After a disappointing blowout loss to the Los Angeles Lakers last night, the Dallas Mavericks are in serious danger of missing the postseason. Now 2.5 games out of the eighth spot with just eight games to go, it looks like the Mavs’ 12-year streak of playoff appearances may finally be coming to an end.
It was only two years ago that Mark Cuban, Dirk Nowitzki and the rest of the Mavs were hoisting the Larry O’Brien trophy over their heads after defeating the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals. After the Oklahoma City Thunder swept the Mavericks out of the playoffs last year and after their sub-.500 record this year, it is clear the Mavs are in a nasty downward spiral.
They need to do something drastic to turn the fate of this franchise around. They need…
… a woman’s touch?
Do not knock it until you try it, I guess, but Mark Cuban has come out and said that he would consider drafting Baylor standout Brittney Griner, the projected No. 1 overall pick in the upcomming WNBA Draft.
Griner is one of the best women’s basketball players ever, setting the NCAA career record for blocked shots and finishing second all-time in career scoring. The 6-foot-8 center dominated her competition and led the Lady Bears to a 74-2 record the last two years, including a National Championship and an undefeated season last year.
I guess all of those accomplishments lead Cuban to believe that Griner could hold her own in the NBA.
"Right now, I'd lean towards yes,” Cuban said, “just to see if she can do it. You never know unless you give somebody a chance."
Watching Griner play the last couple years, she really did look like she belonged in another league, but not the NBA. She held a huge advantage by being bigger and stronger than anyone she faced at the women’s college level. I do not want to discredit her as an athlete because what she did at Baylor was truly impressive, but thinking she could match up with NBA players, even the last guys on the bench, is just a joke.
We all know Mark Cuban is a big fan of attention, and drafting Griner would be quite the publicity stunt. I would not put it past him to pull something like this off, but the odds that she would ever see the floor of an NBA game have to be slim to none.
As for Griner, she’s certainly up to the challenge.
Mark Cuban may draft Brittney Griner m.espn.go.com/general/story?… …I would hold my own! Lets do it
— Brittney Griner (@Brittney4Griner) April 3, 2013
I am sure very few people are going to call me a sexist for thinking that a woman could not make it in the NBA. It is just common sense. However, Griner might be closer to playing at an "NBA level" than her female predecessors to get NBA tryouts like Cheryl Miller, Ann Meyers or Nancy Lieberman.
It would possibly be entertaining for the first five minutes, but then I think it would be ultimately disappointing. It is fun to think about Griner throwing one down on Dwight Howard, but it is just not meant to be.
