Setting the record straight - The Fans Speak Out - Letter to the Editor

Basketball Digest, March, 2002 by John Grasso

I really enjoyed the February 2002 issue and all the features on international players--especially the article on Wat Misaka.

Here's a few other comments, particularly about the "International Players" version of "The Stat Sheet." Swen Nater of the Netherlands. Al Cueto of Cuba, and Bobby Croft of Canada were also ABAers born outside the United States. Holland's Serge Zwikker was on an NBA roster but never appeared in a regular-season (or playoff) game. The photo of Carl Herrera states he was the only Venezuelan in NBA history--what about Oscar Torres of the Houston Rockets? France's only NBA player was listed as Tariq Abdul-Wahad, but Michael Stewart and Jerome Moiso were both born in France, as were Dominique Wilkins and Cozell McQueen. Tony Parker was born in Belgium, but raised in France.

The "Head of the Class" article states that former New Jersey Net Stephen Jackson is not even in the league this year--San Antonio Spurs fans may agree, but he's on their roster and has even appeared in a few games this year.

Finally, a couple things about the "Franchise Snapshot" of the Nets. Not only did Kevin Porter set a franchise record for assists--he set the NBA record, breaking the former mark of 28 set by Bob Cousy and tied by Guy Rodgers. Scott Skiles broke Porter's league record in 1990. And the New Jersey Americans' forfeit of a "playoff" game is worth an article in itself. The "playoff" was for fourth place in their division and was to determine whether they would qualify for the playoffs. The Commack Arena wasn't their home arena that season, but the game was scheduled there because their own arena was unavailable.

Thanks for a very enjoyable magazine.

John Grasso
Via e-mail

Thanks, John, for the kind words and the edits. Far too much reliance was placed on the "International Player" chapter of The Official NBA Encyclopedia for "The Stat Sheet"; where Nater, Cueto, and Croft go unacknowledged for their ABA careers. Similarly, only Abdul-Wahad is listed from France. Zwikker is an interesting case, because while he's listed as a Houston Rockets player in 1997-98, he never played a single NBA minute. Speaking of Torres, he not only is the second Venezuelan in the NBA, but as an undrafted free agent, is making quite an impact as a rookie.

Jackson and his five minutes per game as the 12th man for the Spurs did escape our radar, making yet another strong point for how godawful the 2000 draft class has been.

The Americans' forfeit of what amounted to a "pre-playoff" game is a story for the ages. The Americans finished the inaugural 1967-68 ABA season tied with the Kentucky Colonels for fourth place in the Eastern Division. A one-game playoff was scheduled to decide whether the Americans or Colonels would advance to the postseason proper. The Americans were to host the game, but their home floor, the Teaneck Armory, was booked by a traveling circus during the week of the playoff game. To keep some semblance of homecourt advantage, the game was moved to Commack Arena on Long Island. When the teams arrived at Commack, they found that the roof was leaking water and the ice below the playing floor was melting. ABA commissioner George Mikan deemed the court unplayable, the Americans were forced to forfeit the game, and the Colonels advanced to play the Minnesota Muskies in the ABA playoffs.

A final bit of irony in this peculiar story: The next year, the Americans became the New York Nets. Their home floor? "Unplayable" Commack Arena.