POSTERIZED: Durrell Summers does the "Jumpman"

Here is how you know Michigan State has had a truely terrible season: It's taken four months to see a Durrell Summers posterization.

Summers is one of the most athletic players in the country, and has made a career out of showing up on highlight reels.

I'm sure this dunk will find it's way to a highlight reel too



That kinda looks Jordan-esque doesn't it?

But was it as good as one of these?:

POSTERIZED - Phillip McDonald, New Mexico
POSTERIZED - Kyle Kuric, Louisville
POSTERIZED - Anthony Nelson, Niagara
POSTERIZED - Cory Joseph, Texas
POSTERIZED - Will Sheehey, Indiana
POSTERIZED - Tom Pritchard, Indiana
POSTERIZED - Shay Shine, High Point
POSTERIZED - John Holland, Boston
POSTERIZED - Keith Gabriel, VMI
POSTERIZED - Travis McKie, Wake Forest
POSTERIZED - Jefferson Mason, Minnesota State (D-II)
POSTERIZED - Tyler Johnson, Fresno State
POSTERIZED - Justin Williams, UNC-Ashville
POSTERIZED - Derrick Williams, Arizona
POSTERIZED - Hollis Thompson, Georgetown
POSTERIZED - Darnell Wilks, Cincinnati
POSTERIZED - Rodney Williams, Minnesota
POSTERIZED - Darius Johnson-Odom, Marquette
POSTERIZED - Darrius Garrett, Richmond
POSTERIZED - Travis Cohn, Jacksonville
POSTERIZED - Ramon Galloway, South Carolina
POSTERIZED - Terrence Jones, Kentucky
POSTERIZED - Justin Tubbs, East Tennessee State
POSTERIZED - John Williams, UNC-Ashville
POSTERIZED - Kevin Smith, Richmond
POSTERIZED - Mitchell Watt, Buffalo
POSTERIZED - Chandler Parsons, Florida
POSTERIZED - Kenny Gabriel, Auburn
POSTERIZED - Paris Horne, St. John's
POSTERIZED - Travis Leslie, Georgia
POSTERIZED - Laurence Bowers, Missouri
POSTERIZED - Drew Gordon, New Mexico
POSTERIZED - Tony Mitchell, Alabama
POSTERIZED - Jeffery Taylor, Vanderbilt
POSTERIZED - LaMarcus Reed, UT-Arlington
POSTERIZED - Marcus Morris, Kansas
POSTERIZED - Jared Cunningham, Oregon State
POSTERIZED - Langston Morris-Walker
POSTERIZED - Chris Wright and Juwan Staten, Dayton
POSTERIZED - D.J Stephens, Memphis
POSTERIZED - Derrick Williams, Arizona
POSTERIZED - Reeves Nelson, UCLA
POSTERIZED - Kendall Marshall and John Henson, UNC
POSTERIZED - Terrence Jones, Kentucky
POSTERIZED - Rodney Williams, Minnesota
POSTERIZED - Joe Jackson, Memphis
POSTERIZED - Shay Shine, High Point
POSTERIZED - Harrison Barnes, North Carolina
POSTERIZED - Kent Bazemore, Old Dominion
POSTERIZED - CJ Fair, Syracuse
POSTERIZED - LeBryan Nash
POSTERIZED - Rodney Williams, Minnesota
POSTERIZED - Travis Leslie, Georgia
POSTERIZED - Terrence Jones, Kentucky
POSTERIZED - Marcus Jordan, Central Florida
POSTERIZED - Lorenzo Brown, NC State
POSTERIZED - Tai Wesley, Utah State
POSTERIZED - Trent Lockett, Arizona State, and Derrick Williams, Arizona
POSTERIZED - Brandon Paul, Illinois
POSTERIZED - Jordan Hamilton, Texas
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2010 NBA Draft Early Entrants: So who came back?

The NBA Draft's Early Entry deadline came and went on Sunday. Today, we will provide you with a bit of fodder over how some of this year's decisions could sway the 2010-11 college basketball season. For a complete list of this year's crop of early entrants, click here.

You wouldn't be wrong if you said it seems like half of the college basketball ranks declared for the 2010 NBA Draft. Believe it or not, there were some NBA prospects -- fringe or otherwise -- that decided returning to school was their best option. Now this was nothing like last year, when guys like Cole Aldrich, Willie Warren, and Greg Monroe decided to go to school for another year. There really was only one surprise. But that doesn't mean there isn't some talent that will be hitting the books next season instead of cashing checks.

