Elijah Harkless Story

[CoachTalk]

One of the best newspaper articles I’ve read in a long time!


[tweet] https://twitter.com/oudailysports/status/1357781818796302339?s=21[/tweet]

 

[WichitaSooner]

It’s a great profile. The coverage OU basketball gets from the main papers and tv stations is a joke, but the school paper does a nice job and seems to have a couple good writers.

 

[AdaSooner]

Elijah didn’t stand a chance of coming out of the Ball brothers’ shadow. Their father, LaVar Ball, made sure of that. He was a master promoter (more like con man IMO) who was clearly in charge of every step they took back then. He was a loud mouth jerk who overshadowed his own sons to draw the attention to himself. I thought he would never shut up! Anybody know what happened to him?

In any event, this is a great story about a young man who defied the odds to find success at OU! It’s one we should all be proud of.

 

[AdaSooner]

A neat aside to the Elijah Harkless story. His mother was in the stands today to see him play for the first time ever in person. He honored her presence with his best game yet by scoring 19 points and logging 6 rebounds.

A novelist couldn’t write a better script!

 

[SoonerBounce13]

One of the best newspaper articles I’ve read in a long time!


[tweet] https://twitter.com/oudailysports/status/1357781818796302339?s=21[/tweet]

Nice

 

[skyvue]

During Harkless' postgame interview with the radio crew, Toby Rowland, who had praised the OU Daily article about him, said to Elijah, "From LaVar Ball to Lon Kruger -- that's quite a journey!"

Harkless fairly cackled with glee. He was laughing out loud. "It sure is," he said. (He then went on to say both men are good guys who want the best for young athletes.)

 

[AdaSooner]

During Harkless' postgame interview with the radio crew, Toby Rowland, who had praised the OU Daily article about him, said to Elijah, "From LaVar Ball to Lon Kruger -- that's quite a journey!"

Harkless fairly cackled with glee. He was laughing out loud. "It sure is," he said. (He then went on to say both men are good guys who want the best for young athletes.)

Was he just being nice saying that about La Var Ball? I answered my question by doing an online search about him. His own son, Alonzo, has severed ties with him. The article explained why LaVar is not involved in running the show anymore.

EDIT: Another article I found referenced the rift they had, but claims the family feud is over now:

https://lonzowire.usatoday.com/2020/09/14/lonzo-ball-news-lavar-argument-rift-big-baller-brand/

 

[skyvue]

Was he just being nice saying that about La Var Ball? I answered my question by doing an online search about him. His own son, Alonzo, has severed ties with him. The article explained why LaVar is not involved in running the show anymore.

I wouldn't guess what he really thinks of Bell, but you may well be correct.

 

[AdaSooner]

I wouldn't guess what he really thinks of Bell, but you may well be correct.

The article I read earlier quoted Alonzo as saying his business relationship with his father was over and he was his own man now. Their rift centered around a guy named Alan Foster who was accused of embezzling $2 million.

The article I posted in my edit claims things are better now. I didn’t bother to investigate further.

 

[tmeyer3307]

Don't know why I thought he was a soph. So, him and Gibson are Juniors, only guaranteed one more season correct or does this season not count and they could actually play two more seasons for OU?

 

[WichitaSooner]

Don't know why I thought he was a soph. So, him and Gibson are Juniors, only guaranteed one more season correct or does this season not count and they could actually play two more seasons for OU?

No one loses a season of eligibility this year. No one.

 

[Stikboy]

Great story.

 

[Soonerinkc]

Was he just being nice saying that about La Var Ball? I answered my question by doing an online search about him. His own son, Alonzo, has severed ties with him. The article explained why LaVar is not involved in running the show anymore.

EDIT: Another article I found referenced the rift they had, but claims the family feud is over now:

https://lonzowire.usatoday.com/2020/09/14/lonzo-ball-news-lavar-argument-rift-big-baller-brand/

dude was a classic POS dad trying to fulfill his dreams of success through his kids...what was his comment about MJ? he could have beat him 1/1...or something like that...what a joke.

 

[lexusooner]

With just speed, toughness and quickness he’d probably make a great free safety!

 

[BanjoCharley]

My thought as well!

 

[NMSooner'80]

It’s a great profile. The coverage OU basketball gets from the main papers and tv stations is a joke, but the school paper does a nice job and seems to have a couple good writers.

I made it to the last two Saturday home games, and unfortunately, I forgot to look for an OU Daily while in town. They do a really good job with the sports coverage. If nothing else, they're not bound to write Cade Cunningham's life story three times a week...

FWIW, when I worked in downtown Albuquerque a little over 20 years ago, I used to eat lunch regularly on the UNM campus. Their school paper, once on par with the OU Daily for covering their varsity teams, was so bad that they stopped covering most games in favor of "recreation." And when they did bother to write about their nationally ranked men's basketball team of that era, it was always along the lines of "we're too cool to be positive, so we're going 'negative' like the metro dailies do."

Now they only wish they had a team like that (5-11 overall, 1-11 in the MWC).