Chicago Bulls Coach Scott Skiles got his release today. I’m not going to dwell on that. The squad is 9-16, owner got a prerogative, it is what it is. Scott Skiles the player, however, was playground nice. He had a lot of hood in ‘em. To his credit, he overcame a lot of adversity during his knucklehead high school and college days to become the king of the pound cake at Michigan State. Skiles possessed a no-look passing game like J-Kidd, respected floor leadership, and big-game ending skills that lead to a 10-year NBA career where he holds the single-game record for assists with 30.
Skiles during his college years - Photo: nomarfanforlife
I can personally attest to the knucklehead days during my brief career. I went out drinking with Skiles before my try-out with the Indiana Pacers. I remember the night like it was yesterday. We hit the bar like Ali training for a fight, hard. Anyway, he had the guaranteed contract and I didn’t. So figure it out. Skiles made the team as a back-up to Vern Fleming and I was in the CBA with the Quad City Thunder, eliminated by foolishness.
So as we speed to the new year, expect to see more from Bounce about players like Skiles, their rises and falls, and more from me about my experiences on all levels of ball.
December 24th, 2007 at 11:27 pm
Bobbito Garcia a.k.a. Kool Bob Love says:
ayo–’member his around the back no look pass on the 3 on 1 fastbreak in the NCAA Tournament his senior year? i was buggin! we all did **** like that in the park, but to see it prime-time in a tight game was insane. those were good years, ‘pearl’ washington was d**king dudes with his in and out crossovers, skiles was all over the place, walt berry was spin dribbling big men then triple-pumpin them in the air with endless hangtime. playground style was very apparent on the college court, but all purposeful and by dudes that could pull it off and get buckets . . .
December 25th, 2007 at 4:25 pm
Sean Couch says:
Bob:
30 Assists in NO JOKE! I would call the 80’s the era of the pass. Look at the names in the top 20. Magic, Stockton, Jackson, Strickland, Isiah Thomas, Tim Hardaway, Muggsy Bogues, Kevin Johnson, Derek Harper and Terry Porter. All these players were drafted in the 80’s and in the top 20 all-time.
(Jackson, Bogues, and Johnson all came out the same year - 87 my draft year). Hardaway and Strickland came out a year later - 88.
December 26th, 2007 at 8:56 pm
Bobbito Garcia a.k.a. Kool Bob Love says:
couch-you’re mad right, but i don’t even think the nba tallies assists until the ’60s, so who knows if cousy or cleo hill just bugged out one game early on and had a ba-jillion joints! i also would attribute the higher assists of the ’80s to the ridiculous shooters these guys all had to pass to. can’t get an assist without a finisher, something that the nba has been lacking for years with field goal percentage shrinking. and think–the 3 point line used to be even further back in those days! kind of insane if you think about it. shout out to mark jackson and rod strickland for repping nyc to the fullest. terry porter, too. heads forget that he came out of a division 3 school which is unheard of considering how long he lasted . . .
December 26th, 2007 at 11:08 pm
Jeremy Ripley says:
Yo Yo!
Speaking of Whiteboys with playground game, I’m reading the Pistol Pete biography right now. There’s heavy mention of Cleo Hill in the particular chapter I’m in now.
My Dad played against Skiles when he was at MSU, too. My pops said the man had major game…
My Uncle who went to UW-Platteville played against Terry Porter when he played for UW-Stevens Point.
Also, speaking of shooters, who remembers Steve Alford…..
December 27th, 2007 at 1:00 am
Sean Couch says:
Stevie Alford - National Champion from Indiana Class of 87 and now coach of the New Mexico Lobos. Crazy hype at Indiana, has one of the best college careers a player could have, Olympian with Michael Jordan. Didn’t really get off in the NBA game. Had no wiggle in his game, straight up and down sort of player, but could not be left open. What was the difference between him and Stevie Kerr… defense.
