A few random basketball notes:
* For those who may have missed it, Larry Nance Jr. will be playing his college basketball at the University of Wyoming. Nance is 6-foot-7 and the son of the revered ex-Cavaliers forward of the same name. The younger Nance also led Revere (Ohio) High to a 21-2 record and the Division I district final this past season. In his past two seasons, the Minutemen compiled a 40-6 record.
* Nance Jr. will play for Larry Shyatt, just hired by Wyoming. Shyatt is a former assistant coach at Akron and Cleveland State and has strong ties to Northeast Ohio. This is his second stint at Wyoming, as he coached the Cowboys for one season (1997-98) before taking the job at Clemson.
* My first newspaper job was in Wyoming, and I now live on the edge of Bath Township, where Revere is located. In fact, I covered the Cowboys the first time Shyatt coached them. Not saying any of that means anything, but Wyoming will always have a special place in my heart. So I think it’s cool a kid from just down the road decided to play there.
* In fact, I just received my “Shyatt Happens, Part II” T-shirt from Laramie sports talk radio host (and former roommate) Steve Kiggins. I have already worn it with pride.
* The elder Nance said before the season that he felt like his son had really turned a corner on the court, and it showed. Nance Jr. averaged 18.2 points and 9.5 rebounds per game last year, displaying improved basketball smarts and strength.
* It’s interesting to note that Nance Sr. was offered one Division I basketball scholarship: Clemson. He later became an NBA All-Star, the slam dunk champion and one of the top two or three greatest forwards in Cavs’ history. So like his father, it’s possible Nance Jr. is a late bloomer.
* For more on Nance Jr., check out this excellent piece by my mentor and another fan of the state of Wyoming, Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer: http://tinyurl.com/4xm6yeb
* Moving on, former Cavs coach Mike Brown has become a hot commodity. It is believed Brown will interview with Indiana (assuming Pacers president Larry Bird is retained), as well for openings with Houston and Golden State. Brown took a job as an analyst with ESPN this past season, and it was a smart move. Being on television has a way of keeping coaching candidates relevant.
* This is pure speculation, but Brown might also interview in Detroit once that job opens. That would be strange, since Brown would have to replace John Kuester, his former assistant with the Cavs and a close friend. Word is, Kuester will be fired shortly after the franchise completes its ownership change.