Keep in mind, this list will (hopefully) grow as players come to realize their true standing in regards to this year's draft class.

So as of today, who's coming back?


Kyle Singler, Duke, forward: Singler was the one surprise that I was referring too. After struggling to acclimate to a more perimeter-centric role with the Blue Devils early on, Singler went crazy over the last six weeks of the season. He capped his junior year off with a fantastic performance in the NCAA Tournament, culminating in the Final Four MOP award as Duke won their fourth national title under Coach K.

Can Kyle Singler win another one?
(photo credit: B/R)

Singler likely would have been a first round pick if he had gone pro. Instead, he decided to return to school to try and lead the Blue Devils to a second straight national title. While the decision was a great one from the perspective of a Duke fan (or a college basketball fan in general, regardless of your feelings about the Blue Devils), it probably won't hurt his potential NBA career all that much. While his stock may never be higher than it is right now, the thing about Singler is that he is a known commodity. Nothing he can do next season is going to hurt his draft stock, and likely won't improve it all that much. He's a combo-forward that is going to play hard and compete, can knock down a jumper, and may be big versatile enough to create mismatches is a team decides to go small and use him at the four.


Jeff Taylor, Vanderbilt, sophomore: A lot of fans don't know who Jeff Taylor is, but it is a safe bet that NBA scouts do. Taylor has all the makings of a guy that can develop into an impact small forward in the NBA. He's an explosive athlete with good size (6'7") and length that can defend and rebound. His is still a bit raw on the offensive end, but a jump shot and ball handling can be developed. Tools cannot.

Taylor probably made a good decision to return to school With Jermaine Beal graduating and AJ Ogilvy entering the draft and hiring an agent, Taylor is going to be Vanderbilt's first option next season. If he puts in the work this off-season and can up his production, there is no reason he can't vault himself into the back end of next year's lottery.


Kemba Walker, UConn, sophomore: Walker plays a different position than Taylor -- he is a diminutive point guard as opposed to a "power wing" -- but he is facing a lot of the same problems that Taylor is. Simply put, Walker relies far too heavily on his absurd quickness and ball-handling ability but doesn't quite understand how to run a team. He can lead a fast break as well as anyone at the collegiate level, but can he get a team into an offense and run a system. Next season, Walker will have a chance to work on that as UConn will need to play as much more of a team with talents like Stanley Robinson and Jerome Dyson graduating.

The other thing Walker will have a chance to work on next year is learning his limitations. There are few players that can keep Walker out of the paint, but quite a few that can block his shot or force him into a tough layup at the rim. If Walker wants to be a successful NBA point, he is going to need to learn how to score in the mid-range; to learn when he should pull up for a 10 foot jumper or a short floater as opposed to trying to finish around the rim in traffic.


Elias Harris, Gonzaga, freshman: Harris wasn't considered an NBA prospect when he arrived in Spokane, but he certainly is now. He reminds me a lot of Josh Howard. What I mean is that he is a four at this level, but he has the athleticism and the ball skills to project as an effective three at the next level. Harris is explosive enough to dunk over you and strong enough to bully his way through you, but he also has a finesse game, showing an ability to weave his way through traffic, and can knock down a three.

Elias Harris surprised a lot of people this season.
(photo credit: ESPN)

Harris was a bit inconsistent this past season, which probably had more to do with the fact that he was the third or fourth option most of the season than any knock on his game. With Matt Bouldin gone, it is going to the Harris and Steven Gray show for Mark Few next season. Expect big numbers ffrom the 6'8" 20 year old, and if he can show some development in his ability to play on the perimeter, Harris could be a lottery pick next season.


Kalin Lucas and Durrell Summers, Michigan State, juniors: Both of these guys made the right decision to come back to school. Neither had a great junior year, and it wasn't just an issue of their basketball ability. Lucas was the 2009 Big Ten player of the year, but he dealt with leadership and injury issues throughout the season and is currently laid up with a torn achilles tendon. Lucas likely isn't going to be a lottery pick or a primetime player in the NBA, but if he can lead the Spartans to a third straight Final Four, you don't think NBA teams are going to take notice? He's a point guard that can create his own shot, can make a play for a teammate, and is a proven winner. Leadership aside, Lucas seems like he is going to be the kind of player than hangs around the league for 12-15 years as a solid back up point guard.

