play a second year and forego the 2016 NBA draft will get him closer to that goal.  Even if Rabb is unable to meet his full potential and become a NBA superstar, his second year of collegiate basketball can only strengthen his NBA floor.  Rather than risk a high-draft pick on a potential bust, Rabb’s floor can develop into a fully capable role player off the bench – thus making the high draft pick worth it.  We see plenty of role players in the NBA with long careers (Nick Collison for example).  I’d rather have a productive role player than a bust as my worst case scenario if I am investing a high NBA draft pick.  Ivan Rabb, thank you for being a great example of the benefit(s) of the possible “two and through” era!

Don’t Hate the Player, Hate the Game

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By: Craig Yamada

Part 2 of 2…

Unless you are a blue blood school like Kentucky, Arizona, Kansas or Duke who are rich in tradition are always overflowing with McDonald’s All-Americans every year. The “reloading” strategy isn’t always plausible for an average school. Coaches are forced to actively recruit to replace a player they will only have for one year thus breaking any foundation they have worked so hard to build in that season. Job security for coaches has always been rough, but with the “one and done” rule in effect, it makes it that much more frail. And we the starving fan base are forced to wave goodbye to our favorite players after just one year of having them represent our alma mater.

 

 

Is this selfish of us as a fan group? Absolutely.

But is it fault of the player? Absolutely not.

 

Players deserve every right to pursue their dreams when they deem fit.  But if they do attend college, there needs to be some kind of educational commitment by that player if they are awarded a scholarship. But that player is also occupying a scholarship that someone else could use who will make earning a degree a priority.

 

Isn’t the point of college to get some form of education? I used to think it was, but knowing that some of these blue-chip recruits have already made plans to be “one and done” before they even declare for a college, where is the motivation for the student-athlete to attend class or pursue a degree? Likely they just need to pass their classes in order to qualify to participate in basketball activities, unless a coach has strict policies. The college season is so short for some of these potential lottery picks and they often declare for the draft by mid-April. So why force them to be in school for that one year? Let the kids enter the draft out of high school and provide for their families. And then college basketball can focus on players that do want to be in school. Two seasons minimum of college declared athletes will end up benefiting both the college and student-athletes that do want a career post basketball. Much like marriage, college scholarships should be a two-way commitment for both the player and the school alike. The schools can no longer be a “have to” requirement for these kids if they don’t need to be there. I personally think scholarships should be awarded to those athletes who feel like education is a priority for them.  There couldn’t be a better time for the “two and through” era to begin.

 

 

TWOandTHROUGH Bio

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By: Greg Uratsu

Thursday Bio: Terrence Ross

College:  University of Washington

Ross was the 30th ranked recruit nationally by ESPN

Freshman Year:  Ross came off the bench during his freshman year.  Ross earned honorable mention Pac-10 All-Freshman team honors after averaging 8.0 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 34 games.  He was named to the Pac-10 All-Tournament team after averaging 15.3 points and 2.7 rebounds per game in the 2011 Pac-10 Tournament.  As impressive as Ross was during his freshman year, there were concerns about his shot selection.  Improved ball handling would help in getting separation from his defender and creating higher-percentage shots.  His 1.7 free-throw attempts per 40 minutes pace can be improved with another year of collegiate basketball.

Sophomore Year:  Ross earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors after averaging 16.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.3 steals in 35 games. He helped Washington reach the semi-finals of the 2012 National Invitation Tournament averaging 25.0 points and 5.5 rebounds per game.  His ball handing still needs improvement since he creates space from spin moves and speed that may not be as much of an advantage in the NBA as in the NCAA.  Even so, Ross improved tremendously during his sophomore year – mostly on the defensive side of the ball.  His length, athleticism, and ability to move his feet to stay in front of his man makes him an absolute disruptive force.  In addition, Ross was able to improve his free-throws per game from 1.7 to 2.6 (per 40 minute pace).   By showing growth in his overall game and once again showing off his great athleticism, size, and length that translates well to the NBA game, Ross’ draft stock benefited greatly by answering any concerns about his freshman profile and growth potential.

NBA: Drafted 1st Round, 8th pick by Toronto Raptors

Highlights

  • 2013 Sprite Slam Dunk Champion
  • Scored a career high 51 points on January 25th, 2014 against the Los Angeles Clippers.
  • On November 2nd, 2015, Ross signed a three-year $31.5 million contract extension with the Toronto Raptors.

The jury is still out on Ross as a professional basketball player.  After nearly four seasons, 272 games, and 6,314 minutes played, Terrence Ross remains somewhat of a mystery.  A common phrase I see in many write-ups is he’s a, “maddening up-and-down player”.  When he’s up he gives the Raptors a capable explosive player to go along with Kyle Lowry, Demar DeRozen, and DeMarre Carroll.  When he’s down he loses focus in using his superior athleticism and quickness to cause havoc in the transition game and snuffing out passing lanes on defense.  The Raptors need to put greater emphasis on getting him the ball where he performs best: on the move and in transition.  This is not easy with the Raptors’ iso-heavy, DeRozan-and-Lowry offense.

Overall:  I believe the second year of collegiate basketball helped Ross solidify his draft stock.  By playing a second year he was able to show continued success in his strengths while displaying improvement in his weaknesses and growth in his overall game.  Although some say the Raptors made a reach in drafting Ross 8th, I say that the extra year of NCAA basketball solidified the Raptors’ confidence in what they were getting in Ross – a very athletic, quick, and explosive player with known weaknesses that may or may not fix itself over time.  The strengths that Ross displayed over two years at Washington provided the Raptors with a player who is at the very minimum a valuable role player on a playoff caliber team if his full potential is never reached.  In my opinion I like the idea of Ross’ floor being a valuable role player for years to come rather than drafting a potential outright bust.

Don’t Hate the Player, Hate the Game

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By: Craig Yamada

 Part 1 of 2…

 

College has quickly become merely a pit stop for future NBA draft picks. The “one and done” rule is simply ruining the college game and its coaches and fans are left to pick up the pieces once athletes have moved on to greener pastures.  NBA requirements of a one year wait post high-school has created a scenario where players have two choices after high school graduation:

 

1)    Attend College for a minimum of 1 year

2)    Play professionally overseas

 

“Two and Through” Player: Terrence Ross

"Two and Through" Player: Terrence Ross

http://thebiglead.com – Jason McIntyre

 

The latter is becoming a more popular choice as the years go on. Players who don’t necessarily have the means, but do have the talent are looking to make money overseas as they wait for their turn in the NBA draft the following year. The others who want to play in front of their families and friends, attend college for a year and then quickly leave whether they are ready or not. Those that do leave too early end up spending a long career in the D-League and never make it to the big show and have no degree to fall back on.

 

The basketball landscape is changing and with it, so must the rules of the game. Players need to have the option to opt for the draft out of high school if they are ready for it. And if they do opt to go to college, two years minimum should be required. “two and through” will soon become the new reality.

 

To be continued…