Somewhere in Massachusetts, there is a driveway full of kids playing basketball. They’re dribbling, they’re shooting, they’re having fun. … Wait a second. Who’s the tall older guy? Wasn’t he the governor of the state? And now he’s the president of the NCAA?
“I spend tons of time playing basketball in the driveway with the kids in the neighborhood,” Charlie Baker said. “That’s the best part about basketball. All you need is a hoop and a basketball. You don’t even need somebody. I can’t tell you how many games I’ve won with last-second shots on the court in my backyard growing up. You just go out there and play by yourself from one end to the other. There’s not a lot of sports you can do that with.”
Somewhere else in Massachusetts, there is a proud mother whose daughter Sarah was just named Naismith Player of the Year for girls high school basketball. Sarah Strong would seem to have the sport in her blood, but why would anyone be surprised? Her mother is vice president of team operations and organizational growth for the Boston Celtics. And a new member of the NCAA Board of Governors. And before that, a longtime WNBA and international player. And before that, a star at Harvard. And before that, a varsity member of her high school team — in…