Summers has a much higher ceiling than Lucas, but it just seems like he doesn't want to tap into that potential. He looks almost apathetic on the court at times. He proved what kind of player he can be as he stepped his game up in the NCAA Tournament without Lucas, earning the Midwest Region's MOP, but one good month doesn't make up for a career's worth of inconsistency.


Other notable names back for another season:

• Scotty Hopson, Tennessee, sophomore: A big time recruit coming out of high school, Hopson needs to prove that he is more than an athlete that can hit a jumper.
• Chris Singleton, Florida State, sophomore: Singleton might have been able to sneak into the first round this season, but like Hopson, he still relies too heavily on being toolsy.
• Renardo Sidney, Mississippi State, freshman(?): Sidney never saw the court this season due to issues with being an amateur. But a 6'11" big man with his talent will always be a prospect.
• Aaric Murray, La Salle, freshman: Murray is a big man with a jump shot, but he needs to prove he can also play in the paint.
  
• Malcolm Lee, UCLA, sophomore: The Bruins just didn't have a good enough season to warrant anyone going pro. Lee is a gym rat, however. I expect him to come back much better next year.
• Trey Thompkins, Georgia, sophomore: I know I wasn't the only one that was impressed by the big man's play towards the end of the season.
  

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Georgetown won't be a top five team, but Michigan State should be

Earlier this week, we took a look at the three biggest names that we were still waiting to hear from in regards to the NBA Draft.

Today, we got an answer from one of those three.

Georgetown's sophomore center Greg Monroe has declared for the NBA Draft. He will be signing with an agent, eliminating any possibility that he could return to DC for his junior year. After the Hoyas were upset by Ohio in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, Monroe said that he would be returning to school for his junior season.

Greg Monroe will be in the NBA next season.
(photo credit: iSportsWeb)

Monroe is making the right decision. As much as I hate seeing talent from the college ranks leave with eligibility remaining, the goal is to make a career out of playing basketball. Monroe has a chance to make a life-changing amount of money -- and with the impending lockout, the same may not be true if he stayed for his junior season -- and he should capitalize on that opportunity.

If Monroe had stayed, Georgetown would have been the favorite to win the Big East and likely a consensus top five team in 2011. Without Monroe, the Hoyas are probably going to hang around the top 25. They bring back one of the best back courts in the country with Chris Wright, Austin Freeman, Jason Clark, and Hollis Thompson. Julian Vaughn is a solid post player, and is one of Henry Sims, Moses Abraham, or Nate Lubick can become a solid contributor, the Hoyas have a team that could possibly be able to compete for a Big East title.

While today brought bad news for Hoya fans, it brought fantastic news for basketball fans in East Lansing.

Both Kalin Lucas, the 2009 Big Ten player of the year, and Durrell Summers, the 2010 Midwest Region MOP, decided to forego the NBA Draft and return to school for their senior seasons.

With those two back in school, the only player that Tom Izzo loses from a team that has made back to back Final Fours is Raymar Morgan, adding two top 50 recruits -- guard Keith Appling and big man Adreian Payne -- to the mix. Michigan State should be a top five team in the preseason, and depending on what happens with the players from Purdue and Illinois with their names currently in the draft, they should be considered the favorite in the Big Ten as well.

Will Lucas and Summers lead Sparty to third straight Final Four?
(photo credit: NYDN)

It will be interesting to see what happens with Lucas and Summers. Lucas may have snuck into the back of the first round if he had left school after his sophomore season, but decided to return to school. This year, Lucas really had no choice but to return. There are quite a few players clustered in the 20-45 range, and with Lucas' injury (torn achilles), he would be unable to improve his standing with workouts, even in a draft short on point guards. Lucas is not the kind of player that is going to be a lottery pick -- his size limits hit NBA potential -- but earning a guaranteed contract isn't out of the question.

Summers is a different story. He has a ton of talent -- he can score in bunches, he is an NBA athlete, and he can knock down shots from the perimeter. Summers has the potential to be an all-american next season. The issue is whether he will ever live up to that potential.

If he does, don't be surprised to see Sparty in a third straight Final Four.

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Top 10 moments from 2008-2009 - No. 4

College basketball season tips off today, and in an effort to get you guys (and ourselves) excited, we will be counting down the Top 10 moments from last season. Check back with us throughout the day as we will be posting on the hour until 7pm, when UNC and FIU kick off the 2009-2010 college basketball season.

4. Durrell Summers posterizes Stanley Robinson in the Final Four. I was in attendance at this game, and I've never been to a sporting event that was as loud as Ford Field was after this dunk. The stadium as literally shaking.