December 27th, 2007 at 1:45 am
Jeremy Ripley says:
Sean-Too bad things didn’t work out for him at Iowa.
That 86-87 team was loaded with talent though. Keith Smart, Daryl Thomas, Dean Garrett…I could go on.
Here’s a curveball for you: Antoine Joubert.
December 27th, 2007 at 2:32 pm
Sean Couch says:
Joubert:
The Judge was nice, played at Michigan. Picked in 87 in the
fifth round, had a game like Eric Snow. Not sure where he’s at now.
December 27th, 2007 at 6:23 pm
Kenny Patt says:
I thought the Judge was a futre pro as a pg but gained too much weight and finished as a sf and Gary Grant became the man.
December 27th, 2007 at 6:35 pm
Sean Couch says:
Grant along with Glen Rice took it and when Grant went pro
the next year Rice won the National chip against Seton Hall in 89.
December 27th, 2007 at 6:42 pm
Kenny Patt says:
I remember that game well cause I went to HS with John Morton and followed his yrs there. I remember a sick reverse dunk by Rumeal Robinson in that game
December 27th, 2007 at 7:35 pm
Bobbito Garcia a.k.a. Kool Bob Love says:
john morton once threw it on me so hard it wasn’t even funny. like i was on the 4 train going back downtown and still having nightmares about the moment. we were playing in the highbridge garden community center 3 on 3 summer ‘84 up in the Bronx around Woodycrest Ave and Nelson Park. i got named to the all-tournament team, it was my first ever such honor and i was mad proud considering the talent in it. but dag . . . he really didn’t have to do me like that. i didn’t jump, just happened to be under the basket cuz in a halfcourt league everyone has to rebound. dag. why did i just bring this up? john morton was mad nice in his day.
speaking of steve alford . . . a lot of people gave indiana pacer exec donnie walsh heat for selecting reggie miller over hometown hero alford, but obviously no one talks about that now, right?!!! haha!
the nicest ballplayer out of indiana ever wasn’t larry bird. he may have the chips, but statistically you’d have to go with the human triple double oscar robertson.
December 27th, 2007 at 7:51 pm
Kenny Patt says:
John was nice, but was a NBA tweener. He grew up about a block away from Nelson, same hood as Master Rob. I didnt like how Bobby Knight sidestepped Keith Smart to give all the credit to Alford when they took the chip in 87.
December 27th, 2007 at 8:41 pm
Jeremy Ripley says:
Rumeal was ice water…And I’ve heard that Joubert used to walk around campus and walk into bars wearing full-length mink coats!
I think Big O was the best all around scored in Indiana, but I think Ricky Mount was probably the best shooter–I’ve heard about his stroke.
Anyone up on Ken Norman?
December 27th, 2007 at 9:21 pm
Kenny Patt says:
Man. I can chat for years with you guys. The Snake was sick and Kenny Battle was a favorite of mine as well.
December 28th, 2007 at 12:35 am
Sean Couch says:
Ken Norman played on an Illinois team that was ranked number one in the country in 1984. They had Bruce Douglas and Efrem Winters on that crew. They were both All-Americans. Derek Harper graduated the year before. While at Columbia I played them and we got blown by about 30.
December 28th, 2007 at 1:59 am
Bobbito Garcia a.k.a. Kool Bob Love says:
the best would-be player illinois might’ve ever had was benji wilson rest in peace. dude was teh #1 high school senior in teh country, got shot on the streets of chicago. the fighting illini had the hot unis in teh mid ’90s. i used to like marcus liberty, too. thought he had a hot name even if had ever made it pro.
December 28th, 2007 at 4:38 am
Kenny Patt says:
Nick Anderson wore #25 in honor of his best friend Wilson, I brought the Street & Smith that year (84) and he was hands down ranked #1 in the country. Off the top other all americans that year included Charles Smith, Demetrius Gore, Lowell Hamilton, Jerome Lane and I am drawing blanks after that.