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A Match Made in Mid-Missouri Heaven

ALTERNATE TITLE: Mizzou Takes LA (and Mizzou Links for Friday, June 23)

By Karen Steger
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#MIZZOU2THENBA

Let’s make that a thing, ok? I, for one, love an appropriate and simplistic hashtag. And yes that most certainly is a dig at that weird ass hashtag that Mizzou Football is using, “#CHASE2DRE4MS”. It’s too clunky, y’all, and just plain weird.

Speaking of Mizzou Football and their clunky hashtags, they’ve got a huge “Gold Rush” recruiting weekend starting with some big name Missouri visitors including Ryan Wingo and Williams Nwaneri, the latter of whom is already in town.

Anyway, that’s enough football talk from this gal, and back to the NBA Draft we go. I haven’t really watched a draft since Michael Porter, Jr.’s 2018 draft year, and vividly remember watching from my couch as he precipitously fell further and further in the lottery, much like that Villanova guy (Whitmore?) did Thursday night.

Once the picks hit the mid-20s with teams on the clock I know Kobe worked out for, I started getting all sorts of antsy. When would our guy, the TRUEST of TRUE sons, hear his name called?

Pick HIM. Choose HIM. Love HIM.

Who would take a shot on one of my all-time faves to wear the black & gold? Sacramento? Memphis? Indiana? Portland? Denver? Charlotte? San Antonio? Cleveland? Washington? Orlando? I frantically thought back to all my Rain Man-esque draft posts to find some indication of who my new favorite team would be. That and I had decided to watch the draft at Shiloh Bar & Grill and was trying to figure out when I could feasibly escape to make my quick trip home and not miss Kobe time. Turns out I have a new favorite team NOT of those mentioned and I missed the announcement because I had literally just gotten in my car. Sorry, Nuggies, you’re no longer my fave, because...

Kobe Brown is a Los Angeles Clipper.

Prepare for the Kobe spam that is to follow. Per Dave Matter, he did work out for the Clippers, but it was one of the teams of his dozen workouts that we didn’t know about. AND he could get significant playing time. And also, the Missouri connections. SO MANY Mid-Mo connections! And randomly, just thought of him playing alongside Terance Mann… who was coached at FSU by CY and Dennis.

Congrats, Kobe. What a day. You deserve it all.

Here’s the moment he got the call. Kobe said on a Zoom call with the media afterwards that he couldn’t help but cry. Me too, KB.

Here’s his full interview, courtesy of ABC17 Sports Director, Nathalie Jones. You can also read Jaden’s post (linked below).

Wow. That growth.

His agency shares the news.

Now, some reactions.

Former Missourian beat writer, AK, who covers the Evansville beat now.

Frank Cusumano, STL radio guy

Former Mizzou beat writer and recent j-school grad

SEC analyst and CoMo native, Tom Hart

Nathalie has gotten to know KB well.

A fan take.

We love a humble king. One of his agents, as I mentioned before, is Mark Bartelstein, who is also the agent of MPJ and Bradley Beal, as well as many others.

Damn...

Significant.

This WILL be my reaction every single time I watch him play.

The Junkyard Dog and current Buck assistant is pleased.

BK weighs in.

Rock M beat writer Parker shares his thoughts

Love this, from the Mizzou Hoops in-arena announcer.

Mr. Sunny (or is it Sonny?) himself:

Team Reactions:

Analysis from national media:

Mizzou alum Jim Root of 2nd Chance Points (who wanted Kobe to be a Buck)

IDK about analysis, per see, but #MizzouMade at social media expert for The Athletic shares his excitement

Clippers writer Law Murray of The Athletic:

From ESPN NBA reporters

From CBS’ Adam Finkelstein:

I really like this pick. This is the kind of move that a team does for financial values, but they took just a good player in general. He has almost a football frame and made a nice jump as a shooter and can guard bigger bodies because of that strength. That helps with playing him in small-ball units and makes him valuable.

And most definitely not to be forgotten:

D’Moi Hodge is a Los Angeles Laker.

The Tigers are taking over LA, y’all!!!! Almost right after the conclusion of the draft, it was announced, per reports, that the BVI native, who worked out for the Lake Show in early June, is also headed to the City of Angels.

Team Reaction

So proud of D’Moi. I have LOVED watching him this season. You know... you can vote for him in the Newcomer of the Year Rock M’my category.... just saying.

On to the Links!

Yesterday at Rock M

More Links:

Hoops

Football

I’d say the two projected starters along the O-line better be difference makers or it’ll be a rough season on offense: Cam’Ron Johnson at center and Marcellus Johnson at right tackle. Others: WR Theo Wease Jr. should be a starter on the outside; TE Brett Norfleet should have a chance to see the field; Triston Newson should get some snaps in the linebacker rotation; Joe Moore and Austin Firestone at defensive end; then the two DB newcomers: Sidney Williams at safety and Tre’Vez Johnson at star. I doubt they unseat the returning starters but should be part of the rotation and sub packages.

  • PFF is really loving Mizzou players this preseason. Love to see it. Except Rake is too low.

Other Mizzou Sports

  • Looks like Men’s Golf Head Coach, Mark Leroux, is finally handing over the program to his co-head coach, Mark Hankins. I feel like they’ve been co-head coaches for years at this point.
  • New Inside Mizzou Athletics podcast alert!
  • Congratulations, ALEX HONNOLD, who made the USA Softball Women’s National Team, and will represent the United States at the 2023 Japan All-Star series, taking place August 4-7. What a cool honor. (more from MUTigers.com)
  • Mizzou Soccer released its schedule, per MUTigers.com. Their 2023 schedule includes 8 home games at Audrey Walton Stadium. First up will be two road exhibitions at Memphis on August 7, and at Oklahoma State on August 12. They start the season at home against SEMO on August 17, before heading to Creighton on August 20.

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