February 2026

Title: The Cricket

By: Doctor Cricket Dunkenstein

A few years ago, after I returned to planet earth from a sabbatical on Pluto, I began to become bored with the game of basketball as it was being played in the National Basketball Association (NBA).  The Euro League games had more appeal to me. 

 The game had changed since the ‘good ole days’ when I was hoopin’ on the planet of Pluto.  I was changing too … … … .

Sure, I thought the NBA players were great, extremely skilled, the best of the best.  I liked to tune in and check these guys out.  However,  after a couple of quarters of an NBA game, it became boring to me. 

Sometimes, I’ld check on the score and tune back into a game if it was close in the end. 

I enjoyed watching the three  Stooges: Larry, Curly, and Mo,  (Shaq,  Kenny, & Charles), present highlights scores and talk about the games.  I personally knew these three ‘cats’,  and had some basketball experiences with these guys.  They were so likeable, funny, honest and knowledgeable about the NBA professional game, I enjoyed their show of entertainment – especially when they drove poor Ernie crazy.  I  would make an effort  to tune in to view them on TNT in order to keep track of the games.  But watching all 48 minutes of a regular season NBA basketball game did not appeal to me , at least not like it did in my good old days playing on Pluto, … … 

I mean, back in those days,  I loved watching all the players and teams,  … … Wilt, Kareem, Karl, Bird, Magic, Kobe, Shaq, MJ, Isiah , The Admiral, Timmy… all of them … from the 70’s to the end of the 90’s …into about 2010. Then, thing slowly changed.  There were  hundreds of guys to watch. 

I liked watching them play basketball because they were innovative thinkers with skill.   The games they played fascinated me and fulfilled my fix for the sport of basketball. 

But by 2017 the thrill was gone!    The boredom of regular season games set in … … … .  B.B. King singing, ‘The Thrill Is Gone” was more interesting than a complete NBA basketball game.  

Then, one day, I was watching Euro Sport on the satellite in my crib, and I saw this skinny baby face kid playing basketball.  There was something in his looks and in his ‘Moves‘  on the basketball court that I found unusual … … …,  he was interesting to watch.

He looked like a cricket jumping around all over the basketball court … … .  I soon found out he was a ‘Frenchy’,  just a young baby croissant hoopin’ jumpi’ cricket.  He was fun to watch as he tried to swat everything in the air with his long skinny arms.  He had the energy and the jumping skills of a cricket.   Long legs and arms …  … floppy, yet coordinated.

A few years later, there was this same kid, ‘The Cricket’, playing for the San Antonio Spurs NBA basketball team.  He was only 19 years old the first time I watched him play in the NBA.   He looked  to me as if he was much younger … … 

Back in the day, some people said watching the Spurs  was boring basketball, but not to me.   I loved watching the Spurs play basketball in the NBA back in those championship years.  Those ‘Pop’ coached Spurs were my kinda basketball team.  I watched most of those guys in college.  So, I found it interesting that the Spurs organization was gonna select this kid from France.  The young ‘French Cricket‘ and Spurs would be an excellent match.

The ‘Cricket’ was the first over-all in the 2023 NBA of the San Antonio Spurs.  That made a lot of connection sense to me. 

But , oh boy,  a player that young has many possible outcomes in his career,  … … lots of potential issues could arise in his development. 

 The word about how good this young kid was already out on the streets by 2020-211.  Tony Parker, former Spurs NBA Hall of Fame player, had him under his wing in France.    The word was potential … …  and the baby face , skinny as a rail, floppy, cricket jumping swatting kid from Paris  wasn’t even 18 years-old. 

There is always a  very high risk of financial  investment for any NBA organization when placing a high draft selection –  not to mention the increase risk with number one draft selection  – into any 18 year old young man.   

I thought this young cricket basketball player would be an added risk, due to the inherited God given stature and size, … … 

Ability was not a big obvious risk and question, however, fragility was a risk.   maintaining health in the NBA,  a demanding Man’s Basketball League, was simply a questionable issue for any young player.   But the Spurs  had hope, and foresight that things would work out because of the kids ability and, potential was already on display.   

I agreed with the Spurs assessment and draft selection.  But remained skeptical … as I had watched a lot of NCAA Stars with his stature struggle in the NBA.  Sam Bowie, drafted number two ahead of Michael Jordan came first to mind. 

Sam was a great 7’2″ tall skinny player at the University of Kentucky.  However foot fractures limited his career.  He never bloomed into the flower he was projected to be in the draft.  .

…

….   then,  I watched the cricket play in the NBA in 2023-24.  My optimism grew, somewhat … … he had talent.

…. … I watched more in 2024-25, some injuries were surfacing.  My optimism was tapering,   but  signals on potential skill and accomplished performance was growing exponentially.  Every time I watched ‘The Cricket’ play basketball in the NBA, I was impressed. 

He still had lots to learn,  but he had spunk, … …

and , recently 2025-26

Season

THE CRICKET BROUGHT BACK MY LOST  LOVE OF WATCH NBA BASKETBALL

My Faith & Belief:  Restored

in what I thought of the game  of basketball

restored …. Then, a thought

What if , … …  yes, what if I could bestow  all the knowledge of basketball from the planet of Pluto onto the cricket,   Victor Wembanyama

Why not , …

I never met ‘Pop’, but I knew all about him.  Our roots come from the same sycamore trees. 

We were both Hoosiers, , Auburn and Merrillville Indiana roots.  I had played the Air Force Academy basketball team 8 times in my career. 

I  knew, if Pop wanted to draft the Cricket #1, he was on the right career track.

But then, …. unexpectedly, Coach  Pop had health issues …  what would happen to the Cricket? 

I didn’t know anything about Mitch Johnson, Pop’s replacement Coach, … , 

One bad Coach could send this kid into the history of failed potential … … 

R. C.  Buford was fazing out … moving upward in the organization  … further from the court, closer to more paperwork. Owner do strange things and they always have the last word …  …

I knew a little about R. C. Buford from way back to our days at ‘He’s NOT Here,  at the U.N.C. , Dean Smith Basketball School.  

What was going to happen to  the Cricket?

And who the heck wants to hear anything about basketball from some old, (Pseudoym  Named Author:  Doctor Cricket Dunkenstein … … …

… … especially not Victor Wembyama

But I had a history with the ‘Zen  Master’  Phil, in Chicago,  … … one thought can be worth a lot of success in sports … … … 

SO I STARTED WRITING  – AGAIN.  …    . Writing about Wemby, and watching this ‘kid’ play basketball. 

so maybe a little  somthin’ somethin’ would help Victor,  he was young , help, would help, or would it not? 

The last time I had these imaginary thoughts about a basketball player was in 1982, about Michael Jordan. 

Now in May 2026 Victor Wembanyama in playing in the ‘BIG APPLE”, the center of the basketball world, in the 2026 NBA playoffs.  … ….

I am not ready, I thought I would have one more year to complete this website … …. 

OH BOY< what a delight to watch ,  …

I saw R.C. outside the looker room hugging ‘Wemby last night, after game seven of the WVF.  … What a night.  

“Sometimes Ya Get What You Need”!