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2009-2010 College Basketball Season Preview: Best Dunkers

There aren't too many things that will fire up a crowd more than an electrifying dunk. The momentum of a game can change on just one outlet pass that turns into a thunderous slam. There won't be a shortage of rim-rockers this year, and there are plenty of guys out there with the hops capable of putting on a show for the fans.

With the season tip-off being literally hours away, what better way to get back into the spirit of the game than by going over the biggest high-flyers of the upcoming season.

As we have certified ourselves as the preeminent dunk experts on the intrawebs, here is out list of the top 10 dunkers this season. Don't be surprised if these guys make quite a few Sportscenter top 10's.

Chris "Top Flight" Wright - 6'8" forward, Dayton

I can make this short, because, well, his nickname is "Top Flight". Wright is by far the most talked-about dunker entering this season, and with the high expectations that have been set for Dayton, we could be seeing a lot of the this high-flyer on weekly top tens throughout the year. There are more than a handful of dunks you could pick as being Wright's most memorable. When he dunked over Marquette's Maurice Acker, I was pretty sure he left the atmosphere (seriously, look at where he catches the ball, then think about the fact that he doesn't use a dribble to get to the rim). Not only is Wright one of the best dunkers in the country, he is also one of the most athletic players out there. With Blake Griffin and Gerald Henderson, arguably two of the best dunkers last year, leaving for the NBA, "Top Flight" has become the premiere rim-rocker at the college level.









Trevor Booker - 6'7" forward, Clemson

He's your prototypical power-dunker. The true definition of a rim-rocker. The bulk of his highlight reel dunks come on tip-ins and follow-up slams. Clemson is a widely known as a "push-the-pace" team, and Booker has become an expert at trailing the break and following up on the glass. He's also a beast on the offensive rebounds. His physical strength can get him over, around, or through any defender in his way.









Paul George - 6'8" forward, Fresno State

A lot of people across the country didn't get to see a single Fresno State game on the television last season. They missed out on one of the most entertaining players in the entire country. But George's popularity has soared because of his highlight reel videos across the internet and youtube. He made his case for last season's "Dunk of the Year" with a monstrous one-handed slam from just inside the foul line against St. Marys. Did I mention that he did this in only his second game in his college career? Entering his sophomore season, George will undoubtedly capture the spotlight in the Mountain West Conference. He's long and lanky and is still some-what raw, but he has smooth transitions and can get up off the ground in a hurry.









Stanley "Stix" Robinson - 6'9" forward, UConn

The man known as "Stix" has been soaring across the sky in Storrs for the past two seasons. He had to leave the team to tend to personal issues a year ago, but came back to the team for the second part of last season. Since then, he has been the Huskies resident skywalker. His dunking ability is a combination of great athleticism and entertaining excitement. With the Husky's style of play lending to outside jumpers, "Stix" has a great presence of mind to get to the basket after the shot. However, having said all that, we must remember that he does have a tendency to be on the wrong end of posterizations. See Summers-comma-Durrell or Anderson-comma-Joe for more details.

(first highlight here)









Durrell Summers - 6'4" guard, Michigan State

Mr. Summers makes the list for his ability to be in the right place at the right time along with feeling at home soaring above the rim. A long and athletic wing with a wiry frame, Durrell was MSU’s most dynamic big-play threat last season. His knack for making a big shot, or finishing off a nice transition has made him a star among the East Lansing faithful. He is an integral part of the Spartans transitional play and press-break, usually starring as finishing touch. Spartan fans were acustomed to nightly viewings of Durrell Summers finishing off a Michigan State possesion with a fierce slam. Summers is forever linked to Robinson because of the monumental posterization that Summers laid down during the Final Four.









The best of the rest

Willie Warren - 6'4" guard, Oklahoma





Gerard Anderson - 6'6" forward, Cal State-Fullerton



Will Coleman - 6'9" forward, Memphis





John Wall - 6'4" guard, Kentucky





Carlon Brown - 6'3" guard, Utah





Who did we miss?
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No. 4: 2009-2010 Team Preview: Michigan State Spartans

2008-2009 Record: 31-7, 15-3 Big Ten (1st)

Key Losses: Goran Suton, Travis Walton

Key Returners: Kalin Lucas (14.7 ppg, 4.6 apg), Raymar Morgan (10.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg), Durrell Summers (8.6 ppg), Delvon Roe (5.6 ppg, 5.2 rpg)

Newcomers: Garrick Sherman, Derrick Nix

Kalin Lucas will lead MSU as Sparty looks to make a return trip to the Final Four.
(photo credit: MLive)

More than any other team in the top five, Michigan State lost some valuable pieces in the off-season. Leader and defensive stalwart Travis Walton graduated, as did versatile big man Goran Suton. But, if it is possible for a team that reached the title game while beating Kansas, Louisville, and UConn along the way, Michigan State was operating at a diminished capacity last season.

