Le Basketbawl

It was during the 1999-2000 NBA season, the Cleveland Cavaliers were heading to the Lottery in their first season under coach Randy Wittman. After a strong start, center Zydrunas Ilgauskas was hurt, and when he went down, so did the team’s momentum. It was about mid-way through the season, at that time of the campaign when a bad team realizes it’s bad! The Los Angeles Lakers came to then Gund Arena, and although the Cavaliers had lost, they battled through out the game, and were close enough to win at the end of the game.

As I was doing my post-game interviews in the Cleveland locker room following the loss, my first question to each player I spoke with was even though the team had lost there must be some satisfaction, some solace in making the Lakers sweat. The Cavaliers players eager to grab hold of anything positive, all agreed enthusiastically! Nodding their heads saying this was something they could build on. A couple of players had used the phrase “moral victory” in their responses, so that was the term that I used in my question to Cleveland point guard Earl Boykins. I said to Boykins, “Earl, a couple of your teammates have used the phrase “moral victory” to describe tonight’s game. Even though you lost, how happy were you with the effort you guys gave out on the floor?”

Boykins all of 5′5″ tall ( the only NBA player I tower over, at my height of 5′10″) was in his second stint with Cleveland. He looked me in the eye, and without a hint of a smile on his face said, “there are no moral victories in the NBA.” Earl Boykins earned my eternal respect with that statement.

“ESPN.com” reported Wednesday that free agent veteran guard Earl Boykins has become the ninth former NBA player to sign overseas since July 1. The much traveled point guard has signed a one year deal to play for Virtus Bologna, reportedly for over $3.5 million. The report states it would make Boykins the highest paid player in Italy.

Boykins has spent ten years playing in the Association, and has played for eight different teams. His greatest success in the NBA came at stops with the Denver Nuggets, and the Milwaukee Bucks. Boykins had a guaranteed contract with Milwaukee for this past season in which he would have been paid $3 million, but took the opt-out clause. He did not sign with a team until December, when he signed with the Charlotte Bobcats, and played just 36 games. Boykins although only 5?5? is a consummate pro, and was a tough match-up for many point guards in the NBA.