James Loving - National Radio Text Service - Wednesday, March 29, 2006

Did You Know??? High School To NBA Stars NBA Success - Let us bow our heads and pray - The Top NBA Title Winner - NBA's Youngest Ever Coach - Where They Came From

GARNISHED IN GARNETT

The Minnesota Timberwolves Kevin Garnett is the senior member of the current class of high school to NBA players. The grandpop of current high school to NBA players will hit the big three - O May 19. Yes he will be 30 years-old. Ohhh...My....!!!

The 6-11/220 (2.11/99.8) forward has been hammering out his trade and put up some impressive numbers during his now 11 year NBA career.

Straight out of high school the Mauldin, South Carolina born native who then went on to play at Chicago's Farragut Academy registered a 10.4 points per game average (ppg) and 6.3 rebounds per game (rpg) in his first NBA season at the age on 19.

Garnett has a personality and maturity to go with those numbers.

I missed his rookie year due to my heavy schedule in traveling throughout Southeast Asia.

When I returned in the beginning of his 1996-97 season I interviewed Garnett along with another journalist. That was the first time I heard the term DOG (as in Hey dog! or Yo dog!) as Garnett addressed the other journalist.

The reporter looked startled and Garnett noticed his uneasiness. "It's all good," Garnett said assuring the writer that it was not an insult.

That impressed me that Garnett was very perceptive about his surroundings and how to deal with people and give them R-E-S-P-E-C-T as Aretha would sing.

I then said "You're very mature for your age." Garnett replied, "Mature? You think I'm mature?" I most assuredly did and his NBA performance since that time certainly proves that out.

Entering this season he has a career average of 20.2 ppg and 11.1 rpg while playing 29583 minutes in 775 games. He was the NBA Player of the Year in 2004. He was selected on the All-NBA first team in 2000, 2003, 2004 and All-NBA defensive first team in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004.

Among many of his other achievements is being a member of the USA gold medal-wining Olympic team in 2000.

If Garnett's NBA's achievements don't embellish the value of a high school players potential worth to an NBA team what and who does?

He's not the first and most certainly not the last but he has made his mark as having a major impact on the NBA TODAY.

TRIVIA QUESTION

Who was the first high school to NBA player to be a DOMINATE FORCE in the NBA?

MORE TRIVIA QUESTIONS???

1. Who was the first high school to NBA player to have a MAJOR IMPACT in the NBA?

2. Who was the youngest ever NBA coach?

3. Since the NBA began in 1947 only two of those original teams have never moved form their original location. Who are they?

4. Four ABA teams were merged into the NBA when the ABA dissolved in 1976 and remain in the league today. Who are they?

5. Which of those teams were the most successful in their first season ion the NBA?

6. Which of those former ABA teams was the first to win an NBA title?

7. Who was the coach?

8. What current NBA coach was a player on that team?

9. What player was a member of the most NBA title winning teams?

ANSWERS IN OUR APRIL EDITION.

TRIVIA ANSWER

Moses Malone. Malone was drafted out of Petersburg, Virginia high school in 1974 by the Utah Stars of the then American Basketball Association (ABA) where he made the All-Rookie team.

He was then selected by the Portland Trailblazers in an ABA dispersal draft on August 5, 1976 but then traded to the Buffalo Braves (now Los Angeles Clippers) where he played less than a season.

Including his time in the ABA He played 21 professional seasons with 19 being in the NBA.

During his NBA career he played for the Buffalo Braves (1/2) Houston Rockets, (5 ½), Philadelphia 76ers (5), Washington Bullets (2), Atlanta Hawks (3), Milwaukee Bucks (2) and the San Antonio Spurs (1).

He played 45,071 minutes in 1329 NBA games with a 20.6ppg average and 12.2 rpg.

Malone was selected as the leagues MVP in 1979, 1982, and 1983. His other credits include being named to the All-NBA first team in 1979,1982, 83, and 85).

He was a member of the Philadelphia 76ers NBA title winning team that had NBA super star Dr Julius Erving.

They swept the Los Angeles Lakers that included Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Jamaal Wilkes, Norm Nixon, Bob McAdoo, James Worthy and Michael Cooper in four games.

That season Malone led the 76ers in scoring with a 24.5 ppg average, fifth best in the league. He also led the league in rebounding with a 15.3 rpg average.

At the age of 40 his 1994-95 season with the San Antonio Spurs was his last in the NBA.

The NBA has recognized his achievements in naming him as being one of the NBA's 5O Greatest Players in NBA History.

When I asked Malone how did the 76ers win the title from the Lakers who defeated them in the title game the previous year 1982 and also won the title in 1980?

He replied very succinctly, "They had Moses." END OF STORY…. Let us bow our heads and pray…..

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