“Bang the Drummond Quickly, L.A. Basketball is Hunting Championships” 

March 30, 2021

The Lakers, UCLA and USC on the Prowl with Big Game

Los Angeles - Today, the second to last day of March, is quite a day to be a Los Angeles basketball fan.  Just open the LA Times Sports page (yes, I still read the “paper” paper) and you will see what I mean.  Side note:  Isn’t it time for a full time return of the LA Times Sports Section?  Isn’t the recent relaxing of covid protocols and the success of LA sports teams enough to break free of the California section?  

On the first page of the Sports “section” (or “B6” of the California section…see what I mean?) is a breakdown from sportswriter Dylan Hernandez on how USC can beat the unbeaten Gonzaga Bulldogs in the Elite Eight of the NCAA mens basketball tournament tonight. On page two (“B7”, so embarrassing, what would Jim Murray say?) is a heartfelt story from Bruin beat writer Ben Bloch on UCLA coach Mick Cronin and his dad, and finally, the great NBA columnist Dan Woike is relegated to “B9” (shameful) for an article on recent Laker acquisition, the dominant post playing force that is Andre Drummond.  The fourth basketball club in town, our Los Angeles Clippers, were recognized by Andrew Greif on page “B8” (that’s a move up for the Clippers) for their victory over the Bucks and the hold they have on the third spot in the Western Conference.

By the end of the day, USC and UCLA just might be facing one another in the Final Four and it will sink in to the faithful that the Lakers will have secured a path to repeating as NBA Champions, and passing the Boston Celtics in all time championships.  And maybe the Clippers can make a run at the Western Conference Finals?

Today is a good day, right Cube? 

As for that other sports journalist juggernaut in Los Angeles, Sports Stories with Denny Lennon (“SSDL: The Pride of the Centinela Adobe Corridor”), we’d like to make note that a few of our friends that are playing a role in this basketball nirvana that has fallen upon on our city.  

Laker studio host Chris “Geeter” McGee, not only a guest on SSDL shows but the defending Eastbay Shootout Champion, made an impassioned call for Andre Drummond to choose the Lakers on the Spectrum Sportsnet show last Friday, and now the greatest franchise in all of sports has secured the piece they needed for another title.

SSDL recently interviewed, for a soon to be released mini documentary, Dana and David Pump, the dynamic basketball entrepreneurs who reshaped the club basketball scene in Southern California with their AAU elite camps and teams.

Talking about elite, how about Compton Magic founder and chief executive Etop Udo-Ema, who’s interview with SSDL anchored the LA36 Cable TV slot for over a month?  The “Magic Boyz” super club team of 2018 has four players making magic for Pac 12 teams in this years NCAA tourney.  

UCLA basketball greatness is a constant on SSDL shows.  John Wooden grandson-in-law Craig Impelman has shared the genius of the most successful coach ever, 1975 team captain Andre McCarter spoke about Wooden’s final season and Tony Bailey relived the excitement of winning the 1995 NCAA championship. 

In 1972, the Los Angeles Clippers were still the Buffalo Braves and the USC basketball team went 16-10 under Bob Boyd.  But UCLA won the NCAA’s, going undefeated for the third time, and  all-time basketball legend Jerry West, who’s SSDL mini-series was nominated for a couple awards, led the Lakers to their first title in Los Angeles.  

It’s been almost 50 years since I have been so happy to be an L.A. basketball fan.

• Denny Lennon is the Host of YouTube Live shows and the Video Podcast, “Sports Stories with Denny Lennon”

Sports Stories with Denny Lennon shows, including video podcasts, archived live shows and special features are available at:  YouTube.com/SSDL

Social media links, archives and more are available on our website:  SportsStoriesDL.com