Delvon Roe and Raymar Morgan, who are the likely starters in the two forward spots, were both limited last season, Roe due to microfracture surgery on his knee the season before and Morgan because of a bout of walking pneumonia and a broken nose. Roe's knee injury really cost him last season. More than anything, it was due to how weak his knee was. He didn't have the explosiveness he had as a high schooler and he wasn't able to defend as well as he is expected of a Tom Izzo post player. But when healthy, Roe is dangerous. He is athletic, energetic, and really able to get up and down the floor. His post game is still developing, but Roe should add an extra dimension offensively for the Spartans with his mobility and ability to finish above the rim in traffic.

Morgan is a bit of a conundrum. He came into last season hyped as one of the best combo forwards in the country, but he was extremely inconsistent and unreliable as a result of his injuries and illnesses. When Morgan is at 100%, the guy is as strong and aggressive a player as you will see on the wing, to the point that he is essentially a perimeter oriented power forward. Morgan's weakness at this point in his career is his relative lack of ball handling skills and his poor jump shot. With his ability to slash to the basket and score inside, especially on the offensive glass, if he has improved his perimeter game, Morgan will be a terror offensively for Izzo.

Joining those two up front is a solid group in sophomore Draymond Green, junior Tom Herzog, and freshmen Derrick Nix and Garrick Sherman. Green will probably see the most minutes, at least early on. At 6'6", 235 lb, Green isn't going to impress anyone with his offensive ability or his athleticism. But where he will be effective is on the defensive end and on the glass. He is a strong guy with a lot of determination in the paint. Herzog is a seven footer that saw very limited minutes last season, but expect him to get more consistent playing time this year as size off the bench with Idong Ibok's graduation. Nix and Sherman are similar players. Both are big, strong kids (Nix is 6'8", 280 lb, and Sherman is 6'10", 235 lb) and excellent on the glass. Sherman is probably a bit more polished offensively at this point, but given the talent on this roster, it won't be points that Izzo looks for out of these two - it will be toughness inside, defensively and on the glass.

As good as Michigan State's front court is, their back court is probably better. It will be headlined by reigning Big Ten player of the year Kalin Lucas. Lucas is as good of a point guard as you will find. Lucas is capable of playing on the ball or off of it. When he has the ball in his hands, he is able to break down a defender due to his crisp handle and an exceptional stop-and-go ability and quickness changing direction. He is good at finding the open man when he draws an extra defender as well. Perhaps his most dangerous weapon offensively is his jumper, which is good enough that a defender must respect it, making his ability to create all the more dangerous. As the Spartans will look to get out and run this year, Lucas will be counted upon to lead the break and orchestrate the Spartan offensive attack.

Joining Lucas on the perimeter will be a number of talented wings. Junior Durrell Summers is probably the best of the bunch. An exciting athlete, the 6'4" Summers developed an effective three point stroke during his sophomore season. Summers is going to be a terror running a lane on a fast break, but as he continues to expand his offensive arsenal, Summers may be primed for a break out season. Chris Allen and Korie Lucious will also see significant minutes this season. Allen entered East Lansing with a reputation as a big-time scorer and shooter, but has yet to really find a level of consistency playing at this level. Lucious averaged just 3.2 ppg in limited minutes as a freshman, but he showed flashes of being a good scorer. As minutes open up with Travis Walton's graduated, don't be surprised is Lucious turns into a consistent and effective scoring option.

Outlook: As you should be accustomed to by now, Michigan State will once again be the class of the Big Ten. While they do lose some key pieces from last year's team, the Spartans may be better than last year simply due to the natural development of some of their younger guys and playing this season at 100%. While the loss of Walton will hurt them - he was easily one of the most dominant perimeter defenders last year - it will provide increased minutes for more offensive-oriented guys like Chris Allen and Korie Lucious. The loss of Suton's size should be mitigated by the expected emergence of Delvon Roe and the addition of a couple big freshmen. Michigan State should be expected to run a little bit more this season than last, and if Morgan and Summers provide two legitimate scoring threats on the wings, another Big Ten title and Final Four trip should be expected.
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